What's wrong with this LP GT foil tip?

[erooMynohtnA]

I have a G-Pro blade wired by either fencing.net or LP (I think it's an LP job).

I've had this blade mounted on my primary weapon for about a year now. It's never had a problem before this. Here's what happened:

A week ago, during practice, it started malfunctioning. It wasn't getting a light either on target or off. I took it home, tested it, and it wasn't breaking the circuit at all (multimeter registers about an ohm). I took apart the point to see if that was the problem, and that broke the circuit (multimeter registers maximum ohms, off the scale). I cleaned it, put it back together, and it worked.

The next time I used it was at a tournament last Saturday. It worked fine (at least it seemed to) the whole day until the semifinals, halfway through the bout, it stopped registering touches again.

I took it home, took it apart to see if the problem was in the point. Sure enough, it broke the circuit when I took it apart. I cleaned it, put it back together, and it still wouldn't break the circuit. I tried to clean it with WD-40, and that didn't change anything. I poked at the contact cup with a small screwdriver, that didn't change anything. I even tried replacing the tip and spring with no effect.

So I'm left with a foil that won't break the circuit until the tip has been taken apart. I just don't see what could be wrong with it, because there doesn't seem to be anything that's broken. What's the problem, is it really in the point, and can I fix it without rewiring?

[Dunar]

I had what seems to be the same problem with a foil blade I ordered from fencing.net with a GT tip. As soon as I got it nothing would register. Unfortunately the onlything I could do to fix it was to rewire it.

[Craig]

If those were Golubitsky Pro blades then they came wired from the factory. PM me and I'll take a look to see if I can find anything. I generally have not had problems with Leon Paul's factory wiring jobs, so this surprises me.

Craig

[LordShout]

I had that exact problem with an LP wired Gol Pro with the GT tip (The all metal kind) I popped my tip out, cleaned the barrel, let it dry, cleaned it (rubbing alcohol) let it dry and than put a totally new tip in, new tip screws, worked like a charm.

I figure ten months with one tip is worth the 7 dollar a pop price tag, one of my friends uses cheapo french tips for a dollar a piece, and goes through 1-2 a tournament.

[Icarrytheirgear]

I have a G-Pro blade wired by either fencing.net or LP (I think it's an LP job).

I've had this blade mounted on my primary weapon for about a year now. It's never had a problem before this. Here's what happened:

A week ago, during practice, it started malfunctioning. It wasn't getting a light either on target or off. I took it home, tested it, and it wasn't breaking the circuit at all (multimeter registers about an ohm). I took apart the point to see if that was the problem, and that broke the circuit (multimeter registers maximum ohms, off the scale). I cleaned it, put it back together, and it worked.

The next time I used it was at a tournament last Saturday. It worked fine (at least it seemed to) the whole day until the semifinals, halfway through the bout, it stopped registering touches again.

I took it home, took it apart to see if the problem was in the point. Sure enough, it broke the circuit when I took it apart. I cleaned it, put it back together, and it still wouldn't break the circuit. I tried to clean it with WD-40, and that didn't change anything. I poked at the contact cup with a small screwdriver, that didn't change anything. I even tried replacing the tip and spring with no effect.

So I'm left with a foil that won't break the circuit until the tip has been taken apart. I just don't see what could be wrong with it, because there doesn't seem to be anything that's broken. What's the problem, is it really in the point, and can I fix it without rewiring?

Try fresh screws. I dont know exactly what the issue is, but most of the issue I seem to have (no light, or spurious off target) revolve around the screws. When something starts to get flakey, I clean the tip and barrel with Qtip and a little shot of engine carb cleaner and replace the screws. All better.

-ICTG

[Purple Fencer]

Try fresh screws. I dont know exactly what the issue is, but most of the issue I seem to have (no light, or spurious off target) revolve around the screws. When something starts to get flakey, I clean the tip and barrel with Qtip and a little shot of engine carb cleaner and replace the screws. All better.

-ICTG

The screws ARE part of the circuit, so it's possible they became corroded.

