When the tip takes lots of pressure to go off.

[Cappy]

You know when your weapon gets to where it doesn't go off without an unusual amount of pressure? How do you prevent that?

I'm guessing the problem has to do with the big spring being too stiff. Do you just take it out and pull on it in two directions? Would it help to lengthen the little spring?

Any advice would be appreciated, as this is one of my biggest problems in fencing. I counted six touches that I gave up in one five-touche bout because I wasn't hitting hard enough.

It seems you just have to be a jerk and try to put the weapon through your opponent.

[Mergs]

My suggestion would be to check to make sure that the tip is supporting the required weight (you didn't specify which weapon you are talking about), and see how much extra weight it really needs to go off.

Next, check the smoothness of the travel of the tip. It could be hanging up, especially an epee tip that has burrs that form on the slot where the tip/grub screws travel.

If all these are good, then I'd check your technique. If the problem is foil, then make sure you are hitting and keeping the point on. I know your frustration, because I too have had issues with points not registering because of the new timings.

You can loossen the spring as you pointed out, but it shortens the life of the spring to the point where you end up with it not supporting the weight and it failing.

Good luck.

[Purple Fencer]

Epee or foil? Could be 2 entirely different problems.

[SJCFU#2]

The fact that the OP mentions both "big" and "little" springs suggests we're talking epee here.

The first thing to do is probably examine the tip carefully, and try to see what's going on (hint: it's probably not the "big" spring that's causing the problem). Does it feel "crunchy" when you first press down on the tip or do you have to press the tip all the way down into the barrel in order for a touch to register? If the former then the tip probably needs a good cleaning (and maybe look for spurs in the screw slots). If the latter then the contact spring (the small one) probably isn't shorting the two contacts at the base of the barrel together. Take the tip apart and give it a good cleaning (something you should probably do whenever you have it apart). Examine the contact spring - make sure it's straight and level at the base. Remove the weight spring (the large one) from the barrel and maybe try fitting a pin punch down into the barrel, just to make sure that both contacts are even with one another. Then try fitting the tip back into the barrel. If you are having to press down hard on the tip just to register a touch then the travel is probably too long. Try lengthing the contact spring (I find it works best to turn it as though you were going to tighten it, but pull at the same time until you feel it pop a thread, rather than trying to unscrew it from the post, but if you are using a Leon Paul tip then it will be locked in and all you can do is try to stretch the spring). If all else fails replace the contact spring (they're inexpensive).

Be sure to test the travel before reassembling the tip. Then retest it afterward.

[Coldfire]

Best thread title ever.

[oiuyt]

You know when your weapon gets to where it doesn't go off without an unusual amount of pressure? How do you prevent that?

Fence sabre.

-B

[Gav]

You know when your weapon gets to where it doesn't go off without an unusual amount of pressure? How do you prevent that?

I'm guessing the problem has to do with the big spring being too stiff. Do you just take it out and pull on it in two directions? Would it help to lengthen the little spring?

Any advice would be appreciated, as this is one of my biggest problems in fencing. I counted six touches that I gave up in one five-touche bout because I wasn't hitting hard enough.

It seems you just have to be a jerk and try to put the weapon through your opponent.

If it's Epee then it could be that the contact spring is a touch too short, or that the pins in the cup are uneven. I've seen this happen several times.

[Mergs]

Thanks for that tidbit, Gav. After following this thread and going back to read the OP, I agree, it's probably the contact spring/contacts.

The issue here is two-fold: an uneven contact spring or one contact higher than the other.

In the first case, the end of the contact spring probably hasn't been ground flat. What happens here is that one side of the spring hits the contact on its side first keeps the other side from deflecting far enough to touch the other contact.

The second is like the first, except that the spring hits the higher contact first and doesn't deflect enough to hit the second.

The solution is to either grind the end of the contact spring flat with some emery cloth, or to either use the head of nail to set the contacts to the same height. You can also glue a small piece of emery cloth to the head of the nail and use it to sand the ends of the contacts so they are the same height.

