Sport 7 Foil Points and White Lights

[Beowulfman6]

My clubs weapons all have Sport 7 french tips, and I have frequent problems with white lights going off when the blade is hit lightly (sometimes it goes away and sometimes it stays on). I find that twisting the tip and streching or replacing the spring usualy fixes the problem temporarily, but it alwayse comes back. The points have done this since we got the weapons a few months ago, and the points are still in good shape.

I've checked that all of the pins on the bodycords were making good contact, that the wire was properly stripped where it connects to the socket, and that the points are screwed on tightly. All of these apear fine. Is it possible that I just recieved a bad batch of springs? Any suggestions?

For what it's worth, I use German tips on all of my own weapons and have only had this problem once- and changing the spring fixed it.

[Purple Fencer]

Have you sanded off the ends fo the springs, or cleaned the insude of treh wire cup? You may be getting some corrosion that's blocking the signal.

For the spring, put on onto a jewelers screwdriver and use a finger to push the end of the spring just past the tip of the screwdriver....then run your bench grinder and touch the end of trhe spring to the side of the deburring wheel (the side because it's flatter than the edge). I've found this easily removes any corrosion, and is easier, faster, and more efficient than simply runnign the spring on sandpaper....make sure to get both sides.

For the wire cup, go to a store that sells small brass tubing (Lowes, Home Depot, Osh...or a hobby store that deals with model airplanes) and get one that will fit into the cup (don't remember the diameter).

Cut a short length (3" or so), roughen up the end a little, insert against the contact and turn it...it should scrape off any other corrosion. Clean it out with a Q-tip with rubbing alcohol and/or a can of compressed air.

Do the same to the flange at the end of the tip where the other end of the spring sits.

[Beowulfman6]

Thanks Purple Fencer. Last time I had one apart I didn't see any corrosion, but I'll give this a try and see what it does.

[Purple Fencer]

Originally Posted by Beowulfman6

Thanks Purple Fencer. Last time I had one apart I didn't see any corrosion, but I'll give this a try and see what it does.

You probably won't anyway....it's enough to block the signal, but not enough to really see.

[Beowulfman6]

I should mention that the school's equipment room is so humid and moldy that after leaving the weapons in there for two days the blades were covered in rust. We no longer store the weapons in there, but the damage may have been done then.

[Purple Fencer]

Originally Posted by Beowulfman6

I should mention that the school's equipment room is so humid and moldy that after leaving the weapons in there for two days the blades were covered in rust. We no longer store the weapons in there, but the damage may have been done then.

Uhhh yeah.....I think you nailed it!