[LeonPaulUSA]

It sounds like the problem (which I'm afraid will require rewiring) is the wire shorting against the blade underneath the cup. When the tip/spring is removed, the pressure is taken off of the short and the circuit opens. I can't really think of a reason why this problem would be specific to GT points. I'm guessing it is a coincidence. If I can be of help, please contact me.

Bill
sales@leonpaulusa.com

[erooMynohtnA]

I had that exact problem with an LP wired Gol Pro with the GT tip (The all metal kind) I popped my tip out, cleaned the barrel, let it dry, cleaned it (rubbing alcohol) let it dry and than put a totally new tip in, new tip screws, worked like a charm.

I figure ten months with one tip is worth the 7 dollar a pop price tag, one of my friends uses cheapo french tips for a dollar a piece, and goes through 1-2 a tournament.

I tried cleaning it and replacing the spring and tip. I don't think alcohol would be that different from WD-40.

Try fresh screws. I dont know exactly what the issue is, but most of the issue I seem to have (no light, or spurious off target) revolve around the screws. When something starts to get flakey, I clean the tip and barrel with Qtip and a little shot of engine carb cleaner and replace the screws. All better.

-ICTG

I've noticed occasional off-targets when it gets dirty, and I replaced the screws in mine a couple months ago after I noticed some wear. I've never had a failure to light, though. I'll try it.

The screws ARE part of the circuit, so it's possible they became corroded.

Wouldn't corrosion produce a break in the circuit rather than a short?

It sounds like the problem (which I'm afraid will require rewiring) is the wire shorting against the blade underneath the cup. When the tip/spring is removed, the pressure is taken off of the short and the circuit opens. I can't really think of a reason why this problem would be specific to GT points. I'm guessing it is a coincidence. If I can be of help, please contact me.

Bill
sales@leonpaulusa.com

Thanks, I'll try rewiring. I was hoping it would be a simpler fix, but your explanation makes perfect sense. I thought that might be it, but it just seems weird that it would do that after a year of working fine.

[Smyles]

I thought that might be it, but it just seems weird that it would do that after a year of working fine.

A year of repeated stress on a single weak point will eventually result in a break. "The straw that broke the camel's back..."

[Purple Fencer]

Wouldn't corrosion produce a break in the circuit rather than a short?

You'd think so, especially if you understand the circuit...but I've had foils where the circuit would NOT break...sanded both ends of the spring....bingo...worked perfectly.

But it looks like it's time to drop back & punt. Good luck on the rewire!

[erooMynohtnA]

It sounds like the problem (which I'm afraid will require rewiring) is the wire shorting against the blade underneath the cup. When the tip/spring is removed, the pressure is taken off of the short and the circuit opens. I can't really think of a reason why this problem would be specific to GT points. I'm guessing it is a coincidence. If I can be of help, please contact me.

Bill
sales@leonpaulusa.com

Thanks, Bill. When I took the point off, it looked like the cup had shattered. I rewired it and it works fine now.

Any idea if there's a way to avoid that in the future?

[Joe biebel]

A week ago, during practice, it started malfunctioning. It wasn't getting a light either on target or off. I took it home, tested it, and it wasn't breaking the circuit at all (multimeter registers about an ohm).

Take the tip out and using a meter or continuity testor, clip one pole to the blade (ground) and the other end to a needle. Take the needle and stick it into the barrel touching only the contact at the bottom of the barrel. You should not get a "reading". If you do get a reading, there is a "short" somewhere in the wire or socket of the weapon. Assuming there is a short cicuit, look inside the guard and at the connection to the socket first. This is not neccessarily the most likely place to find the short, but the easiest place to fix.

Also, if you were using a body cord to test the foil with, this could also be the source of the "short". With two-prong systems, a pin can touch the guard if the socket gets flat enough and you don't have insulation under it. This type of short will be intermittent and difficult to troubleshoot. It's not always the tip.

[Joe biebel]

Thanks, Bill. When I took the point off, it looked like the cup had shattered. I rewired it and it works fine now.

Any idea if there's a way to avoid that in the future?

Hmmm. Looks as if my advice was to little to late. But the method will allow you to "Find" the source of the short in most cases. As to avoiding it in the future, that's simple, "Lighten up!"