German does not alwasy mean Uhlmann

[engardemisami]

Bought some Russian epees a while back from Fencing USA (or LMC Service) and they came with advertised German tips. They worked well enough and as the blades broke, I saved the points and barrels to be used for rewiring new blades. The old wire cups did not look like the new Uhlmann wires I just got but I proceeded to wire the new blades using the LMC German barrel. To my surprise a day later, the point will not depress all the way down. The only way it will is if I completely take out the contact spring. This leaves me with just a hair's thickness between the end of the tip thread and the contact points in the cup. It seems that the Uhlmann cup sets a bit high in the barrel and there is just no other way to make it go down further. I suppose I need to either get all Uhlmann parts or all LMC parts.

Anyone else had this problem?

ps. Since I wanted to avoid rewiring, I snipped off half of the contact spring so that just a miniscule part of it is extending from the tip threads. It tests fine but I don't know how long this will work.

[DHCJr]

There are some companies that sell 'German style', which are actually Chinese. It could also be an Allstar wire, which is actually two parts. If you still have the wire you took out, check if the pins are exposed on both ends. For example, the Uhlmann's top will actually be a cup, where I am expecting the wire you took out has a slightly raised area, slightly smaller then the outside diameter. The head of the pins will be exposed on top. If description I gave is true, then there is most likely a plastic spacer ring, still in the barrel. This is not easily visible and the only way to check is to take it apart and from the blade side with a probe or jewelers screwdriver push it out.

This is a guess, but it sounds like that is your problem. I wish it was an easier solution.

[lochinvar]

I had this exact problem, and also with LMC stuff.

When I spoke to LMC about their points and wires, I was told that they are "German type". Note that this is not the same as saying that they are German.

The problem of parts that don't fit when you mix and match them isn't confined to this vendor, however; you can order "German" wires from Allstar and "German" points from Blade and find that they don't quite fit together right. I'm sure Dave and Tim can relate more than a few nightmares caused by mix-n-match.

The easiest way to avoid the problem altogether is to always use wires, points, screws, springs, etc., from the same vendor. It doesn't matter which vendor you settle on, just make sure all the parts come from the same one. That should prevent most--but by no means all--of your troubles.

[engardemisami]

I know what you mean about the ring (plastic spacer). I don't remember what the wire was but I do have another of these German style barrels that I have not wired for yet and have been tinkering with it all night last night making sure there was not plastic ring in there. Still, the Uhlmann cup would not go in properly.

[engardemisami]

Originally posted by lochinvar

The easiest way to avoid the problem altogether is to always use wires, points, screws, springs, etc., from the same vendor. It doesn't matter which vendor you settle on, just make sure all the parts come from the same one. That should prevent most--but by no means all--of your troubles.

I learned my lesson. I hope others pick up this lesson too. It just makes things harder for an armorer to fix weapons from different club members not knowing where they got the weapons in the first place. One has to be keen in determining what parts to use before getting started.

[Purple Fencer]

Fortunately that problem is minimal at SwordPlay, since both I and Al Carter but from the same source, and I KNOW those German points ARE Uhlmann.

'Course, that doesn't mean there won't be slight differances WITHIN the Uhlmann product line. I'm sure Donald remembers that dammned foil point problem I had at the Long Beach Invitational that was caused by the spring and wire coming from different manufacturing lots...the cup wall on the wire was juuuuust a touch thicker then the ones made at the same time as the spring, so the spring wouldn't quite seat into the cup.

Grrrrr....

[mifencer]

A friend on mine bought a complete 'allstar point' in France about 2 months ago. When I looked at it, it had the screws seated like a normal French point not like the German Frankenstein setting. Did Allstar change? or did my friend get taken? I think the later, but maybe you guys heard of something.

[sallearmourer]

One allstar/unlmann are the same company now. Lmc if selling russian blades more then likely is using german style from Romaina or one of the other former eastern block countries. I run across a couple of these in Greenville and the person could tell me were he got them from and it turns out they were from Romaina. I deal with only major dealers American Fencer Santelli BG and PBT I know that there parts will inter change with each other.

Not everything on the market that claims like german is Chinese made Donald. I get sample products from all over for some reason I can't explain.

Tim

[DHCJr]

Originally posted by sallearmourer

Not everything on the market that claims like german is Chinese made Donald. I get sample products from all over for some reason I can't explain.

Tim

There are some companies that sell 'German style', which are actually Chinese.

Tim, maybe you should have read what I wrote. I know that not all that claim to be German style is Chinese, that is why I said SOME. You should be more careful Tim.

[Emfuser]

Ulhmann and Allstar parts are identical since, as mentioned earlier, they are the same company. The only difference you should see between parts is colors, where applicable.

[JEC]

Although this might be true for metallic parts, uniforms are cut slightly different. Allstar are tailored for less well fed people, while Uhlmann jackets fit me better.