Tang/Bell issue

[shango]

So I got a new weapon from Blade, went to their shop in person in NYC and picked out a nice Vniti FIE foil with a famed Vniti bell guard. However, while Blade seems to be under new management (meaning that those old Russian guys have retired or left, and now younger Russian guys run the place), their armorer seems to have done a shoddy job on my weapon. I didn't notice at first, but part of the tang is showing at where the blade meets the bell, its not much, but the bell is kind of "crooked," and a small corner of the tang is showing. Is this a problem? If not, should I just have it fixed anyway?

[keith]

the first question is - how dramatic is the set on your blade?

If you have a big set on the blade and the handle has not been filed to fit the angle it can end up pushing flat against the guard and so pushing the guard out in the way you describe. Your guard will eventually just bend to shape.

You can check if this is the problem by loosening the handle.

-If the guard now sits flat take of the handle and file it down to match the angle of the set.

-If the guard doesn't sit flat its just an uneven join between blade and tang, you could work it even with a file if you wished. (This is the solution if you have no set on the blade.)

As to whether it matters - you will probably end up tightening your weapon more often if you leave it as is, with associated increases in the chances of damaging the wiring.

[shango]

I took off the handle, but the problem is that the hole in the guard is apparently no wide enought to fit the tang of the blade. What now?

[great bowyer]

my guess would be to file the hole in the guard to fit the tang, at least that is what i would do.

[rsy]

Originally Posted by shango

I took off the handle, but the problem is that the hole in the guard is apparently no wide enought to fit the tang of the blade. What now?

The Vniti guards do have a smaller opening that sometimes needs to be widened with a file. First check which sides need to be widened and then use a small triangular file to widen the opening only on the sides needed. Take off a small amount of material at a time so that the hole is not made too big.

-r

[ReverseLunge]

Is Vniti a Russian company?

[The Armourer]

I don't think this is a problem. As suggested above make sure the 'cant' or 'set' of your blade is to your liking - if it is thats the main thing. I suggest that if you can tighten the bolt up sufficiently so nothing is loose or 'woobly' that the hole through the bell is not an issue. It is not unusual to see a small (say one or two millimetres - is that a sixteenth?) of tang exposed as long as the bell itself is touching at some point the 'tang/blade interface'. Well I hope that helps?

[smeric28]

i had them make me a practice epee there a few years ago. i had to have them fix it twice before i would accpet it. first the tang was too long so the bolt poked out the back of the handel. then i had to have them put a cant in the blade. so what i am really tring to say is that i really wouldn't put it past them to not pay attention and make sure the hole in the bell is big enough. also even if the weapon is solid now the kind of aluminum alloy that i suspect the viniti bells are made from can possibly crack from the hole out. (if indeed the hole is too small)