Bayonet or 2-Prong?

[KD5MDK]

Originally Posted by remise

samster -

You have loosed a genie out of the bottle. These guys will go on forever about this.

Don't forget to review the new Mr. Chen bayonet (Italian style) socket. I find that highly interesting, hopefully combining the price advantages of Blue Gauntlet gear with the security of the Negrini connection.

[HDG]

Originally Posted by KD5MDK

Don't forget to review the new Mr. Chen bayonet (Italian style) socket. I find that highly interesting, hopefully combining the price advantages of Blue Gauntlet gear with the security of the Negrini connection.

Somehow I think we'll wind up with the worst of both...

[samster]

I'm trying out both as of this week. So far, indifferent...

[DesertFencer]

Originally Posted by HDG

If you go bayonet, buy name brand; DO NOT under any circumstances buy knock-offs. They are without exception garbage.

Amen!

I've seen many a knock-off bayonet at our club have connection problems. I totally agree.

Buy cheap, buy twice.

[darius]

I started using Negrini bayonet in mid-Feb of last year. I bought one, put it on a foil, and determined to use it until it broke and then decide if the advantages were worth the higher cost and incompatibility with teammates.

By mid-summer, I just went ahead and converted all my foils. I'm impressed. Although the original body cord just started giving me an intermittent off-target, so I'll have to tear it apart this weekend, I suspect the lack of hassle from then until now means that I'll stick with the Negrini.

darius

[oiuyt]

I've been using the Negrini bayonet for a couple of years now. I bought sockets and plugs (not full cords) and retrofitted several cords I had lying around.

I'm a poor solderer (impatient, so I don't heat things properly), so I've occasionally had issues. If one is good at soldering then this would be a good (lower-cost) option. Reports on the quality of the complete cords makes me really wish I'd gone that route instead. As it is I still have very few issues. Incompatibility with (nearly) everyone around hasn't posed a problem.

-B

[SJCFU#2]

Originally Posted by darius

...the original body cord just started giving me an intermittent off-target, so I'll have to tear it apart this weekend...

Could you please let us know what you find?

Opportunities to learn how and where Negrini plugs tend to fail under regular use are generally few and far between (I think I've seen more Negrini plugs and sockets in armorers tool kits than in actual use).

[mrbiggs]

It's worth mentioning that the Italian bayonets seem to have become more popular over the last year or two, I'm guessing because of Absolute selling them. An actual armorer who tests large numbers of bodycords would have a better idea than me, though.

[brtech]

Yes, there are more of them. It's a combination of more outlets and people seeing others using them.

I like them. Failures at the bayonet end are very rare. The Negrini cord has a failure on the 3 prong side. It's a nice plug (very rugged pin), but they use a solder lug on the pin and solder the wire to that. The lug breaks between the solder joint and the plug. You need to have the solder lugs, and a good hot iron to repair it.

[oiuyt]

Originally Posted by mrbiggs

It's worth mentioning that the Italian bayonets seem to have become more popular over the last year or two, I'm guessing because of Absolute selling them. An actual armorer who tests large numbers of bodycords would have a better idea than me, though.

I heard Buckie's been recommending them. Certainly a significant percentage of the ones I've seen recently have been foilists from NYC.

Before a year or two ago almost everyone I had seen with them was someone who attended either Coaches College or Armorers College and picked up the recommendation from Dan.

-B

[KD5MDK]

Now for Tokyo Sport to enjoy a surge in popularity...

Dan was telling me about a World Cup where the Hungarian team all showed up with 3 contact microphone jacks as their weapon connector. The bodycord/plug stuck out 6 inches to the side of the guard. He made it clear to their armourer this was never to happen again.

[HDG]

Originally Posted by KD5MDK

Now for Tokyo Sport to enjoy a surge in popularity...

Dan was telling me about a World Cup where the Hungarian team all showed up with 3 contact microphone jacks as their weapon connector. The bodycord/plug stuck out 6 inches to the side of the guard. He made it clear to their armourer this was never to happen again.

That's a good bit of weight to add.

[KD5MDK]

Not to mention a violation of the rule against things projecting from the guard.

[HDG]

Originally Posted by KD5MDK

Not to mention a violation of the rule against things projecting from the guard.

You already mentioned it

[KD5MDK]

Eh? I didn't specify a rules violation in the post before that, just that Dan chastied the armourer. I did mention that rule in the Italian Grip thread, but generally comments in separate threads are not presumed to apply to other ones.

[Joe biebel]

I really like the the Favero 2 pin body cord. Probably the simplest system yet with only 1 screw to hold the clip and casing halves together. Good pins, good cable, (perhaps a bit short for some). The only weakness I have noted over time is the the plastic clip looses it elasticity and needs to be replaced occasionally. Since all systems will eventually break, some more than others, I like the ease of repair and replacement for the 2 prong system.

[brtech]

Originally Posted by Joe biebel

I really like the the Favero 2 pin body cord. Probably the simplest system yet with only 1 screw to hold the clip and casing halves together. Good pins, good cable, (perhaps a bit short for some). The only weakness I have noted over time is the the plastic clip looses it elasticity and needs to be replaced occasionally. Since all systems will eventually break, some more than others, I like the ease of repair and replacement for the 2 prong system.

In general, I agree with you. There is one REALLY annoying thing about the Favero 2 prong: they won't sell just the clip. It DOES break, but you have to buy the whole 3 part plastic replacement, and the price is too high for just the clip. Another positive thing is that the pins stay put as you assemble it, unlike the Uhlmann/Allstar where the pins tend to pop out as you assemble it.

And, of course, the cord provides endless amusement to armorers who get to tell hapless fencers or parents that their brandy-new Favero cord is illegal, until they (with a flourish), peel back the clip wire to the connector to make it free for the required 40 cm and pronounce it as now acceptable .

[KD5MDK]

Maybe Purple Fencer should sell plastic clips...

[fencerbill]

[quote=brtech;622813] Another positive thing is that the pins stay put as you assemble it, unlike the Uhlmann/Allstar where the pins tend to pop out as you assemble it.QUOTE]

Of course the Uhlmann/Allstar pins stay put after you plug them into a socket.

Originally Posted by brtech

And, of course, the cord provides endless amusement to armorers who get to tell hapless fencers or parents that their brandy-new Favero cord is illegal, until they (with a flourish), peel back the clip wire to the connector to make it free for the required 40 cm and pronounce it as now acceptable .

You know when they bring the new Lame over even before they cut the tag off? Love to run the Lame tester over the tag and tell them to look at the meter.

[Purple Fencer]

Originally Posted by KD5MDK

Maybe Purple Fencer should sell plastic clips...

Actually, on the cord i;m working on, the clip is an Uhlmann tyupe and not designed to come apart, because yo don;t need to take a casing apart to work on it.