Epee Wires

[cplmontana]

Okay, so I swear I've seen this thread before, but I can't find it now.

It's time to rewire the ole' epees...and I realize I don't have any wires. Time to buy more. Anybody have any complaints about a certain brand of epee wire? Or, have a wire that stood out in any particular fashion? Also, why do you like/dislike those in particular?

Thanks for your thoughts.

[chinbeard]

AF double insulated

[cplmontana]

I've heard good things about those. Why in particular?

[piste off]

I've heard good things about those. Why in particular?

They are the best. I've never had a short using them, the blade breaks first.

I've wired hundreds of blades over 30 years, and these are the best by far.

R-

[Craig]

We have very good experience with the FWF epee wires.

Craig

[DangerMouse]

Another vote for the AF double insulated. I have never had a problem with them and they are cheap.

[twisterfencing]

For quality wires, I use FWF.

The armorer in me says FWF or PBT.

Why PBT? They are the only soldered contacts of any epee wire out there. All others are crimpted.

For the French persuasion: Sports 7, not the chinese french, or russian french, yet Sports 7

Gary Spruill

Okay, so I swear I've seen this thread before, but I can't find it now.

It's time to rewire the ole' epees...and I realize I don't have any wires. Time to buy more. Anybody have any complaints about a certain brand of epee wire? Or, have a wire that stood out in any particular fashion? Also, why do you like/dislike those in particular?

Thanks for your thoughts.

[Barry Paul]

AF double insulated

What does double insulated mean?

[Alex_Paul]

with enamel on the wire and then cotton or rayon.

[Purple Fencer]

I find it amusing that one Paul had to inform the other....anyone else get that??

[JEC]

I find it amusing that one Paul had to inform the other....anyone else get that??

Perhaps, one is the marketer while the other is into production/design.

[Purple Fencer]

Perhaps, one is the marketer while the other is into production/design.

(C'mon, man.....work with me here! )

[cplmontana]

Why PBT? They are the only soldered contacts of any epee wire out there. All others are crimped.

I can only guess the crimped are less likely to pop during the rewire when pulling through the barrel? As in, pop the cups away from the wire because it is more secure?

[Barry Paul]

Some wires have had double wound cotton or silk. If however it has an enamel coating, it my experience at competition or even prior to shipping from our dispatch it is a pain, either a flame or scratching the surface with a file has it's downside.

(I work in trying to make the best fencing equipment in the world, which covers product design and manufacture I leave the easy job of sales and marketing to the youngsters.)

Alex shall we make a double insulated wire for the not so proficient re-wirers?

[SJCFU#2]

I can only guess the crimped are less likely to pop during the rewire when pulling through the barrel? As in, pop the cups away from the wire because it is more secure?

Crimped wires are more likely to pull loose from the contacts when pulling the wires through the barrel. However I suspect that most manufacturers find crimping to be quick and inexpensive enough to allow them to write off a certain number of failures (especially since the failure rate doesn't seem that high to begin with).

[piste off]

Alex shall we make a double insulated wire for the not so proficient re-wirers?

Yes, and you should also make them for the very proficient re-wirers.

R-

[cplmontana]

Sorry, SJCFU#2. I had just woke up. More=Less in my brain at that point. Thanks for the clarification.

So, Barry, what you're saying is that the enamel coating is more durable than the cotton? BTW, love my LP epee blades.

[TodG]

With the cotton only wires, the insulation can come away from the wire fairly easily - particularly if you are ham handed when wiring. The enamel coating gives a back up insulation. It's basically like magnet wire. It seems to me there are better insulator coatings for this application than cotton/silk, but it does glue nicely.

[Barry Paul]

Crimped wires are more likely to pull loose from the contacts when pulling the wires through the barrel..

The wires should be pushed into the barrel not pulled.

[Barry Paul]

Sorry, SJCFU#2. I had just woke up. More=Less in my brain at that point. Thanks for the clarification.

So, Barry, what you're saying is that the enamel coating is more durable than the cotton? BTW, love my LP epee blades.

No what I am saying is that apart from making it slightly easier to push the wire into the barrel without shorting just at the bit that the wire can touch the slotted 4.0 mm thread of the blade, it is pointless and makes the connection at the plug end more difficult. In the process of scrapping off the enamel you can easily put into the wire surface defects from which fatigue in use can make for early wire breakage.