White Lights - Sticky Points

[contre-Sixte]

I've frequently seen foils initially fail the weight test at the beginning of a bout, the ref or the fencer gives the tip a quick twist, and then it passes. The next time the fencer comes to the strip, the same set of events repeats. Two questions: What's going on in the tip to cause this behavior? Is it possible that the fencer is losing scoring opportunities during the bout because of this?

[brtech]

Okay, let's make sure we are talking about one problem and not two.

If the WEIGHT is failing, it's possible that it's right on the edge. A twist of the tip could twist the spring that holds up the weight, and in a new position of the spring sometimes makes it hold up a bit better. Sometimes, a really dirty tip can stick down and not come back up as easily. Twisting the tip sometimes releases it. It's pretty uncommon for this to work. Usually, you need a new spring (or stretch the old one, not recommended).

Now, are you sure you are talking about a WEIGHT problem and not an intermittent white light problem? That is usually due to a dirty tip. Twisting helps as above.

Now, barely passing weight, in theory is helpful; you need less force to get a touch. In practice, all the testing shows hit force is much greater than the test weight, so it's unlikely to be helping.

Dirty tips causing white lights definitely cause problems and fencers DO lose touches from dirty tips.

Moral of the story:
CLEAN YOUR POINTS before every tournament. Take the screws out, remove the tip and spring, run a generic cotton swab soaked with alcohol (or a fancier contact cleaning solution) down into the barrel and twist. If it comes out black, repeat.

Test weight before every tournament. You can tell if it's right on the edge. If it is, replace the spring (and clean the barrel when you do).

[contre-Sixte]

I don't think it's a weight problem, because the tip "feels" as if it's coming back up completely. My guess is that it may be a tape problem. That is, the tape doesn't come all the way up the barrel. Thus the testing weight short circuits the tip and the barrel. Is this possible? I don't know why twisting the tip would help the tape issue though...

[DHCJr]

I don't think it's a weight problem, because the tip "feels" as if it's coming back up completely. My guess is that it may be a tape problem. That is, the tape doesn't come all the way up the barrel. Thus the testing weight short circuits the tip and the barrel. Is this possible? I don't know why twisting the tip would help the tape issue though...

If it did short circuit, it would make it easier to pass the weight test. If the tip goes completely back up on the box it completes the circuit turning off the light.

Even with the tip completely down, but with the weight short-circuited, the light would go off.

What do you mean by feels like it comes all the way up? If the weight is still on it, I can not see how you can. All it needs to be is an infintesimally down for the light to go on.

It is interesting to note in Epee (M19.1.3) the inside of the weight must be insulated. In Foil they assume the tape on the blade will take care of it. Those with combi-weights have both insulated.

[oiuyt]

I don't think it's a weight problem, because the tip "feels" as if it's coming back up completely. My guess is that it may be a tape problem. That is, the tape doesn't come all the way up the barrel. Thus the testing weight short circuits the tip and the barrel. Is this possible? I don't know why twisting the tip would help the tape issue though...

If the tip shorts to the barrel there would be no light. It would also be irrelevant if the tip is all the way up (at which point there is a completely correct and expected connection between the tip and the barrel).

-B

[fencefoilepee]

As I would tell the kids that I instruct, the foil tip more than likely suffers from SIT. Not the literal meaning as in opposite of STAND, but an acronym meaning "Something In There."

Cleaning the tip should really help. I will sometimes tell fencers that after cleaning their foil tips, they may find that their fencing suddenly improves. If only because the equipment can now function correctly.