where do you learn armoring?

[Esquive]

If you want to become an armorer, where do you go to learn things beyond what you need to maintain your own equipment? Is it a figure-it-out-yourself type of thing, or are there any books on it? I'm probably going to end up being the armorer for my somewhat-disorganized college fencing club, and while I know a good amount of armoring, it's all just what I've needed to know for my own equipment. Is there anything in particular I should do or learn so that I actually know what I'm doing/have some credentials?

[Purple Fencer]

Originally Posted by Esquive

If you want to become an armorer, where do you go to learn things beyond what you need to maintain your own equipment? Is it a figure-it-out-yourself type of thing, or are there any books on it? I'm probably going to end up being the armorer for my somewhat-disorganized college fencing club, and while I know a good amount of armoring, it's all just what I've needed to know for my own equipment. Is there anything in particular I should do or learn so that I actually know what I'm doing/have some credentials?

The book that helped me the most was (I think this is the title) "Electric Equipment....how it works and how to fix it" by Rudy Volkman. This was after I'd been working on my own gear for a few years, so I had SOME experience.

Most of teh larger vendors carry it (Craig???)

As for becoming an armorer outside tour own gear...just let people know you know how to fix your own gear...the clients will appear....trust me!

[mrbiggs]

Mostly fencing.net

[KD5MDK]

Apprentice to someone who knows what they're doing. 80% of what I know came from twisterfencing, MTD or Swordmasters, with the rest coming from here.

[DesertFencer]

My sources of armorer training, in no particular order:

fencing.net
Leon Paul site
Hounding armorers at Coaches College for advice
A friend with some experience

Screwing up my friend's weapons before working on my own... priceless.

[SJCFU#2]

Rudi Volkman's manual is a good place to start. Personally I favor Chris Green's, although it isn't so widely available (you might be able to order a copy from YeOldeArmorer). You can also download a guide to armoring from the Canadian Fencing Association, although that one always struck me as being a bit dated. Leon Paul also has a decent armory guide on their website.

Once you get the basics down (at the very least you should be familiar with common conventions such as "A", "B" and "C"), you might also want to try finding an experienced armorer and learn from them. Try going to a major tournament (doesn't have to be an NAC - in fact you'll probably have better luck starting off at a regional event) and offer to assist the armorer (Fencerbill comes to mind but there are probably a couple of others as well).

And if you don't mind waiting until the Summer of 2009, you can always attend armorers college at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

[yeoldearmourer]

Since you are from Boston Bill Hall is up there (fencerbill) Al Meritt is also from that area. You have two good one there.

[jfarmer]

As mentioned above, the Volkmann book is a good source (it can also be found as one of the sections in his Magnum Libre d'Escrime).

Reading the various threads here on f.net and posting your questions is another good idea, as well as "shadowing" an experienced armorer at tournaments. Most armorers are more than willing to teach you what they do, and the why & how.

And as you learn, please remember that you need to pass it on to as many other fencers and potential armorers that you can. I'm actually formalizing the effort in our club as a class "Armory for the Fencer." It doesn't teach them to work tech at a NAC, but to pass on what I've learned, and what others have learned, to new fencers so that they can maintain their own gear, as well as the club's.

John Farmer
Coach, Oak Ridge Fencers Club

[brtech]

I was attending my first significant tournament as fencing parent with my son. I saw this guy behind a table with THREE TOOL BOXES full of stuff. I went over and asked what he was doing. He said "sit down, and I'll show you". I did, and now I shlep the tools. That's the best way, I think.

[Esquive]

Great, thanks a lot for the suggestions! I'll definitely check that book out.

[piste off]

I learned it on the streets. My parents would not talk about such things.

Rick