Use of die holder

[vicepang]

How to use this tool?

For rewire or for adjust the point?

[oiuyt]

Originally Posted by vicepang

How to use this tool?

For rewire or for adjust the point?

Neither.

It's used to hold a cutting die. Useful for changing (or cleaning up) the threading on a blade. Either tang or point end.

Search for threads about the steps involved with rethreading at the tip end, there's a bunch involved if you don't want to mash the end of the blade into something totally unusable. Tangs are easier (no gap that needs to remain uncompressed, larger chunk of metal, etc.).

-B

[Monash_Armourer]

A die is used for cutting new thread at the tip of the blade, incase you've stripped the thread and cannot affix on a tip. I have only seen three blades that this has happeend to so far, and have not yet attempted to cut a new thread, so I have no experience with this.

For more information on what a thread die is, please refer to this:

Wikipedia article: Thread Taps and Dies

I think you might be confusing this with a point mandrel, which is used to push or set the cap of the foil or epee wire down to the bottom of the barrel before gluing.

Somebody please correct me on this if I'm worng.

[brtech]

Originally Posted by Monash_Armourer

A die is used for cutting new thread at the tip of the blade, incase you've stripped the thread and cannot affix on a tip. I have only seen three blades that this has happeend to so far, and have not yet attempted to cut a new thread, so I have no experience with this.

For more information on what a thread die is, please refer to this:

Wikipedia article: Thread Taps and Dies

I think you might be confusing this with a point mandrel, which is used to push or set the cap of the foil or epee wire down to the bottom of the barrel before gluing.

Somebody please correct me on this if I'm worng.

Well, at least with U.S. conventions, you are confusing two things:
a point setting tool, which is used to make sure the cup is in the right place in the barrel when doing a rewire, and a mandrel, which is used to remove a dent in a barrel by pushing (hammering) the (round) mandrel into the barrel having first removed the tip and spring.

A point setting tool can be seen here: http://www.uhlmann-fechtsport.com/mo...ages/12744.jpg
A mandrel can be seen here
http://www.uhlmann-fechtsport.com/mo...277.512743.jpg

Now, to be fair, Uhlmann calls the point setting tool a mandrel

[Monash_Armourer]

Fair enough. I only have the Uhlman "mandrel", and have only occaisonally used it as such. Have not had any significantly dented or deformed barrels that have not also had grub screws with the heads munched up or broken, so have not needed to perform this operation. Those few points sit in a bag and will continue to do so until there are enough to make it worth attempting further to reclaim them for use.

Thanks for the info.

[brtech]

You don't use a point setting tool? I'd recommend that you do. It makes sure the cup really is in the right place. There is a line scribed on the tool which marks the top of the barrel when the cup is seated correctly.

What you look for with an out of round barrel is a "sticky" tip. This is a standard test an armorer makes on a point. Press down on the tip and let it spring back. Barrels and tips in good shape feel real smooth all the way up and down, with no "hesitation" on the way up. A "sticky" tip hangs up at the bottom of the travel, and then sproings up. In the worst case they don't come up at all.

Another symptom is if the tip doesn't come out real easily when you remove the grub screws. If you have to pull it out, the barrel (or the tip) is not round.

In either case, if it's german, reach for your mandrel. You usually have to pound it in, because, after all, the reason you are using it is the barrel is not round. Then you have to get it out. Not as easy as it seems. It's usually in real tight.

Every armorer has a different way to get the mandrel out without unscrewing the barrel. My technique uses a c-wrench on the flats of the mandrel and a wrench (or c-wrench) on the flats of the barrel. I sit on a chair and hold the bell guard down with my feet. I can then twist and pull (hard) the mandrel without having the barrel twist, and wiggle it out. Some armorers hammer (fairly lightly) on the outside of the barrel, when the mandrel is all the way in, trying to make the barrel really round, and, if possible, round enough that the mandrel comes out easily.

If the mandrel doesn't work, you need a reamer, which cuts metal to make the barrel round enough. Of course you can't do that very often, and you make some part of the barrel too wide.

And now I'll beat Barry/Alex to the punch. The LP points don't have this problem. The Uhlmann VA point is harder, and less prone to the problem, and the new FWF barrel is thicker, protecting the grub screws and making it less likely to deform

[Monash_Armourer]

Fair enough, I guess that comes from being entirely self taught, though I rarely have problems pulling the wires through so they sit tight at the bottom of the barrel. On the odd occaision where I have had a problem I've either used the Uhlmann mandrel for the FWF points or a small metal rod to set the cap in other German or French points (so I guess technically I have in some cases).

Almost since I started repairing all the clubs stuff we've been using the FWF points, as the majority of the points were already german. You're definately right about difference between the older german points and the new FWF ones though, I've not had any seriosu problems with them, and none reside in the litle plastic bag of german points that need grub screws drileld out.

Again, thanks for the info.

[fencerbill]

Originally Posted by Monash_Armourer

reside in the litle plastic bag of german points that need grub screws drileld out.

Are these Foil points? The last time I had trouble getting German type Foil screws out I used a Dremel with the smallest width cutting wheel. Just a light touch along the old screw slot. It actually works better with a worn wheel with smaller diameter.

[Monash_Armourer]

Originally Posted by fencerbill

Are these Foil points? The last time I had trouble getting German type Foil screws out I used a Dremel with the smallest width cutting wheel. Just a light touch along the old screw slot. It actually works better with a worn wheel with smaller diameter.

I'll add this to my list of reasons to buy a dremel tool. Definately sounds like a better solution than drilling out the screws.