Foil point complete super PTFE coated barrel (incl wire)
The first time I saw the new Leon Paul foil points I bought one. I thought nothing was more frustrating than having to rewire a blade because of a stripped screw or denting a brand new barrel beyond repair. I was wrong, the most frustrating problem is springs that won’t pass weight.
I bought the Leon Paul point from their booth at the Summer Nationals along with some extra springs and screws. I mounted the new point on one of my son’s Vnitis and it passed weight. He fenced with it in practice for a few weeks, but when I retested it the night before a tournament in late July, it no longer passed weight. Rather than stretch the spring, I replaced it with a new one.
The point was fine for the first few pool bouts, but then it didn’t pass weight on the 4th or 5th bout. I replaced the spring again and this time I stretched the new one to be sure. It passed weight on the first DE, but when I tested it before the second DE it didn’t pass weight again.
Clearly there is a problem with the springs that needs to be addressed by Leon Paul. Until it is, the tip is unusable in tournaments.
UPDATE - Since this post was first put up, I have communicated with Leon Paul. They advise that they believe the springs are OK, but that something is interfering with the travel of the tip. Their suggestion is to first back out each screw 1/2 turn. If that has no effect then they say to remove the tip and clean the barrel.
I tried backing out the screws but this had no effect. I disassembled the point & removed the tip. Several tiny black/grey flecks of material did come out, (chips off the coating?). I then cleaned the barrel with electronic part spray cleaner and reassembled. The weapon passed weight again.
I now want to see how long it will continue to pass weight and, if it fails again, whether the same fix will work.
SECOND UPDATE - After a few more practices I retested the weapon and it once more failed to pass weight. Backing out the screws had no effect, neither did cleaning out the barrel and tip.
Except for the problem with the springs, this point is a great idea. Despite my son's penchant for mangling barrels and shearing off screw heads, the barrel is dent-free and the screw heads are still like new. The unreliability of the springs means that the trade off for using this point is constant vigilence, the distraction that comes with concern over an unreliable weapon, and maybe a red card.
I bought the Leon Paul point from their booth at the Summer Nationals along with some extra springs and screws. I mounted the new point on one of my son’s Vnitis and it passed weight. He fenced with it in practice for a few weeks, but when I retested it the night before a tournament in late July, it no longer passed weight. Rather than stretch the spring, I replaced it with a new one.
The point was fine for the first few pool bouts, but then it didn’t pass weight on the 4th or 5th bout. I replaced the spring again and this time I stretched the new one to be sure. It passed weight on the first DE, but when I tested it before the second DE it didn’t pass weight again.
Clearly there is a problem with the springs that needs to be addressed by Leon Paul. Until it is, the tip is unusable in tournaments.
UPDATE - Since this post was first put up, I have communicated with Leon Paul. They advise that they believe the springs are OK, but that something is interfering with the travel of the tip. Their suggestion is to first back out each screw 1/2 turn. If that has no effect then they say to remove the tip and clean the barrel.
I tried backing out the screws but this had no effect. I disassembled the point & removed the tip. Several tiny black/grey flecks of material did come out, (chips off the coating?). I then cleaned the barrel with electronic part spray cleaner and reassembled. The weapon passed weight again.
I now want to see how long it will continue to pass weight and, if it fails again, whether the same fix will work.
SECOND UPDATE - After a few more practices I retested the weapon and it once more failed to pass weight. Backing out the screws had no effect, neither did cleaning out the barrel and tip.
Except for the problem with the springs, this point is a great idea. Despite my son's penchant for mangling barrels and shearing off screw heads, the barrel is dent-free and the screw heads are still like new. The unreliability of the springs means that the trade off for using this point is constant vigilence, the distraction that comes with concern over an unreliable weapon, and maybe a red card.
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