1.11 How do I find a good fencing club?
[Ed. I have re-written this section since the original was mostly concerned
with US clubs, and anyway, you should not need to go
further that the MU Fencing Club!]
The MUFec fences Foil, Epee and Sabre; all electrically. We fence in the
local competitions at Victoria University of Techonology in A, B and
C grades. The annual Inter-Varsity comp is also a favourite that we
traditionally do very well in.
The club competes against the non-uni clubs and uni-clubs. Once you
you get really keen you might join a pro-club for extra training,
though these cost around $200 per year plus coaching time. MUFec
will cost you $20 per semester, with free coaching (initially anyway)!
See the contact page.
The best training for fencing is fencing. Fencing development is
asymmetrical and few other sports use the same muscle groups, so
this is a difficult question whose answer depends largely on what
aspect of your training you really want to focus on.
Cardiovascular fitness and leg strength always help, so anything that
enhances these will be beneficial. Cycling, swimming, aerobics, and
skating are good examples. Running, sprinting, soccer, basketball,
and similar sports can also be helpful, although some athletes dislike
the stresses they put on the knees. Racquet sports like tennis,
badminton, squash, racquetball, and table tennis are also excellent,
and will exercise your weapon arm in addition to your legs.
Circuit or period training (short bursts of high-heart-rate
exercise followed by brief recovery periods) has been put forward
as particularly relevant to the demands of fencing.
Many martial arts have physical and mental demands that are similar
to fencing, and can improve both your fitness and your intellectual
approach to the sport. Technique and tactics very rarely translate,
however.
Weight training can help, if done properly, but the athlete must
remember that flexibility, speed, and technique are more
important than raw strength, although proper strength training
(especially of the lower body and legs) can improve speed
significantly. Otherwise, endurance training should have
priority over bodybuilding. Excessive weight training of the
upper body can adversely affect point control, according to some
masters, who prefer weighted wrist straps worn during regular
practice.
Some fencers maintain that juggling improves reactions, hand-eye
coordination, and use of peripheral vision.
Many coaches and fencers suggest occasional fencing or workouts with
your opposite hand, both to improve skill and balance your muscular
development.
It is very easy to acquire bad habits and poor technique if you do
not have the guidance of a knowledgable fencing master, coach, or
fellow fencer. If you are serious about improving your fencing,
quality coaching is always your best investment. However, a
disciplined fencer still has options if decent instruction is not
available on a regular basis.
Firstly, a solid knowledge of fencing theory and regulations is a
must. The freelance fencer should study the FIE Rules of
Competition and a good fencing manual (see Section 3.3). The
fencer should test and apply this knowledge by presiding whenever
possible. An appreciation of good fencing style is also
essential, so that the fencer can readily identify weaknesses in
his own and other fencers' techniques. Observation and comparison
of skilled or accomplished fencers will develop this ability.
Training videotapes and videotapes of high-level competitions (see
Section 3.6) are also helpful in this regard.
The freelance fencer must be open-minded and critical of his own
technique, so that he can recognize problems before they develop
into habits. Discussion of his weaknesses with training opponents
will help him clarify the areas that need work. If possible, he
should videotape his bouts and review them to spot defects in his
tactics and technique.
The fencer should seek out opponents who will strenuously test
his weaknesses. More experienced fencers, left-handers, those
whose tactics are particularly effective, and even those with
annoying (ie. difficult) styles should be courted on the practice
strip. When fencing less skilled opponents, the fencer should
restrict his tactics to a small set that require practice, and
resist the temptation to open up if he should start losing.
The opportunity to participate in footwork and line drills should
never be passed up. When he can find an agreeable partner, the
fencer can do more personalized drills to exercise his weak areas.
(Of course it is courteous to indulge the needs of one's partner
when he in turn works on his own training.)
Lastly, the fencer should remain aware of his bout psychology and
mental state when fencing, and try to cultivate the mindset that
in his experience produces good fencing.
