Odd epee problem

[yazzywazzy]

I am a relatively new armorer and have this really odd problem.

Today before I fenced, I check my epee and it was fine. I did a routine check of my weapons a few days ago too and it was perfectly fine. I then went to fence and when I hit my opponent the light didn't register. I pressed the epee tip with my fingers and realized that my epee was intermittent.

My first guest would be that the contact springs were too short. I realized because I only can get a light out only if I really slam my epee tip hard. A soft hit would not register. I took out my tip, and lengthen my contact springs and the lights still wouldn't register. Placing a screw driver into my barrel registered a grounded light but with a tip it would not register anything.

I took out the bigger spring and placed the tip in and it would still not register. Switching with 2 other tips would not help. Now, the epee would not register with a tip but sticking a screwdriver in registered a grounded light.

So with a tip there's I could not get a light on, no grounding lights and no touche lights. With a screwdriver down the barrel I could get a grounding light.
Any ideas?

[Fechter1]

There are many possible reasons for intermittent weapons...

However, from your description, it sounds like you have an intermittent break in your A wire, most likely inside the barrel threads (i.e. just under the cup).
This usually happens as you're tightening the barrel onto the blade, either during the initial wiring or if the barrel becomes loose during fencing.

Unfortunately, this requires a rewire.

[yazzywazzy]

Wow thanks. Your post just struck me. If it was a wire break.

I just checked my weapon and realized the wire to the socket was held by a piece of nylon covering the wire. I feel so dumb! The wire was not even connected to the socket because it broke off there!

Spent 45mins today fiddling with the point and realized it's the socket wire which is out.

Thanks loads. Will fix and test tomorrow at the club.

[Purple Fencer]

It could ALSO be that the contacts aren't level....so the spring would have difficulty shorting across the two.

Find a narrow flat punch (one narrow enough to go down into the well if it's a German wire....yoju don't want to crush the plastic) and GENTLY tap it a few times with a hammer. If it IS a levveling problem, thaty snould take care of it.

[yazzywazzy]

Got it fixed. Thanks. Never really heard of contacts not leveled. But good to know in case I run into such problems.

[fencerbill]

Originally Posted by Purple Fencer

It could ALSO be that the contacts aren't level....so the spring would have difficulty shorting across the two.

Find a narrow flat punch (one narrow enough to go down into the well if it's a German wire....yoju don't want to crush the plastic) and GENTLY tap it a few times with a hammer. If it IS a levveling problem, thaty snould take care of it.

A convenient tool for this is a set of folding Allen wrenches. You should expect to find one the right size. Keep the Allen wrench in line with the blade and twist a little as you push down. The twisting action can also buff the contacts a little to counteract corrosion that may cause increased resistance in the Epee circuit. Full gabaret testing includes a test of the resistance in the weapon and it will be failed if it is more than a few ohms.

One reason why the contacts may not be level is if the wires were not snugged down tight before they were glued. If the wire has a little bow inside the barrel, it can push the contact up a little.

[fencerbill]

Originally Posted by yazzywazzy

Wow thanks. Your post just struck me. If it was a wire break.

I just checked my weapon and realized the wire to the socket was held by a piece of nylon covering the wire. I feel so dumb! The wire was not even connected to the socket because it broke off there!

Spent 45mins today fiddling with the point and realized it's the socket wire which is out.

Thanks loads. Will fix and test tomorrow at the club.

Welcome to the fascinating frustrating world of armoring. You are now allowed to have a beer with the armorers.

[Purple Fencer]

Originally Posted by fencerbill

Welcome to the fascinating frustrating world of armoring.

On come on....he hasn't BEGUN to experience the REALLY fun problems!

You are now allowed to have a beer with the armorers.

So long as it's a Guiness if Dan's around!

[Purple Fencer]

Originally Posted by yazzywazzy

Got it fixed. Thanks. Never really heard of contacts not leveled. But good to know in case I run into such problems.

Dave Clarke taught me that one a couple of years back....it also works if you have consistent contact, yet high resistance.

Often times the solution is very simple....but it can also be a bear figuring it out if you don't have the expereice to look for the small stuff.

[yazzywazzy]

I didn't expect armoury to be a very tedious work. What more, I picked up the skills on my own reading mostly on internet sources.

Thanks again for the feedback.

[Purple Fencer]

Originally Posted by yazzywazzy

I didn't expect armoury to be a very tedious work. What more, I picked up the skills on my own reading mostly on internet sources.

Thanks again for the feedback.

This board can be a source of good info....you have a pretty good supply of experienced armorers here (Craig, Bill, Mergs, Don Clinton, myself, etc)...and the armory manual Mergs wrote is excellent (I wasn't BS'ing when I wrote the ad copy for it on my website)....still, nothing can beat actually tearing your hair out whilst trying to figure out a problem you haven't seen before (hence my rapidly balding pate).

Classroom is great.....field is better.

[BAD KNEE 2]

Originally Posted by Purple Fencer

It could ALSO be that the contacts aren't level....so the spring would have difficulty shorting across the two.

Find a narrow flat punch (one narrow enough to go down into the well if it's a German wire....yoju don't want to crush the plastic) and GENTLY tap it a few times with a hammer. If it IS a levveling problem, thaty snould take care of it.

back end of the setting tool works really well if you don't hit the working end very hard. One less thing to remember to put in the toolkit.

[Purple Fencer]

Originally Posted by BAD KNEE 2

back end of the setting tool works really well if you don't hit the working end very hard. One less thing to remember to put in the toolkit.

If you have a French wire, yes....it doesn;t work if it's a German.