Where can I get a spool of wire for blades?

[Icarrytheirgear]

I've got the parts, now I just need to find a spool of wire to make my own replacement wires. (I'm assuming the same stuff can be use with foil and epee). Anyone know where I can get get a spool and what the specs for the wire is?

[keropie]

I've used just very thin radio shack wire to 'make' foil wires (reconnect the old contact and cup from another wire). It's not quite as nice, just because the wire I used wasn't the best ever, and stripping it was a pain of sorts (it just had a plastic coating), but it did work. I've never succesfully made any epee wire, just because by the time I got the contact out of the cup so that I could really get to it and try to attach the wire, it was usually so mangled that I couldn't get it back in the cup, so it was done.

[Icarrytheirgear]

I've used just very thin radio shack wire to 'make' foil wires (reconnect the old contact and cup from another wire). It's not quite as nice, just because the wire I used wasn't the best ever, and stripping it was a pain of sorts (it just had a plastic coating), but it did work. I've never succesfully made any epee wire, just because by the time I got the contact out of the cup so that I could really get to it and try to attach the wire, it was usually so mangled that I couldn't get it back in the cup, so it was done.

Thanks. I'd really like to find the cloth/varnish double insulated wire. LP doesnt have it on their website anymore. Neither do the others it seems.

[mifencer]

You can go to Radio Shack, pay $4 for 50'. Or you can go to Squire Electronics. I actually ordered from here, quick service, and you can get 1000' for $39

http://www.squires.com/kynar.htm

I think the cool thing is that you can get other colors besides red/white/blue. Also different gauges, I got 28 gauge, I think people prefer the 26.

[brtech]

Kynar insulation is NOT what is used for blade wires. It is a teflon-like plastic. The wire is not double insulated (cloth over varnish).

Kynar is difficult to strip without the right tool. With the right tool, it is very easy. "No-Nik" is an example of the right tool. Kynar is not so easy to glue; although superglue does seem to work well enough.

[mifencer]

The Kynar wire is very similiar, if not the same, kind of plastic that is from the Radio Shack wrapping wire.

When I make my own wires, I would prefer this than having loose thread and try to scrap off enough varnish to have contact with the foil-wire-contact (without scrapping off too much varnish to screw up the whole wire). What I have is a wire-stripper (bought at Radio Shack), that is set (it's adjustable, but I don't adjust it) to the precise measurement of the plastic. It makes removing 1 to 2 mm of plastic coating fast, precise and VERY easy -- so easy, that even I can do it.

When connecting to the socket, using the same tool, strip off enough to put it around the post.

This is newbie easy.

IMO.

[mifencer]

Brtech - I agree with you regarding the wire is not the exact same kind of wire that you would buy, but it's good enough. So much so, that I prefer my wires over original foil wires. For a couple of reasons:
1) It's way cheaper, and I'm cheap.
2) I can tell if there's wire showing versus, the varnish -- where it's a guess.
3) Did I mention the price?

I've never had a problem with sticking it with glue. I use Bostik. In the past I used quick grab, cementit, or what's laying around the armory. I've never had a problem with it sticking to the blade.

[brtech]

A trick with Kynar is that you don't have to cut through the insulation; you cut about half way through, and then "squeeze and pull". The scored plastic breaks clean on the score line. If you have experience, you can reliably strip kynar with a diagonal cutter. A "No-Nik" is a stripper that has a fixed opening (you buy them sized for the stripped wire). It works the same as your fixed calibrated stripper, although it also has a clamp for the insulation. .

Kynar IS wire-wrap wire. That is what it was designed for. You can sometimes find it surplus in 1000 feet or more reels very cheap.

German blade wire is double insulated: varnish is the first layer, the cloth is the second layer. French blade wire just has the cloth insulation. You'll notice that "clean" german wire is bright copper, french is solder coated silver. Kynar is typically solder coated. That is so you don't get corrosion on the wire. Varnish is good for preventing corrosion.

If you are happy with wirewrap wire, great.

[larkmaj]

PM Gary Spruill. I believe his f.net name is "Twister Fencing" or something like that.

[twisterfencing]

I've got the parts, now I just need to find a spool of wire to make my own replacement wires. (I'm assuming the same stuff can be use with foil and epee). Anyone know where I can get get a spool and what the specs for the wire is?

Icarrytheirgear:

I sell the wire you are looking for if you want it.
Send me a PM and can go over with you.

Gary Spruill

[RobertSmith]

I love the Kynar coated silver coated copper because it is easy to strip out of blades (and it's dirt cheap) and sticks well enough to last years. I strip it out with my swiss army knife in several minutes.
I've been using the same 20m roll for years now and it cost me a couple of dollars.