Epee Tang fixes

[jjefferies]

My problem:
I have accumulated from several sources some older, never used epee blades which have some problems that I'm trying to fix. These are France Lame, a couple of Leon Paul, STM, and a couple of other older brands both FIE and non-FIE quality. The common problem is that the tangs are wrong. Some might have been cut too short, or threaded to the wrong dimension, the tang metal may have been tempered poorly or some combination of these problems.

Possible solutions that I would appreciate comment on:
The simplest fix I've tried is for the "too short a tang" is to drill out a handle so that the tang is just long enough to allow a nut to fit on it.

But a couple of blades need something more and I would like to try techniques to rebuild or attach an extension to the existing "too short" tang. One solution I'm considering is a sleeve which would allow for a 6mm threaded rod to be fit in one end and the other end to be either similarly tapped and screwed on or fit over the "too short" tang and then silver soldered or brazed on. Issue though is the affect of heat on the tang. Even silver soldering heats the metal and brazing definitely has to heat the tang metal. But the tangs are largely not tempered and I'm wondering how sensitive the metal would be to heating. I asume that some sort of heat shield, wet rag wrapped around the blade and shoulder of the tang, is possible. The sleeve solution has the draw back that the hole through the handle would have to be enlarged to allow for the sleeve.

Another solution that I've been considering is to use the sleeve concept but attach it to the "too short tang" mechanically, i.e. drill small holes through the tang and sleeve and put small nails/brads through to hold the sleeve on.

Commnets and suggestions appreciated.
Thanks
J.

[swordsen]

We have a guy here who owns a welding shop. He has welded new tangs on blades before. In fact, he once welded a broken saber back together just to see how long it would last. (Several months in practice only)

[jjefferies]

Originally Posted by swordsen

We have a guy here who owns a welding shop. He has welded new tangs on blades before. In fact, he once welded a broken saber back together just to see how long it would last. (Several months in practice only)

So you are of the opinion that tangs can be welded without compromising the temper of the blade?

[DHCJr]

Originally Posted by jjefferies

So you are of the opinion that tangs can be welded without compromising the temper of the blade?

Considering the majority of the manufacturers weld on the tang, I think that would be a good assumption.

[swordsen]

I can only report on what has been done in our club.

[piste off]

My fencing coach in college, who was an adept machinist, used a similar concept to your sleeve idea. He used the technique to make blades cut for pistol grips into ones that could be used for longer french grips.

It was a sleeve that had the 6mm threading all the way through. You would screw it onto the tang, then screw in a the threading that had been cut from a broken blade or one that was cut down making a pistol length into the other end.

He made his own french handles, and I believe he said he had to hollow them out a little more to accomodate the slightly larger "bulge." But it worked like a charm.

I wish I had some of those sleeves today, as I switch between pistol and french for epee.

Rick