Dry Foil - Tip problems

[TangMan]

I recently bought a practice foil from Absolute. It's my first weapon and it's been satisfactory so far, with the exception of one little detail. Within days the little rubber nub on the tip managed to loosen enough to fall off in practice and almost got lost. I'll admit this was at least in part due to my noobishness (I practiced vs a brick wall ) but I then fixed it with some superglue and it was ok for a while. Well, at the end of my last practice I noticed that it had actually been skewered by the metal tip and was now resting a convenient 6 inches down the blade. Since I don't have access to any new rubber tips right now, I "repaired" the break in this one with fire, and have superglued it back on. I fear this will happen again, though, so what can I do to both prevent it from falling off and from turning into a nice little kebob again?

[illogick]

instead of using the rubber tips, what i do is just wrap the tip in layer upon layer of tape until a nice wad of tape is there. nothing falls off, nothing gets skewered, no ONE gets skewered, and everyone's happy.

[parrythis]

Instead of superglue, try "Shoe Goo". It is available in most hardware stores. I expect that the superglue is not adhering to the rubber tip.

[RkfdFencer]

I also am using "tape tips" instead of the crappy plastic/rubber tips that are sold.

Years ago I think the rubber tips held up better than any that I have purchased in the last few years.

[Tomas N]

Buy some more rubber tips. Get the harder style (usually red) tips rather than the softer (usually black) tips. Before putting one on, nuke it in the microwave to soften it up a bit. Cooking times vary, but I usually start with about 20 seconds. You may also have a very rough edge at the end of the foil. See why you are cutting through the tip so quickly.

Tomas

[swordwench]

Another thing you could try is filing down the edges of the tip of the blade. If it's like most of the dry foils we've used, the blade is sort of anvil-shaped, and the rubber tips don't fit on them for long. I take a metal file to the parts that stick over, and file them down a bit so the tip slips on and stays better.

We also usually tape the rubber tip onto the blade. Tip tape, duct tape, even sticky fabric medical tape will do. Wrap it tightly around the blade a few times, then onto the lower half of the rubber tip.

I wouldn't recommend superglue. How are you going to get it off easily when the rubber eventually wears away? (And it will, trust me.)

[Craig]

I also am using "tape tips" instead of the crappy plastic/rubber tips that are sold.

Years ago I think the rubber tips held up better than any that I have purchased in the last few years.

We've been using the Leon Paul black rubber tips on all of our practice weapons - they fit better over the foiled tip and have a bit more material. Because of the way they fit, they are less likely to come off.

StM and Leon Paul non-electric blades have a fairly wide blunted tip which the rubber dummy point does well with. The other non-electric blades sometimes don't have that wide of a blunt on them, so applying a flexible glue (gel-type CA glue or shoe goo) helps keep the rubber tip secured.

Craig

[erooMynohtnA]

Instead of superglue, try "Shoe Goo". It is available in most hardware stores. I expect that the superglue is not adhering to the rubber tip.

I don't even bother with the tip. I just build up shoe goo on the foil. It's tougher, and it's not going anywhere.

[TangMan]

I wouldn't recommend superglue. How are you going to get it off easily when the rubber eventually wears away? (And it will, trust me.)

Clearly this hasn't been a problem thus far. Superglue barely even slowed it down.

[Bryn Ralph]

3M Corporation retails an automotive adhesive that is superlative for affixing foil and epee dry tips. Expensive -- the value is self-evident.

[parrythis]

(I practiced vs a brick wall ) ... Well, at the end of my last practice I noticed that it had actually been skewered by the metal tip and was now resting a convenient 6 inches down the blade.

Also, and I'm not saying that this is part of the problem necessarily, but make sure you are not hitting your target too hard. You would need only 4.903 newtons (500 grams) of force if you were fencing with an electric foil to get the touche. Not that much, in the scheme of things.

[swordwench]

Clearly this hasn't been a problem thus far. Superglue barely even slowed it down.

Maybe if you practice against something a little softer than a brick wall, then?

Still, the superglue *can* leave a mess behind sometimes. I don't like messes. I've got enough to clean up.

(To be fair, I did the same thing hitting my stone wall - I ripped through the rubber fast. I put something less rigid in front of me, and stopped ripping metal through the tips.)

[mrbiggs]

What I used to do, which I found to be very effective, is take the rubber tip and then wrap it with a bunch of duct tape.

When the duct tape wears through, wrap it up again. Meanwhile you don't have to worry about not noticing a hole in the tape and stabbing someone, because the normal rubber tip is there for backup.