Right-of-way is the set of rules used to determine who is awarded the
point when there is a double touch in foil or sabre (ie. both fencers
hit each other in the same fencing time). It is detailed in the
FIE Rules of Competition, Articles 232-237 (foil) and 416-423
(sabre).
The core assumption behind right-of-way is that a fencing bout is
always in one of three states:
- nothing significant is happening
- the fencers are conceiving and executing their actions
simultaneously
- one fencer is controlling the action and tempo and the other
is trying to gain control.
Since no points will be scored in the first situation, we can ignore
it. In the second situation, the fencers' actions have equal
significance, and it is impossible to award a touch. Both touches
will be annulled and the bout will be resumed where it was
stopped.
The third situation is the tricky one. The controlling fencer
has the right-of-way, and his hit has precedence over any hit
from the other fencer. The job of the referee is to decide which
fencer was NOT controlling the action, and annul his touch. If
he cannot decide, the referee should abstain, annul BOTH hits,
and resume the action where it left off.
Control (and right-of-way) is taken whenever one fencer threatens
the other with his blade. A threat can be either an attack (see
question 1.15), or a "point in line" (see question 1.17) that is
established before the opponent attacks.
Control (and right-of-way) is lost when the threat misses, falls
short, is broken off, or is deflected away from the target by a
parry or other engagement from the defender. The defender has a
split-second window of opportunity to return the attack
(ie. riposte) before the attacker recovers; if he does so, he
takes over right-of-way and the tables have turned. Otherwise it
is a toss-up; the first fencer to initiate an attack will sieze
the right-of-way anew.
The right-of-way relationships between common fencing actions are as
follows:
- derobement has right-of-way over attacks on the blade
- attacks on the blade have right-of-way over the point in line
- point in line has right-of-way over the attack
- the simple attack has right-of-way over the stop-hit
- the stop-hit has right-of-way over the renewal of the attack
- the stop-hit in time has right-of-way over the compound attack
- the riposte has right-of-way over the renewal of the attack
- the counter-riposte has right-of-way over the renewal of the riposte
- the remise of the attack has right-of-way over the delayed riposte
According to Article 10 of the FIE rules of competition, "the
attack is the initial offensive action made by extending the arm
and continuously threatening the valid target of the opponent."
A threatening weapon is normally interpreted to be one that will
or could hit the opponent if no defensive action is taken. In
other words, a weapon threatens if it is moving towards the
target in a smooth, unbroken trajectory. This trajectory can be
curved, especially if the attack is indirect, compound, or
involves a cutting action. Hesitations and movements of the
blade away from the target will usually be perceived as a break
in the attack or a preparation of the attack.
One common misconception is that a straight or straightening arm
is required to assert the attack. However, neither the strict
wording nor the prevailing interpretation of the above rule
require that the attacker's arm become straight or even nearly
so. It is sufficient if the arm extends, even just slightly,
from its normal on-guard position. A long arm at the moment of
the touch is still good style, though, since it gives superior
reach and clearly shows the fencer's intent. While the attack
can often be asserted with only slight extension, retraction of
the arm will usually be interpreted as a break in the attack.
Another common misconception is that a point attack does not
threaten unless the point is aimed at the target. This is not
generally true. An out-of-line point does threaten if it is moving
towards the target on a smooth, unbroken trajectory. The most
common example of this is the coupe' (cut-over), in which the blade
is pulled away from the target to avoid the the opponent's blade,
and then returned into line to finish the attack. Coupe' takes the
right-of-way immediately, even though the point is initially pulled
away. So-called "flicks", relatives of the coupe' that involve
whipping the foible of the blade around parries or blocking body
parts, can also take the right-of-way when the blade starts its
final forward stroke.
Many fencers are under the mistaken impression that a bent arm or
out-of-line point constitutes a preparation, and therefore that
they can rightfully attack into it. If the bent arm is extending
and the out-of-line point is moving towards the target, however,
this assumption is usually false under modern fencing conventions.
A successful attack on the preparation must clearly precede the
opponent's initiation of the phrase or a break in his attack, or
else arrive a fencing time ahead of his touch.
