Fencing gear used for non-fencing gear

[PeterGustafsson]

Hi!


I have a friend who is not a fencer, but quite the tinkerer. In one of his recent projects, he decided that he would like to have a special handle, and got to thinking of the ortho grips that he has seen on my epees. He asked me if I could post one for him to try out, but we figured out that it would be better if he contacted one of the several fencing clubs in his town, 8 hours driving from where I live.

Does anyone have any stories of fencing gear being used outside fencing? I can not be more specific with my friends project, since it is intended to be a surprise.

To the moderators: I have no idea whether this should go into fencing discussion, armoury, or water cooler. Apart from emailing you before posting a new thread, how should one choose which folder to put it in - if a reasonable case can be made for more than one? Is there any default choice for the iffy cases? Would it be, in your opinions, good if more specific rules governing folder selection were posted?


Have a nice time!

Peter Gustafsson

[Inquartata]

Well, I use broken blades as stakes in my yard---and neighbors keep stealing them. So they're using them for something.

[Katman]

Once used two gloves and a thick cotton fencing jacket to cram a pissed-off cat in to a cat carrier.

That was more for dramatic effect though. It did make me a little fearless in the end.

[MessiahFencing]

I dress in my fencing gear when shoveling snow but i wear stuff over it, best way to keep warm!

[Rick Shellhouse]

Originally Posted by Inquartata

Well, I use broken blades as stakes in my yard---and neighbors keep stealing them. So they're using them for something.

Lol...should have seen the guys pouring the concrete floor in the garage as I used broke blades as rebar...



Rick

[crquack]

I used my 350N mask to fight with rattan sticks. Got a decent dent in it.

[JMcC]

Originally Posted by Inquartata

Well, I use broken blades as stakes in my yard--

Skewered a gopher in my lawn with a broken blade once; it wasn't pretty.

[BrianH]

I've used broken foil blades to cook hot dogs over campfires at picnics on the beach. The foibles and tips of épées can be made into lovely letter openers; I heat and flatten them, then grind to shape and anneal. Very handsome tools.

[Beowulfman6]

Fencing masks provide good protection for other sports- such as floor hockey and raquetball.

[CvilleFencer]

I have made some fun shuriken/throwing darts from grinding down broken foil foibles. I even use filled cracked/dented barrels on the end for weight. I have one friend who tips his Atlatl bolts with broken epees (he claims the groove helps game bleed out faster but I have doubts he has ever hit a moving target with one...). For a while I was giving all our broken non-fie blades to a local smith who did stuff with them (carbon steel is carbon steel after all) until he moved away. I know another guy that makes wind chimes and someone once told me they made some type of shellfish utensil.

[Teme]

I've seen a mask, stripped down to it's metal parts being used as a lamp shade, and bottle openers with orthopedic grip, one for wine (with corkscrew) and one for beer (with bar blade).

[Phincer]

Originally Posted by CvilleFencer

I have made some fun shuriken/throwing darts from grinding down broken foil foibles.

I am SO glad my teenager doesn't visit this forum...he doesn't need another brilliant idea...although the manufacturing of weapons in the back yard is what got him into fencing in the first place....

[Greg]

Fencing masks work well for as strainers for pasta.

[Inquartata]

Originally Posted by Katman

Once used two gloves and a thick cotton fencing jacket to cram a pissed-off cat in to a cat carrier.

That was more for dramatic effect though. It did make me a little fearless in the end.

It shouldn't have. I once transferred a feral kitten from a trap to a burlap bag for transport to the shelter. I wore those heavy, stiff leather welder's gauntlets, with the big cuffs. The kitten's teeth were soon pricking me uncomfortably right through them. A grown cat's longer teeth would have pierced to the bone.

Leather is just animal skin, and that's what a cat's teeth are made to pierce, after all.

[PeterGustafsson]

Hi!

Originally Posted by Teme

I've seen a mask, stripped down to it's metal parts being used as a lamp shade, and bottle openers with orthopedic grip, one for wine (with corkscrew) and one for beer (with bar blade).

Neat! Can you post pictures of those, especially the latter two, here?


Kiitos in advance.

Peter Gustafsson

[wbowman]

The mother of one of my clubmates used to use broken blades for tomato stakes, but it seems to me they would be a little short.
I fenced a Vets' tournament in North Carolina last year in which the first place trophies were made from old masks -- some lamps and some sort of mailbox thingies. But since they were trophies for a fencing tournament I'm not sure you could call that strictly non-fencing-related.

[Purple Fencer]

Originally Posted by Inquartata

It shouldn't have. I once transferred a feral kitten from a trap to a burlap bag for transport to the shelter. I wore those heavy, stiff leather welder's gauntlets, with the big cuffs. The kitten's teeth were soon pricking me uncomfortably right through them. A grown cat's longer teeth would have pierced to the bone.

Leather is just animal skin, and that's what a cat's teeth are made to pierce, after all.

I had kinda the same situation when we were doing rescue....had a feral queen in a cage in our isolation room. She dropped about 5 beautiful kittens.

One of the tasks is to weight the kittens every day and chart the weight gains. The queen was protective, but I think she knew we really meant no harm, since we'd pull the kittens out one by one, weigh them, then put them back near her.

However, she still would always lash out once with claws extended every time i stuck my empty hand in.

If it wasn;t for the full leather glove & gauntlet I always used for this she would've shredded me. As it was, she'd stroke once and then stop.

I was MORE concerned that her claws would get stuck and she'd panic.

[MessiahFencing]

Originally Posted by CvilleFencer

I have made some fun shuriken/throwing darts from grinding down broken foil foibles. I even use filled cracked/dented barrels on the end for weight. I have one friend who tips his Atlatl bolts with broken epees (he claims the groove helps game bleed out faster but I have doubts he has ever hit a moving target with one...). For a while I was giving all our broken non-fie blades to a local smith who did stuff with them (carbon steel is carbon steel after all) until he moved away. I know another guy that makes wind chimes and someone once told me they made some type of shellfish utensil.

can i see one of these, possible instruction?.... AWESOME!

[Teme]

Originally Posted by PeterGustafsson

Neat! Can you post pictures of those, especially the latter two, here?

Tyvärr inte, Peter!
It's been years since, I don't even know if the man has the items anymore.
But the concept is simple enough for a mental image, eh?

[Nimah]

We use our broken blades for cat toys. Grind down the sharp bit, and then attach some string to the end and viola! Kitty fishing poll.