If none of the foregoing suggestions work; rip the stinking point off and rewire the sumbi*** with a new wire and point!

[Fechter1]

Several possibilities, most of which require more information to diagnose properly. I am assuming (along with most everyone else here) that you're talking about Epee.

Question about the pressure needed to register a hit:
1 - Is the tip travel rough/crunchy (and thus needs more than normal force for full depression)? If so, then cleaning out your barrel is the most immediate answer. You may not be able to relieve the symptom fully though, especially if the barrel and/or tip shaft (har har) has been damaged already. In that case, you would have to rewire the blade with a new point.

2 - Is the tip travel is smooth, and after it is fully depressed you need apply more force to register a hit, then your contact spring is most likely just a bit too short and needs to be lengthened (or replaced, depending on the tip setup).

3 - If the tip does not travel fully to the end (i.e. if there is a gap between tip head and barrel), then there are generally 2 possibilities:
a - There is an extra spacer in the barrel (in which case you should still be able to register a hit normally...)
b - The pressure spring may not be seated properly. Disassemble the point. when just the pressure (large) spring is inserted, it should not protrude beyond the barrel. If it is, then there's the problem.

And in the insterest of covering all the bases:
4 - If the travel is smooth, the pressure spring is properly seated, the contact spring is long enough, but it still takes a lot of force to depress the tip? The you either have an unbelievably strong spring (the like of which we have not yet seen), or your perception of force is slightly wonky.

That should pretty much cover all the possibilities.

[brtech]

If it takes A LOT of pressure, not just a little more, but a lot, then I bet the cup is not seated in the barrel properly. Try putting the tip in the barrel without a pressure spring and see if the tip goes down all the way so the inside of the top of the tip touches the top of the barrel. It should take roughly no pressure to make it bottom out. If it doesn't, bingo.

This is the most common reason for too much pressure in foil. It happens, but less frequently with epee.

The solution is usually rewire, but you can try mashing down the cup with a point setting tool and a hammer. What do you have to lose?

[Mergs]

..... try mashing down the cup with a point setting tool and a hammer. What do you have to lose?

5 lb ball peen, or sledge?

[brtech]

I use my dent hammer, but if you want to use the sledge go ahead.

Reminds me of the story of railroad maintenance crews, who used to carry three tools: big azz screwdriver (slot only), channel lock pliers, and a 5lb sledge. Everything had to be able to be maintained by this crew, including the signaling and track control electronics.

[slow_learner]

Next, check the smoothness of the travel of the tip. It could be hanging up, especially an epee tip that has burrs that form on the slot where the tip/grub screws travel.

Ha! The tip on my training epee has been driving me crazy. I cleaned it carefully with alcohol twice recently and still there was a hesitation. Last night was really bad--I know I lost many touches than usual.

After reading your post I removed the screws and checked the slots under a strong magnifying glass. Sure enough, a couple of deep scratches crossed the slot and made burrs.

I cut a piece of emery cloth very narrow, doubled it and ran it back and forth through the slots (rather proud of this solution) until the burrs were smoothed out. This left grit inside the barrel, so I cleaned it out again.

Now the travel is almost like new.

If I was where you are, I would buy you a beer.


PS: If anybody knows of an actual tool that is good for this job, please post.

[brtech]

If I was where you are, I would buy you a beer.

Come to NAC C. He'll be there. So will I.

or JOs

PS: If anybody knows of an actual tool that is good for this job, please post.

Dremel tool with a grinding bit?

I'd probably use my rat tail file.

[Mergs]

Come to NAC C. He'll be there. So will I.

or JOs


Dremel tool with a grinding bit?

I'd probably use my rat tail file.

Yes, yes, I will! At both. I will accept double payment!

I also use a small flat file to remove the burrs. You can get them through a modeling supply house.

[slow_learner]

Come to NAC C. He'll be there. So will I.

or JOs

Regrettably, I won't.

I'd probably use my rat tail file.

Well I'll be...

http://www.amazon.com/Reciprotools-R.../dp/B001CNG80A

Live and learn.

Adding this to my tools-get-get list.