Weapons check question

[jspierre]

How many guys (ladies) do a weapons check themselves prior to an NAC? I mean, do people have their own shim's and weights to check the travel and pressure on the tip to ensure they comply with the rules, or do they wait and simply submit their weapons to the bout committee, and hope things check our ok?

[swordsen]

Not only do I have shims and weights, I try and keep a bag of tips crews, preasure springs, contact srings and a set of screwdrivers in my bag. They go with me to every tournament I fence in.
Not only do I carry them, I use them.

(you would be surprised how many people carry them but don't use them)

[scarlet_woman156k]

Yes, I check everything. I've always been under the impression the armory table doesn't have time for that since they're busy checking masks/body cords (especially at a NAC). If there's down-time for them, perhaps. But if I were you, I'd check your own stuff before you go.

[ 01-14-2002: Message edited by: scarlet_woman156k ]

[ 01-14-2002: Message edited by: scarlet_woman156k ]</p>

[Zelda]

I ALWAYS check and personally beleive people who dont know how, or cant really need to be taught!

[sallearmourer]

When I have my repair booth at NAC I have a self test area setup for use by the fencers. I have weights and sims and test boxes there for use. I also have tools for use and parts for sale there. Plus my free expert advice on what can be wrong with the weapons And how to fix them. And the Armory sometime have a self test area set up.

Tim

[Peach]

As for sabres, before the event sit down and make sure you have no exposed metal at the pommel end or on the inside of the bell guard. I keep a bottle of nail polish handy for scrapes inside the bell guard and plenty of tape for the grip & pommel.

I've seen so many touches against a fencer caused by exposed metal.

[Purple Fencer]

Not just at NAC, but you should check your own gear before each tournament. if you don't, rest assured you'll hage one of those days when EVERYTHING'S going to fail on you!

LikeSwordsen, I have a little box with all the testing gear and spare parts.

Even so, I've done my faro share of armory work at the three comps I've set my booth up at so far, even to the point fo doing rewires for an "A" epeeist going to the South Bend NAC (He's just too busy, I guess). more $$ for me!

[Inquartata]

A sabre fencer replies:

Weapons check? What's that?

[DamedEscrime]

I learned the hard way to check my weapons and cord before a tournament. Even then sometime they fail. But at least I know I tried to come prepared. And I do carry all I need to check and repair in a pinch.

[Drew42]

Always check your own equipment first. I take my bag of goodies to the strip area *WITH* me. I've used my own equipment and a neighboring strips equipment to prove to a director that my weapon was 'in specs' and avoided cards several times. If you're going to fence USFA the $30 - $40 invested in good weights, shims, and test box is one of the best you can make! Check the night before the mtach AND the morning of, those things can go out of whack quick!

Drew42

[Peach]

You mean you don't have your shim and block to test for tip width and extent of bend?

[quote]Originally posted by Inquartata:
<strong>A sabre fencer replies:

Weapons check? What's that? </strong><hr></blockquote>

[jspierre]

Any recommendations who makes a reliable test box?

[edew]

The Zivkovic text box is particularly good because it checks for very brief intermittent breaks in connection. If you use a regular on/off test box, and you bend you blade a bit, the connection (or disconnection, depending on foil or epee, respectively) might break, but only intermittently, and you won't see it. The Zivkovic box has two lights, one which stays on for about 1/2 second for any size breaks, and the other is a simple on/off. That way, you will know if there's a bad connection somewhere, and that you might lose a touch or two (especially in foil) because of that.

[damianip]

[quote]Originally posted by edew:
<strong>The Zivkovic text box is particularly good because it checks for very brief intermittent breaks in connection. If you use a regular on/off test box, and you bend you blade a bit, the connection (or disconnection, depending on foil or epee, respectively) might break, but only intermittently, and you won't see it. The Zivkovic box has two lights, one which stays on for about 1/2 second for any size breaks, and the other is a simple on/off. That way, you will know if there's a bad connection somewhere, and that you might lose a touch or two (especially in foil) because of that.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Eric,

Are you referring to the Favero unit that Ben sells?

If so, I agree, it is a most useful tool. The minor cost will pay for itself in short order by helping eradicate those hobgoblins of electric fencing.

Paolo

[edew]

Don't know if Favero is the original manufacturer, although the form factor looks like a Favero product. I just see a Zivkovic sticker on it.

[sallearmourer]

To Drew42 the only weights and sims that is offical is the one the refrees are issue. If I was refreeing your bout and your weapons didn't pass the weights and sims I was given you would have a yellow card. The majority of the weights and sims use by the USFA are within the specs as the FIE rules. I know I weighted them and gauge at Plam Springs.

Ben sell the Farvo BOx and just stick is label on them.

Tim

[its_me_mango]

try to trust our bout committees. BUT! if you have a great weapon and you KNOW it works and they keep disqualifying it, then I think you have the right to ask the bout committee to carefully, not hastily, go over the equipment with you and let you know what the problem is. One thing i notice is that in the excitement of the game, we speed up too much, including weapons checks. <img src="graemlins/freak4.gif" border="0" alt="[Freak2]" />

[edew]

The bout committee has no jurisdiction on determining why a weapon is or is not working. The bout committee sends out referees and the referees do their thing. If it doesn't work, ask an armorer, not the bout committee.

[Stryder]

JSPierre- Don't be a fool! Check your weapons extensively before competition. Check your weight and shims before and after every bout! There is no excuse for giving your opponant a point. When your bout is over walk to the table and test the weights and/or shims before unhooking.

Not only is it important to you as a competitor, but crappy equipment is disrespectful to the other fencers in the room. Equipment failures are the biggest cause of tournament delays! We whine and cuss because the pools start at 8 and the DE's start at 12:30, the time it takes to seed the DE is finite. Coaches challenging results add on an extra 20 minutes but the real delay is the fact that the pools aren't done for another hour because some scub from the woods has a loose barrel and the rest of us have to get cold waiting for them to get their mom and their coach and their friend to come stand around saying "Hmmm? I was sure this one worked! Try it one more time. Are you sure it's not the reel?"

At least I'm not bitter.

[Zelda]

No Stryder, you aint bitter at all!