Sabre fencers must also consider Article 417 of the Rules of
Competition, which states when the attack must land relative to
the footfalls of a lunge, advance-lunge, (and fleche,
historically). Attacks that arrive after the prescribed footfall
are deemed continuations, and do not have right-of-way over the
counter-attack. Sabre fencers must also remember that whip-over
touches can be interpreted as remises, and not mal-pare's.
According to Article 10 of the FIE Rules of Competition, "the
parry is the defensive action made with the weapon to prevent the
attack from arriving".
A successful parry deflects the threatening blade away from the
target. It is normally not sufficient to merely find or touch
the opponent's blade; the fencer must also exhibit control over
it (although the benefit of the doubt usually goes to the fencer
making the parry). If the attack continues without any
replacement of the point and makes a touch, it retains the
right-of-way (mal-pare' by the defender). If the attacker must
replace the point into a threatening line before continuing, it
is a remise (renewal of the attack) and does not have
right-of-way over the riposte. In practice, very little
deflection is needed with a well-timed parry.
A well-executed parry should take the foible of the attacker's
blade with the forte and/or guard of the defender's. This
provides the greatest control over the opponent's blade. In
other cases the parry can still be seen as sufficient if the
attacking blade is sufficiently deflected. In ambiguous cases,
however, the benefit of the doubt is usually given to the fencer
who used his forte/guard. For example, if a fencer attempts to
parry using his foible on his opponent's forte, it will often be
interpreted in the reverse sense (eg. counter-time parry by the
attacker), since such an engagement does not normally result in
much deflection of the attack. A foible to foible parry could
potentially be seen as a beat attack by the opposing fencer
depending on the specifics of the action.
At foil, the opponent's blade should not only be deflected away
from the target, but away from off-target areas as well. An
attack that is deflected off the valid target but onto invalid
target still retains right-of-way.
At sabre, the opponent's blade need only be deflected away from
valid target, since off-target touches do not stop the phrase.
Cuts are considered parried if their forward movement is checked
by a block with the blade or guard. Otherwise, sabre parries
must be particularly clean and clear to avoid the possibility of
whip-over touches.
At epee, a good parry is simply any one that gains enough time
for the riposte. Opposition parries and binds are commonly used,
since they do not release the opponent's blade to allow a remise.
According to Article 233 section 6 of the FIE Rules of
Competition, a point-in-line is a position "with the arm straight
and the point threatening the valid target".
Properly done, the arm should be extended as far as possible, and
form a more or less continuous line with the blade, with the
point aimed directly at the high lines of the target. Excessive
angulation at the wrist or fingers negates the point-in-line.
Superfluous movement of the point also risks negating the line,
especially in sabre. Derobements/trompements, however, are
permitted.
In foil and sabre, the point-in-line has priority over attacks
that are made without first taking the blade. With these
weapons (but not with epee) it is forbidden to assume the point-
in-line position before the command to fence has been given. In
sabre, a point-in-line that hits with the edge may be considered
to have missed, with the cut being considered a counter-attack
(assuming it even registers).
Note that although the rules do not comment on the role of the
feet in a point-in-line, there are "official interpretations"
that convert the point-in-line into an attack--or, more
importantly, a counter-attack--if it is delivered with a lunge or
fleche. This interpretation allows the line to retain priority
if it is delivered with an advance or jump, however. Some
referees reject even the latter, along with any other movements
(other than deceptions) that "improve the line". Yet another
body of opinion holds that a line that develops into an attack is
one continuous threat with no break in priority. The rulebook
has nothing to help us resolve this dispute, but it seems that
the first of these interpretations (that the line is valid except
in the case of lunge or fleche) has the most official
recognition.
Flicks are whip-like attacks that can score against very oblique
and even concealed targets. Sometimes thought of as a recent
corruption, flicks actually have a long history that stems from
coupe' (the cut-over) and epeeists efforts to throw their points
around the bell. Properly executed and judged, they are effective
and beautiful attacks; poorly executed and judged, they can be
painful and annoying.
