Fencing.Net - Your Guide to Fencing & Fencing Equipment

rats_foiled_agn · 01-27-2003, 06:16 PM

I have been fencing for about 6 months and have begun to get a feel for what I like and dont like about equipment. I have been searching for a pistol grip that I really like; size and shape. As a lot, Fencers are some of the gregarious folks. My "what kind is that and where did you get that" questions are always answered.

I was at a local tournament recently and met a fencer who had dipped his pistol grips in that plastic/rubbery stuff you used to coat the handles of tools. This added a little bulk to the grip and had a nice feel. I had to move on before I could ask a lot of questions.

My first thought is "Are there any rules about coatings on grips?" I have seen a lot of folks who add tape to increase different dimensions?

Durability? I would think that as long as you cleaned the surface well it would stick ok.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

rats_foiled_agn · 01-27-2003, 06:20 PM

Oops, fingers not as fast as the vocab.

I meant "most gregarious" as in fond of company, outgoing and talkative.

DHCJr · 01-27-2003, 06:37 PM

By your name, I would say you were a Foilist. If so you are in luck. Not only is it not forbidden to dip your handles, it is highly encouraged to do that if you have bare metal handles. It is still in the rules to tape the extremities of your handle, but it is has not been necessary since 1984 to do that with the Anti-Fraud foil circuits. But if you sweat a lot and have bare metal handles, you are asking for problems.

If you fence Epee than you would have a problem.

Catal · 01-27-2003, 08:28 PM

!!! What about epee?! Huh, huh?!

damianip · 01-27-2003, 09:45 PM

I think he's referring to that "You can't do anything to an épée grip that might conceal anything" rule. Unless, of course, it's a French grip. Then, apparently, you can do almost anything.

m 4.3. All types of hilts are allowed providing that they conform to the regulations which have been framed with a view to placing the various types of weapons on the same footing. However, at épée, orthopaedic grips, whether metal or not, may not be covered with leather or any material which could hide wires or switches. (italics mine).

Paolo

Peregrinus · 01-27-2003, 11:05 PM

What if the coating was clear?

sallearmourer · 01-27-2003, 11:37 PM

In epee you can have insulated handles but if you get hit on the handle it's a touch. The rule for foil state the extremitie of the handle must be insulated another words just the rear prong of the handle. The rubber coating is called Dip it and try Napa Auto parts for it. But what you need to due to the bare handle is used a self etching primer paint at auto part store. You need to coat it about 3 or 4 times building a layer of dip it. I have done this several times.

Tim

epeemike81 · 01-28-2003, 12:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by sallearmourer
In epee you can have insulated handles but if you get hit on the handle it's a touch. The rule for foil state the extremitie of the handle must be insulated another words just the rear prong of the handle. The rubber coating is called Dip it and try Napa Auto parts for it. But what you need to due to the bare handle is used a self etching primer paint at auto part store. You need to coat it about 3 or 4 times building a layer of dip it. I have done this several times.

Tim

but the insulated grips are insulated with a thin coat of paint which can't hide a switch. using rubber, which is thick enough to easily conceal wires, is more problematic.

-m

Peregrinus · 01-28-2003, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by epeemike81
but the insulated grips are insulated with a thin coat of paint which can't hide a switch. using rubber, which is thick enough to easily conceal wires, is more problematic.

-m

Not if it's clear.

edwin012290 · 10-11-2005, 07:25 PM

i recently purchased an LP epee and its pistol grip is just aluminum...gray aluminum...should i be painting the grip? is there anything bad that happens if i leave it alone?

Purple Fencer · 10-11-2005, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edwin012290

i recently purchased an LP epee and its pistol grip is just aluminum...gray aluminum...should i be painting the grip? is there anything bad that happens if i leave it alone?

If it's on a foil you could paint it with no problems (referencing hte rule Donald pointed out). if it's on an epee, tho...don;t paint it....the reason....if your opponent lands ON the grip and the grip is bare, that shot will ground out just like hitting the bellguard. If the grip's painted, however, the shot will NOT ground out and his target light will go on....touch for him, sucks to be you.

As others have pointed out as well, some directors may card for an epee grip they feel couild hide a switch (under the coating)...the coating being clear WOULD get around that, but you'd still have the getting hit on the grip issue.

Hiding a switch under the covering in foil is a non issue....don't think I've ever heard of a switch there....although I'm certain it could be done.

howtobrew · 10-11-2005, 07:42 PM

No. Bare aluminum is standard for epee grips. If you have a French grip you can wrap it with hockey tape for better gripping, or with leather. But the pistol grips can't coated or wrapped with anything that could conceal a wire or switch. You can take a hacksaw blade and make some fine serrations in the fingertip portion of the grip though. That does help quite a bit.

(edit)
Hah! Purple and I always seem to be on the same wavelength! Romans and grip mods.

edwin012290 · 10-11-2005, 07:47 PM

k. thanks a lot you guys.

KD5MDK · 10-12-2005, 02:52 AM

I'm having trouble picturing exactly what a switch on the grip could do. I mean, there's the 3 prong socket, which has one prong connected to the guard, and the other two into wires, covered with spaghetti tubing, which run down the channel to the tip. As long as you can clearly see the entirety of the spaghetti tubing from sockets to tip, what would a switch connect/disconnect?

JEC · 10-12-2005, 03:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KD5MDK

I'm having trouble picturing exactly what a switch on the grip could do. I mean, there's the 3 prong socket, which has one prong connected to the guard, and the other two into wires, covered with spaghetti tubing, which run down the channel to the tip. As long as you can clearly see the entirety of the spaghetti tubing from sockets to tip, what would a switch connect/disconnect?

create a touch. the history is back to Montreal olympics when a russian fencer (in a pentathlon event) was found to have a switch that shorted the circuit providing the signal to the scoring machine as a touch.

KD5MDK · 10-12-2005, 12:41 PM

No, I understand that a touch can be created by connecting the two wires. I'm saying that I don't see how something that doesn't touch the sockets or spaghetti tubing at all could contain such a switch.

Jvanhousen · 10-12-2005, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KD5MDK

No, I understand that a touch can be created by connecting the two wires. I'm saying that I don't see how something that doesn't touch the sockets or spaghetti tubing at all could contain such a switch.

Mr. good wire runs down the blade and disappears into a little hole in the guard, then he pops his head out of a little hole at the end of the grip wearing a red plastic jacket and runs up to the connector. Mr. bad wire takes a detour up inside the grip to meet up w/ mr. switch before putting on his red jacket and leaving the grip. Got it?

KD5MDK · 10-12-2005, 07:34 PM

Fair enough, although as a referee I look at the channel between guard and grip reasonably closely.

Jvanhousen · 10-12-2005, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KD5MDK

Fair enough, although as a referee I look at the channel between guard and grip reasonably closely.

I believe at the time ('76), Dan D. was tapped to be head of control for the Montreal Olympics but had already committed to the US team spot. When he got back he told me there was no way the Russian's rigged epee would have gotten past him, and I believe it! Course we all would have missed out on the most spectacular cheating in fencing history.