Sticky epee tip

[Purple Fencer]

How best to clean the insude of an epee barrel? The tip moves well enough, but it feels as if it's grinding on something.

Sorry this is so abrupt...very tired...need zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...........

[Pho]

Have you tried a bit of teflon lubricant? I get a tube from radio shack thats for electrical contacts and it makes the french epee tips depress pretty smoothly. I usually apply a bit around the tip before inserting and screwing it into the barrel.

Eric

[JEC]

and then ... after a while, one is wondering why the tip does not register some touches.

[damianip]

Originally posted by Purple Fencer
How best to clean the insude of an epee barrel? The tip moves well enough, but it feels as if it's grinding on something.

Sorry this is so abrupt...very tired...need zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...........

Depends on the degree of grinding.

First disassemble it (you knew this). Examine the tip itself. If the tip is in very bad shape and you still want to salvage it, I would take a piece of ScotchBrite and clean it up.

I would then take a small piece of abrasive sponge (fine grit), roll it up and insert in the barrel. Spin it around until the interior buffs up and is clean.

I then clean the tip and barrel out with jewelry cleaning solution on a Q-Tip. Let dry, and then reassemble. As a final precaution, I shoot some lubricating contact cleaner in there.

If the tip and barrel are not that bad, I use Pol MetallPutz or Wenol (German polishing compounds) to dress the surfaces up. Clean it up with some alcohol and lubricate as above.

If you can't get a hold of polishing compound, toothpaste will do in a pinch (and your tip will smell minty fresh!!!). Just make sure you clean up thoroughly (water or jewelry cleaner is fine here) or you'll attract all kinds of goo and grit.

If you're industrious, you can add the polish procedure subsequrnt to the initial abrasive treatment, but usually, if the tip is that far gone, the benefits are questionable. By then a ridge may have developed on the tip or the tolerances may have loosened up to the point that the tip is binding because it's cocked in the barrel.

Then it's time for a new tip (a maybe even a barrel.

Paolo

[Purple Fencer]

Paulo;

Thanks!! Great ideas (now that I'm awake, I can appreciate the minty fresh comment!). I'll give it a shot when my customer comes back later this week.

[L_Marie]

Hey Tim showed me a nifty little gadget that workd great. Its some kind of diamond file, but round and just the right size to fit in the barrel and sand away any little burs that might have formed. I used it on several weapons at summer nats' with great results.....maybe he'll stop by and tell us what that thing is called.
Love...Dame

[attila]

Hi Purple man

Long time. I take some fine grip (2000) roll it into a tube that will bit into the barrel ,then jam the "tube" into an electric drill and spin the sucker for a few secs. Polishes the inside like butter. Clean up the inside with an acetones or alcohol dipped q-tip.Finish off the screw eyelets witha round small file so the screw travel is smooth.....

[Purple Fencer]

Atilla...I've missed that signature line.

I actually thought of doing the very same thing! I'll keep it in mind the next time I see the tip.

[Flagrant da Nut]

ha that is a funny sig
paddy whack

[DangerMouse]

I use a very similar method to Paolo's except I use crocus cloth for a final polishing. Makes for a very smooth tip.

[Torg]

what i did was took the tip off and used some rubbing alcohol on a q-tip to clean it. it went from being stuck to moving nicely in no time at all.