One common criticism of the flick is that it would cause minor
injury with a real weapon. The obvious, if flippant, response to
this is not to flick when fencing with a real weapon.
Another common criticism is that flicks are difficult to
defend against. One must simply remember to parry them as if
they were cuts, not thrusts (using auxiliary parries like tierce,
quinte, and elevated sixte). The flick is also highly sensitive
to distance, and a well-timed break in the measure will cause it
to land flat.
A third criticism is that flicks are usually given the priority,
even though the attack often begins with the point aimed at the
ceiling. However, the definition of an attack (see question 1.15)
says nothing about where the point is aimed, only what it is
threatening. It is normally true that an attack that scores must
have threatened in at least its final tempo.
Sabre fencing has suffered from a related and more serious
scourge, the whip-over. In this case, the foible bends around the
opponent's blade or guard following a parry, to contact the target
and register a touch. The scoring machines attempt to reduce these
false touches by blocking hits within a certain time window following
weapon contact, but this is of limited effectiveness and also has the
unfortunate effect of blocking the occasional attack through the
blade. Referees have tried to help out by analyzing whip-over
touches as remises, but they still score over composed or delayed
ripostes. The FIE has been considering and trying various possible
fixes, including varying the timeouts and mandating stiffer sabre
blades.
Most of the following rule amendments were introduced for the
1994/95 season.
- EQUIPMENT:
-
- 800N underarm protector (plastron) is required in addition
to the regular 800N jacket.
- Clothing may be of different colours, but those on the body
must be white or light-coloured.
- Minimum width of the strip is now 1.5 metres.
- In foil, the bib was supposed to become target as of
Oct 1, 1995, but this amendment appears to have been dropped.
- ETIQUETTE:
-
- Salute of opponent, referee, and audience is mandatory at
the start and end of the bout.
- BOUT FORMAT:
-
- Coin flip to determine winner in the event of a tie shall be
made at end of regulation time, and one additional minute
shall be fenced. The winner of the coin toss shall be
recorded as the victor if the bout is not resolved by sudden
death in the extra minute.
- No more 1-minute warning, although fencers can request the
time remaining at any normal halt in the action.
- Fencers shall be placed at the en garde lines at the
commencement of each 3-minute period in 15-touch elimination
bouts.
- SCORING:
-
- In sabre, simultaneous attacks that both arrive on the valid
target do not result in any points being scored.
- In sabre, any action in which the rear leg is crossed in
front of the fore shall be penalized with a yellow card, or
a red card if a yellow has already been given. Any touch
scored by the penalized fencer resulting from the cross-over
action shall not be scored, although a properly-executed
touch from the opponent is still valid.
- In the team relay, the first pair of fencers fence to 5
points or 4 minutes, whichever comes first. The next pair
continue from this score up to 10 points within 4 minutes,
and so on up to a total score of 45 points.
PART 2 : EQUIPMENT
[Ed. Sorry, this is as far as I have got converting to HTML, the rest of it
is not so interesting anyway]
Equipment & Maintenance:
2.1 Clothing
2.1.1 FIE Homologated Clothing
2.1.2 Colours
2.2 Masks
2.2.1 Bibs
2.3 Shoes
2.3.1 Inserts
2.4 Gloves
2.5 Lame's
2.5.1 Repair
2.6 Armour
2.7 Grips
2.7.1 Traditional
2.7.2 Pistol
2.8 Blades
2.8.1 FIE & Maraging Blades
2.8.2 Tangs
2.8.3 Bends and Curvature
2.9 Guards
2.10 Points & Blade Wires
2.11 Body Wires
2.12 Glue
2.13 Scoring Apparatus
2.13.1 Wireless Systems
Troubleshooting:
2.14 Foil
2.15 Epee
2.16 Sabre
NB: equipment merchants are listed in section 3.2.
