Weird epee grounding

[kanuck]

Ran into this problem a few days back, and was curious what the more seasoned people think.

I was fencing epee against a foilist who was using a beat up, but seemingly functional epee (small club, only working epee they had). Over the course of the bout with me, and bouts with other people, he took some serious hits to the chest, but the box didn't register the touch every time. Interestingly, hits to the arm and head still went off every single time. Also, when people with these intermittent hits on him fenced other people, every hit seemed to score correctly.

He was wearing a chest guard, and sweating pretty heavily at that point. Is it possible that his chest was grounding out? Or is the problem more likely the ancient box we're using.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

-Kanuck

[larkmaj]

Were hits registering on his hand?

If this problem happens in the future, get him to change to a fresh glove. If this fixes the problem then he is sweating too much.

[oiuyt]

Note that when testing, how tightly the weapon is gripped can have a significant effect. People tend to hold their weapon loosely while someone is testing on them, when compared to how they hold it while fencing.

Also note that salt build-up in the jacket can make this problem more pronounced. Teach him to wash his whites more often. But then he is a foilist who fences (at least some) epee. Perhaps that's a hopeless task.

Overall this should be a rare enough issue that I'd still look for other explanations other than a short from jacket to the ground line on his weapon.

-B

[kanuck]

Originally Posted by larkmaj

Were hits registering on his hand?

If this problem happens in the future, get him to change to a fresh glove. If this fixes the problem then he is sweating too much.

That didn't even occur to me. Thanks The box we're using is also scary old, and at times unreliable, it's entirely possible that that's what is to blame. I'll check it out when I fence him again tomorrow and see if it sorts out.


-Kanuck

[trafl926]

if it gets REALLY bad..have him change his shoes..

[tlucente]

I realize this is probably a stupid question, but before this Foilist started fencing Epee with you, did he take off his lame'? The "hits to the chest" part seems kind of conspicuous. I've fenced Foil and Sabre fencers in Epee at practice who "just want to try it" but don't want to have to change out of their gear.

[SJCFU#2]

Originally Posted by kanuck

The box we're using is also scary old, and at times unreliable, it's entirely possible that that's what is to blame.

Out of curiosity, how old is "scary old"? Are we talking 1990's vintage first generation three-weapon, 1980's vintage Uhlmann, 1970's vintage Electric Fencing Company, 1960's vintage Leon Paul "bug-eyed monster", 1950's vintage Kessinger, or some 1940's vintage épée-only machine?

[kanuck]

Originally Posted by tlucente

I realize this is probably a stupid question, but before this Foilist started fencing Epee with you, did he take off his lame'? The "hits to the chest" part seems kind of conspicuous. I've fenced Foil and Sabre fencers in Epee at practice who "just want to try it" but don't want to have to change out of their gear.

Lame was not being worn.

Originally Posted by SJCFU#2

Out of curiosity, how old is "scary old"? Are we talking 1990's vintage first generation three-weapon, 1980's vintage Uhlmann, 1970's vintage Electric Fencing Company, 1960's vintage Leon Paul "bug-eyed monster", 1950's vintage Kessinger, or some 1940's vintage épée-only machine?

I couldn't say exactly from memory. It's an old all-steel foil/epee box (blue and white) that does only epee now because of "the timing". I'll see if I can get a real date on it tonight.

[KD5MDK]

Sounds like it might be a Prieur.

[finnfence]

Originally Posted by tlucente

I realize this is probably a stupid question, but before this Foilist started fencing Epee with you, did he take off his lame'? The "hits to the chest" part seems kind of conspicuous. I've fenced Foil and Sabre fencers in Epee at practice who "just want to try it" but don't want to have to change out of their gear.

What diff does wearing the lame make? I've worn mine for epee when I'm waiting to get back on the foil piste, and it didn't cause any trouble. Wore both body cords, and when I wanted to fence epee, the cord wasn't attached to the lame, so no problems...or am I missing something?

[SJCFU#2]

The lame can cause a short between the tip and barrel (something that foils prevent by insulating the outside of the barrel with tape). On most older machines (and even some newer ones) this internal short will prevent a touch from registering.