Mask Paint Chips in Eyes

[Bayou Bum]

This weekend I observed an epee fencer using a blue non FIE PBT mask (not that I think the PBT brand matters) fencing a DE bout take an unusually hard hit directly to the mask leaving a large mark and dent. The problem was that the fencer received small paint chips from the mask on her face and in her eye from the blow. After the bout we were able to remove the speck from her eye and no damage was done except to the mask the possibility of contributing to her losing the DE and a new rank.

My question is: Was this an unusual occurrence or does anyone know if this happens frequently? Is this less likely to occur with black mask?

Bum

[Epee Scherma]

I have two different colored masks, one I colored myself. The other was colored by Leon Paul. Never had that kind of problem. So, the hit made paint chips come off the mask and into the eye? Must have been some hit!

[Cipher]

As an advanced beginner at my club, I often get to introduce beginners to epee. Needless to say that means my mask can take some pretty horrible hits from those overeager and overaggressive ones. I've never had a problem with paint chips myself so I would be inclined to think that it is probably not too common an occurance.

If that fencer colored the mask herself, then it might be due to the type of paint/coloring that she used.

[daveappr]

I have repainted my masks in the past and I have not gotten a hit that made the paint chip. I've retired two masks from solid epee hits that dented the mesh, and had paint scrape off but no chips - at least not that were noticed anywhere. She was fortunate that there was no scratching or further injury.

[Villadsen]

Well im sorry to say it but i am the one who is responsible for the hit to her mask. We both have the same kind of mask navy blue PBT. At a previous tourney i had hit her in that spot and left a large scrape with a dent, and at this weekends tourney, my blade made contact with the same spot. Honestly it didnt feel like a hard hit, but more of a 'click' and the blade bouncing off. Yet that could have been the mask buckling, and chipping. I have yet to see this happen to anyother pbt mask, and they have a monopoly at our fencing club.

Sorry Anna.

[SouthPaw]

Ive never had that problem with my baby blue non-FIE PBT mask. It has some dents (although holds up surprisingly well for a non-FIE mask), and a fair amount of the paint has been scraped away, but I've never had paint chip off and hit me. I've been using it for around 4 years now. Plus, black masks are painted, too... they're just painted, well... black. I would bet that they are just as likely to have paint chip off of them, unless someone had problems with paint chips if they painted their mask themselves, then it could be blamed on a poor paint job.

[jm_f]

Well, according to fencepbt the colored masks "Color transferred with steam vaporizing process" is this what manufacturers do to paint masks black?

I'm thinking of getting a navy blue pbt non-fie mask, can you guys comment on it, like say compared to non-fie masks of the more known manufacturers?

[epeezack]

It's happend to me before, I don't know of anything you can do to stop it, other then avoiding hard hits to the mask.

[acaba]

I've seen paint chips happen too, but don't remember what brand the mask was. I think you could get chips off of any mask, if you hit it hard enough or often enough.

[Stylothek]

My club-fellows all use PBT masks as the coach is from hungary and often purchases the gear there. I transferred from a different club with my allstar mask and noticed that the PBT coating does seem in some way inferior, we've had to pause some training bouts because the fencers had chips in their nostrils, mouth and eyes. I've experienced once with my mask, it really does seem to occur more often with the PBTs for whatever reason.

[esskreemr]

I've refurbished my masks several times and have painted it gold, gold/blue (school colors), and black. I don't remember having paint chips fly off.

[daveappr]

I would suspect a poor prep job could cause paint chips to fly off, without proper prep the paint would not adhere to a mask that was repainted or touched up.

[smeric28]

i have a white fie mask from triplette. i have had dust pop off the mask on a good hit, especially where i have touched the mask up. the touch up paint is an enamel and no where near as durable as the original paint. what get's me is the smell of paint dust it's kind of a funky sick sweet that kinda makes me gag a little. though i have never gotten any "flecks" in my eyes, knock on wood.

[jm_f]

That paint dust might be bad for your health though

[MikeHarm]

I used to have an FIE triplette mask where every time I got hit there would be a cloud of paint chips everywhere. It was awful. They told me they switched how they were painted and gave me a replacement when I complained about it.

I haven't had it happen with any of my other masks I've bought.

[acaba]

That paint dust might be bad for your health though

Only if it has LEAD in it...(running and ducking!)

[smeric28]

I used to have an FIE triplette mask where every time I got hit there would be a cloud of paint chips everywhere. It was awful. They told me they switched how they were painted and gave me a replacement when I complained about it.

I haven't had it happen with any of my other masks I've bought.

when was this and what model of mask did you have. i might like a replacement also.