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2.1 Clothing
Fencing clothing includes the jacket, pants, plastron (underarm
protector), and socks. Some companies manufacture unitards
(combined jacket and pants). Inexpensive practice gear is
fashioned of synthetics or heavy cotton, but competition clothing
is required to pass an 800 N puncture test.
Casual and beginner fencers can rely on cotton or synthetic
jackets, but should consider using a plastron for extra
protection. Track pants or baseball knickers are also thrifty
alternatives to genuine fencing clothing, although they afford
little protection.
Most jackets are left- or right-handed. Women's jackets are not
only cut differently, but have pockets for breast protectors.
Ambidextrous (back-zip) jackets are available, but generally not
with homologated fabrics. Ambidextrous (double-sided) plastrons
are available from some manufacturers.
Knee-high sport socks (such as for soccer/football or baseball)
can be purchased from most sporting goods stores. Skin should
not show between the socks and pant legs nor the cuff and glove
of the weapon hand. The trailing hand and back of the head
should be the only areas of exposed skin on the fencer's body.
2.1.1 FIE Homologated Clothing
800N homologated clothing is fashioned from special fabrics such
as kevlar, Startex, or ballistic nylon. Some uniforms
(especially older uniforms of kevlar construction) offer partial
800N coverage in vital areas with lighter 350N fabrics used
elsewhere. Full-coverage 800N uniforms are now the norm in
homologated clothing.
The rules for FIE 'A' level competition demand homologated jacket
and pants. As of April 1, 1995, an additional 800N plastron is
required.
The CFF currently requires a minimum of 800/350N uniforms for all
elite tournaments. No plastron is required in conjunction with
FIE clothing.
800N uniforms are not required in USFA competition; a regulation
plastron is compulsory with all types of uniform, however.
(USFA clothing regulations can be found at
http://www.usfa.org/Documents/Policy/Uniform.html).
800N clothing generally provides the highest degree of quality
and protection available. It is strongly recommended for serious
competitors, and for anyone else concerned about their safety.
Although considerably more expensive than practice gear, many
fencers find it well worth the price.
Kevlar clothing should be washed with mild detergent-free soap,
and no bleach. Hang dry away from sources of ultraviolet light
(especially direct sunlight). Store in a dark place (a closet or
your fencing bag, for example).
2.1.2 Colours
Traditionally, fencing clothing is all white (for historical
reasons that probably had to do with detection of hits), but the
rules have recently been relaxed to allow "light" colours on the
body. Other colours may be permitted on the limbs. The fencer's
last name and country can appear on the back or the trailing leg
in block blue letters; this is required in international
competition. National colours can be worn on an armband on the
trailing arm. Club or association badges can be stitched to the
upper trailing arm.
2.2 Masks
Although most manufacturers advertise 2- and 3-weapon masks,
there are different requirements for each. Foil masks should be
well-insulated to prevent touches to the head from conducting to
the lame' and registering as a touch. Electric sabre masks must
be conductive, on the other hand, to allow head touches. Epee
masks should have bibs that cover the collar bones, while foil
masks should not descend below the collar bones.
Masks usually come in 3 or 5 sizes, depending on the
manufacturer. When sizes are numbered, 5 is usually the largest.
Sizes are often indicated by the position of a metal tag or rivet
on the rear portion of the mesh.
Clear plastic masks are available (eg. from Zivkovic), with a
small lexan panel in front of the eyes, and normal wire or
other material elsewhere. The lexan is supposed to be
shatterproof, and can be replaced when scratched.
Masks must pass a 12 kg punch test to be certified for
competition. Consider subjecting a used mask to such a test
before using/purchasing it. Older masks can have smaller bibs
and weaker mesh (rated to 7 kg), making them less safe. When
punch testing a mask, depress the punch perpendicular to the mesh
without wiggling it. Do not apply more than the required amount
of pressure. Pay particular attention to parts of the mesh that
have already been dented or bent, including the center crease
line. Unnatural dents in the mesh can and should be pushed or
hammered out.
