03-15-2003, 11:39 PM
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#1 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Overland Park, KS
Posts: 291
| My grip and guard are always loose!
Hello, I have two NEW epees, and after every few bouts, the guard and the grip come very loose. I've heard that this is normal, but how long untill it can go without re-tightning for an extended period of time? Any advice would be appreciated, since it's very annoying to step off the strip in the middle of an exciting bout to re-tighten it, for fear it would cause the wire to break.  thanks for any help | 
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03-15-2003, 11:51 PM
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#2 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Pacoima, ca USA
Posts: 5,972
| The next time you get a chance, see if there's a lock-washer underneath the nut. If not, put ONE lock washer on (you don't need three dozen!). In addition to helping to hold the nut in place, it may give a better "shelf" for the nut to grab onto when it's tightened down; sometimes the hole for teh tang is a liiitle too wide and the nut slips into it and can't actually tighten down. | 
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03-24-2003, 03:09 PM
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#3 | | Just Joined
Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Seattle area
Posts: 10
| I just had the same problem with a foil - I'm considering using some Loctite on the nut, is that a workable solution? | |
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03-24-2003, 03:36 PM
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#4 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Overland Park, KS
Posts: 291
| I would'nt recommend it- Like if all of a sudden if some part of your sword needs to be taken apart to be repaired (i.e. rewiring or tightning) it'll make it very difficult (or impossible) to do what needs to be redone. Then you might have to get a new foil. Just ask your coach about any alternatives that you can do. | |
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03-24-2003, 04:05 PM
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#5 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: U.S.A.
Posts: 382
| All you need is a propane torch. Melt the tang onto the handle, you'll never have a loose handle again... ever. | |
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03-24-2003, 04:41 PM
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#6 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Overland Park, KS
Posts: 291
| Yeah, but one problem; What happens to that tiny delicate wire that makes it work under intense heat? Don't do it!  | |
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03-24-2003, 06:23 PM
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#7 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: U.S.A.
Posts: 382
| Quote: Originally posted by lfortier
Yeah, but one problem; What happens to that tiny delicate wire that makes it work under intense heat? Don't do it! |
Congratulations, lfortier! You are my Sucker Du Jour! You are now the forth person to fall victim to my "propane treatment" trick. Ah, ha haaaaaaa! Veeco gets two counts 'cause he fell for it twice.  | |
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03-29-2003, 11:44 AM
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#8 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 367
| Quote: Originally posted by lfortier
Yeah, but one problem; What happens to that tiny delicate wire that makes it work under intense heat? Don't do it! | Well...for practice blades it doesn't matter so much.... | |
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04-01-2003, 08:08 PM
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#9 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 1999 Location: Troy, NY
Posts: 122
| I use loctite on my my pommel nuts all te time. Just make sure you use the blue loctite not the red stuff. The blue stuff is removable by hand tools. I know some peope that even use it on their tip screws. | |
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04-02-2003, 10:29 PM
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#10 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 131
| Quote: Originally posted by Crash55
I use loctite on my my pommel nuts all te time. Just make sure you use the blue loctite not the red stuff. The blue stuff is removable by hand tools. I know some peope that even use it on their tip screws. | Yeah, when buying the loctite just watch for which color and strength, if you get the right color it should work just fine. | |
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04-21-2003, 04:41 PM
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#11 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 1999 Location: Illinois
Posts: 667
| The only way I've been able to prevent loosening of the pommel is to tighten so damn hard that things deform. I've actually had to abandon a grip 'cause I crushed the inside so much I'd have to stack a few lock washers inside.  I've got a couple of outside hex nuts that are flat on the bottom from this same treatment. My guard have a square pressed into the front where the blade dug in, and the imprint of the plug assembly on the back. I should also point out that putting localized tensile stresses on your blade can, and have, resulted in breaks occurring right at the guard (happened to a friend, but it was the funniest parry-riposte in saber I ever saw).
Then I grew up, and I brought a wrench with me to the strip, like all fencers should have, and just dealt with it in stride.
Other than that, best advice I can give is to reitterate, make sure you have at least 1 lock washer under your pommel. Make sure you don't have so much tang that you can't screw down the pommel enough. | |
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04-23-2003, 10:57 PM
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#12 | | Curmudgeon-in-Chief
Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Somewhere in your nightmares!
Posts: 23,534
| You may need to shim your weapons.
The grip can often be tightened up by slipping a few slivers of wood in between tang and grip as you put the grip on. This will fill in any space left by a tang of a smaller diameter than the hole in the grip. ( N.B. I have never tried this with pistol grips, but you might experiment. )
For a loose guard you want to use copper shims. Get a length of heavy gauge copper wire. Flatten it ito a ribbon with a hammer. Clip trianguler pieces from it with snips or wire-cutters. Drive the resultant shims down between blade and guard, using a punch or screwdriver with a light hammer. Get them all the way in, so nothing is left protruding. And be careful you don't put them in where they might impinge on or sever a wire, if this is for an electric weapon!
If it is just the pommel or nut loosening up, use a lock washer or Loctite as above. | |
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