Body cord legality...."A" line

[Purple Fencer]

Here's a question....if I need to replace the entire A line on a foil cord, would it be legal if I spliced and soldered to length of cable together (with a heat shrink covering) to get the 40cm minimum?

If not, no prob...but it might be nice to know.

[yeoldearmourer]

When you splice a wire you take the chance of raiseing the res. I have never solice the A lead to get the 40cm always replace it with a wire at 45 cm to give me some wire if I have put it back on.

[brtech]

We can test the resistance. If you presented it to me, what I would tell you is that while probably there is nothing wrong, it's a little suspicious. Suppose you figured out a way to induce a break in the splice? Break the A, no score for your opponent. I'd suggest you just use one piece of wire.

[Purple Fencer]

That's kinda what I thought. I'll just pull a one-piece line. Thanks guys

And BTW, Tim...I've cut the cable for my cords...my A line will be 3 feet...PLENTY of repair room.

[fencerbill]

That's kinda what I thought. I'll just pull a one-piece line. Thanks guys

And BTW, Tim...I've cut the cable for my cords...my A line will be 3 feet...PLENTY of repair room.

Actually the rule says that the A line must be SEPARATED for 40 cm.

There is no technical objection to a properly spliced A line. Objections are more esthetic.

[KD5MDK]

I might also object that if the joint breaks, depending on how it looks, it might look like an intentional act, and introducing doubt there is always a bad thing.

[Purple Fencer]

Actually the rule says that the A line must be SEPARATED for 40 cm.

There is no technical objection to a properly spliced A line. Objections are more esthetic.

I should clarify....that's 3 feet of free wire. I'm not going to be like Prieur...too damn lazy to seperate the A line from the rest of the cable.

It's going to be like Uhlamnn or LP...a totally separete line...but UNLIKE Uhlmann, it's going to be sufficiently long...so one repair isn;t going to make it too short.

I already pulled the spare wire out...will work on it Monday.

[prototoast]

I should clarify....that's 3 feet of free wire. I'm not going to be like Prieur...too damn lazy to seperate the A line from the rest of the cable.

It's going to be like Uhlamnn or LP...a totally separete line...but UNLIKE Uhlmann, it's going to be sufficiently long...so one repair isn;t going to make it too short.

I already pulled the spare wire out...will work on it Monday.

But might it be too long? At what point does it become cumbersome?

[Purple Fencer]

But might it be too long? At what point does it become cumbersome?

Possibly, but you couild always tuck it into the pocket...and if it still gets in the way, easy enough to shorten it.

I think the last time I looked at a Negrini cord, the A line was the same length as the B & C...6 feet...

[Joe biebel]

A splice in an "A" line on a foil body cord is not a bad thing. With a good job I don't think the change in conductivity would be measureable. It may, just like a metallic jacket with a patch on it, get a little more scrutiny. Where you get in trouble really, is when there is a second cable coming out of the splice that leads to a rocker switch to break the continuity at a crucial moment. Top armorers will rarely pass it, and you are forced to get some of your own "control" tape to finish the job.

[KD5MDK]

Umm... how about not so top armorers. You think they'd pass it?

[Purple Fencer]

Umm... how about not so top armorers. You think they'd pass it?

if they didn;t know what to look for, yeah.

[KD5MDK]

Wow. Maybe I don't have enough experience with not so top armorers, but I'd think extraneous wire and a rocker switch would be fairly obvious...

[Purple Fencer]

Wow. Maybe I don't have enough experience with not so top armorers, but I'd think extraneous wire and a rocker switch would be fairly obvious...

You'd be amazed at what an inexperienced person will miss....

[fencerbill]

That's kinda what I thought. I'll just pull a one-piece line. Thanks guys

And BTW, Tim...I've cut the cable for my cords...my A line will be 3 feet...PLENTY of repair room.

PF, just used some of that new body cord wire from you. Fits very nicely into Leon Paul bayonet plug tunnels.

[Purple Fencer]

PF, just used some of that new body cord wire from you. Fits very nicely into Leon Paul bayonet plug tunnels.

Yeah...I just found that out yesterday when I replaced the A line on a couple of LP body cords...nice....Uhlmann and Prieur wire doesn't fit.

[fencerbill]

Yeah...I just found that out yesterday when I replaced the A line on a couple of LP body cords...nice....Uhlmann and Prieur wire doesn't fit.

And I was thinking it was intentional.

[Purple Fencer]

And I was thinking it was intentional.

It will be the NEXT time I order the stuff! (can you say serindipity??)

The only other change I'm going to make is to make the B conductor silver in color....that way the A is copper, B is silver, and C is copper with the black stripe.

I may also see if they can make it a little more flexible...it's good now (better then the stuff Ted Li bought from them in 96), but something closer to the LP or Favero wire would be even better!

[fencerbill]

It will be the NEXT time I order the stuff! (can you say serindipity??)

The only other change I'm going to make is to make the B conductor silver in color....that way the A is copper, B is silver, and C is copper with the black stripe.

I may also see if they can make it a little more flexible...it's good now (better then the stuff Ted Li bought from them in 96), but something closer to the LP or Favero wire would be even better!

I am not sure that is necessary and it will just incrementally cost more.

When I repair body cords I always use a magic marker to mark one of the wires to cut down on getting them mixed up.

After some thought I have decided to always mark the C line. Because that will work whether it is a Foil or Epee body cord.

With your recent buy this will work as long as you make the black stripe conductor the C line.

It positively marks both ends of an Epee BC, the reel end of a Foil BC and the weapon end of a Foil BC.

The way to more flexibility is a combination of the intrinsic flexibility of the insulation and a combination of more individual conductors each of smaller size.

If you go too far you will get back to the problem of the LP wires breaking so soon.

[Purple Fencer]

I am not sure that is necessary and it will just incrementally cost more.

The silver-colored B line, you mean?? They were actually supposed to do it on THIS run, but forgot.

When I repair body cords I always use a magic marker to mark one of the wires to cut down on getting them mixed up.

After some thought I have decided to always mark the C line. Because that will work whether it is a Foil or Epee body cord.

With your recent buy this will work as long as you make the black stripe conductor the C line.

That's why I had it done (Prieur does the same thing)...they had to toss one run because they made it clear/clear/BLACK instead of clear/clear/clear with the black stripe.

The way to more flexibility is a combination of the intrinsic flexibility of the insulation and a combination of more individual conductors each of smaller size.

If you go too far you will get back to the problem of the LP wires breaking so soon.

Clarify, please....that was likely before my time....be nice to not repeat mistakes (I can invent my own!)