2.2.1 Bibs
The best masks have FIE homologated bibs to protect the throat,
and are required in high-level competition. 1600N bibs are
standard in FIE competition for the 1995/96 season. The CFF
requires 800N bibs as a minimum in elite competition, while the
USFA has no FIE bib requirement.
Although it was recently announced that the bib would become part
of the foil target in the 1995-96 season, these plans appear to
have been dropped, due to technical problems in the implementation.
2.3 Shoes
Fencing shoes are ideal, but often expensive. They
characteristically have leather "skid pads" on the inside front
of the shoe, and a sole that wraps back over the heel. Adidas
makes low- and high-top models that are known for their quality,
but can be quite expensive and hard to find in North America.
Other brands include (but are not limited to) PBT (Hungarian),
Estoc (French), Sport-Escrime (French), Dowin (Chinese), and
Starfighter (?).
Lightweight indoor court shoes (such as for squash, badminton,
racquetball, or volleyball) make excellent low-cost alternatives.
Asics, Hi-Tec, Reebok, Etonic, and Adidas have all been
recommended by rec.sport.fencing readers for manufacturing models
that are useful for fencing.
Some fencers claim that wrestling shoes can be adapted for
fencing, although they may not offer much support. Many outdoor
athletic shoes and running shoes are too bulky or heavy for
fencing, or provide poor lateral stability.
2.3.1 Inserts
Hard heel cups are widely used to absorb the impact of lunges.
They are integrated into some models of fencing shoe, but can be
purchased separately from specialty athletic and orthopedics
stores for other shoes. Softer rubber (eg. Sorbothane) inserts
are also commonly used to provide extra cushioning or prevent
chronic injuries from flaring.
2.4 Gloves
Gloves should have leather or equivalent construction in the
fingers and palm, have a long cuff to cover the sleeve opening,
and have an opening for the bodywire. They should not fit too
snugly, or they will be more susceptable to tearing. Varying
degrees of padding are available in the back of the hand and
fingers, which can be useful for epee and sabre fencers.
Gloves can deteriorate rapidly under heavy use, often lasting a
single season or less. Some gloves are washable; saddle soap or
other leather treatment can extend the lives of other gloves
somewhat.
Economical alternatives to genuine fencing gloves include
precision welding gloves, motorcycle gloves, and even common
workman's gloves available at any hardware store, provided the
fingers and palm are unpadded and supple enough to maintain the
feel of the blade. It may be prudent to hand-stitch a longer
gauntlet onto the cuff, if the normal one doesn't cover the
sleeve opening (the cuff should run halfway up the forearm).
In all these cases, a small wire opening may have to be cut into
the wrist.
2.5 Lame's
The higher quality lame's are made of stainless steel, which is
much more corrosion resistant than copper. Your lame' should
come to your hip bones, and be form-fitting but not too tight.
Most lame's come in right and left-handed versions, but
ambidextrous (back-zip) versions are also available and sometimes
have higher hips.
Careful rinsing of your lame' in lukewarm water following a
tournament or rigourous practice will wash out most of the sweat
and salts that will damage your lame'. Old sweat turns alkaline
and can be quite damaging to the lame' fabric. The salt crystals
left behind from dried sweat can also be abrasive and conducive
to corrosion.
Occasional handwashing in lukewarm water with a mild detergent
(eg. Woolite or dishsoap) and a small amount of ammonia is an
excellent way of cleaning your lame' and prolonging its life.
Some fencers recommend neutralizing the alkaline deposits in the
lame' with lemon juice added to the bath.
Rinse your lame' after washing and hang dry on a wooden or
plastic hanger. Avoid folding, crumpling, wringing, or abrading
it. All of these will fatigue the metallic threads in the
fabric.
Similar care should be taken with sabre cuffs and mask bibs.
2.5.1 Repair
Lame's can go dead for several reasons, including high electric
resistance due to oxidation and corrosion (usually accompanied by
visible discolouration), broken metal fibres, or tears in the
fabric.
High-resistance areas that are due to oxidation can often be
temporarily resucitated by moistening them with water. As the
moisture soaks up salts and other deposits in the fabric,
conductivity will increase enough for the lame' to pass the
armourer's check. Sweat from vigourous fencing will have the
same effect. Some models that do not rely on conductive fibres
(eg. from Triplette) will lose conductivity when dirty, and
require regular washing.
Small dead spots can be "field-repaired" with a paper stapler or
metallic paint.
Larger dead areas and tears in the fabric can only be reliably
repaired by stitching new lame' fabric over the affected areas.
If no patch material is available, the fabric from one dead lame'
can be cut up and used to repair another (the material from the
back is generally in better shape). Note that large areas can go
dead due to broken fibres in a relatively small patch. Patching
only the region of broken fibres can re-activate the entire dead
area. Patches should be folded over at the edges, and the stitch
should overlap the edge to prevent flaps that will catch points.
2.6 Armour
Padded jackets, plastrons, and gloves are available to take the
sting out of hard hits. Most coaches will use special
heavily-padded jackets or sleeves when giving lessons, but these
are not intended for competitive use.
Some masks have extra coverage at the back of the head to protect
against whip-overs. Elbow protectors are also commonly worn by
sabreurs.
Athletic cups are important for men, and breast protectors are
essential for women. The latter can take the form of individual
bowls to cover each breast, or more complete full-chest
protectors that cover the ribs up to the collarbone. Female
groin protectors are also available from some martial arts
suppliers.
Neck gorgets for additional throat protection can be found from
some hockey equipment suppliers.
2.7 Grips
For foil and epee, there are a wide variety of grips
available that fall into two broad categories, traditional and
pistol. Sabre grips are all fundamentally of the same design.
Most grips are fashioned of aluminum or plastic; the latter,
while lighter, are also much more fragile and prone to cracking.
Some metal grips are insulated with a layer of enamel (colour
coded by size) or rubber paint. Such insulation will turn an
epee grip into valid target, but it is important for foils to
prevent grounding. Many traditional grips are surfaced with
leather, rubber, or twine.
2.7.1 Traditional
These are the French, Italian, and Spanish grips. All consist of
a relatively simple handle, a large, exposed pommel, and in the
case of the Italian and Spanish grips, crossbars or similar
prongs for extra grip.
The French grip is the simplest of all fencing grips in
construction, and the most economical. It emphasizes finger
control over strength, and provides considerable flexibility, and
a variety of possible hand positions. It is the most common grip
used by novices, and remains popular (especially in epee) among
advanced fencers.
The Italian grip is noted for its strength, but is fairly rare,
partially because it requires a special tang on blades that are
used with it. It is the only ambidextrous fencing grip. Italian
grips are often used with a martingale (wrist strap), and
contrary to rumour, they remain legal in modern competition.
The Spanish grip is a compromise between the French and Italian
grips, but is illegal in modern fencing competition, due to a
technicality that forbids grips with orthopaedic aids from being
grasped in more than one manner. There are modern variants of
the Spanish grip that do not use the French pommel, and these may
be legal in competition if they fix a single hand position.
2.7.2 Pistol
These are modern, orthopedic grips, shaped vaguely like a pistol,
but still grasped in the traditional way. They provide a
pronounced strength advantage over the traditional grips, but
tend to encourage wrist movement over finger movement. Pistol
grips all have the features of a large protuberance below the
tang for the aids to grasp, a curved prong above the tang that
fits in the crook of the thumb, and a large prong that extends
along the inside of the wrist. There are many variations in
shape, size, sculpting for the fingers, extra prongs, and so on,
although certain designs enjoy wide popularity. Most pistol grip
designs have names (eg. Visconti, Belgian, German, etc.) but
these are not always consistent between manufacturers or regions.
2.8 Blades
There are a large number of variables to consider when shopping
for blades, including stiffness, length, durability, flex point,
weight, balance, corrosion resistance, and (of course) price.
Stiff blades provide better point control, but less
"flickability". A flex point less than 1/3 of the length from
the tip indicates a strong middle, but may also indicate a whippy
or less durable foible. A lower flex point may make the blade
feel spongy, slow, or tip-heavy, but may also indicate a stronger
foible that is more durable and less easily dominated. Some
brands of blades (eg. Allstar) are sold in different flexibility
grades. Blades that feel heavy in the tip often provide better
point control, while those that are light in the tip often make
for faster parries.
Blades generally come in 5 sizes, 5 being the longest (90 cm for
foil and epee, not including tang) and by far the most common.
Shorter blades are somewhat lighter and quicker of action, and
can be useful for children, fencers who prefer the lighter
balance, or those who often provoke infighting in which a long
blade can be disadvantageous.
Cheap blades (including some Eastern European and Chinese brands)
are typically not very durable or of poor temper, being inclined
to snap, bend, and rust easily. Fencers who are gentle with
their blades and clean, sand, or oil them regularly may
nevertheless find them to be a good value.
Blades typically break at the flex point in the foible. Less
commonly the tips will break off, or the tang will snap at the
base of the blade (this latter failure mode is fairly common in
sabre). Other serious modes of failure include sharp bends in
the middle of the blade and S-bends in the foible, both of which
are difficult to remove and will rapidly lead to fatiguing and
eventual breaking of the blade.
2.8.1 FIE & Maraging Blades
FIE-certified blades have the FIE logo stamped at the base of
the blade, along with the code letters for the forge that
produced the blade (be warned: some disreputable forges have
been known to falsify these marks). They are mandatory at
official FIE and other high-level competitions.
Maraging steel foil blades have a reputation for lasting
considerably longer than regular steel blades, and are supposed
to break more cleanly. They are made of a special alloy steel
(incorporating iron, nickel, and titanium) that is only 5% as
likely to develop the microcracks that lead to eventual breakage.
Many fencers find them a superior value, in spite of their high
price. As they vary in character in the same way as regular
blades, similar caution should be exercised when purchasing
them.
Maraging epee blades are also available, although there are
alternative steels that have also received FIE certification.
Leon Paul produces a non-maraging FIE epee blade worth
mentioning; it is stamped from a sheet of steel, rather than
forged whole. These blades are lightweight and flexible; some
older ones passed the wire through a hole to the underside of the
blade.
Maraging sabre blades do not seem to be so well received, and are
not required for FIE competition.
2.8.2 Tangs
The length and thread of the tang may be an issue; some blades
are threaded for French or pistol grips only, and some blades
with French grip tangs require an extra fitting for the thread.
Italian grips may require a special tang, since part of it is
exposed in the hilt. Metric 6x1 threading is standard, but not
universal (esp. in the USA, where a 12x24 thread may be
encountered); dies to re-thread the tang can be found at most
hardware stores. If the tang must be cut to fit the grip, be
very careful to leave enough thread to screw on the pommel nut.
Tangs often have to be filed down to fit in tight grips.
Tangs are attached by an exterior pommel on traditional grips, or
by a pommel nut in pistol grips. Pommel nuts are typically
fitted for a 6mm Allen wrench or hex key, 8mm socket wrench, or a
standard screwdriver.
2.8.3 Bends and Curvature
Many foil and epee fencers prefer a bend at the join of the tang
and blade, so that the blade points slightly inside when held in
sixte. Such a bend is best applied with a strong vise to avoid
bowing the tang. Some fencers prefer to put this bend into the
forte of the blade instead. Be gentle; blades will snap if
handled with too much force.
A gentle curve in the middle and foible of the blade is also common,
and helps to square the point against oblique surfaces. Such a bend
must be smooth and gradual. Sharp kinks are prohibited. Foible
bends are best worked into the blade using the sole of one's shoe
and the floor.
For foil and epee, the total curvature of the blade is measured
at the widest separation between the blade and an imaginary line
drawn between the the join of the forte and tang and the join of
the foible and barrel. The blade can be laid across a flat
surface such as a table top to measure the arch. Epees must not
rise more than 1 cm above the surface, while foils are allowed 2
cm. If the objective is to angle the point to hit oblique
surfaces better, this is a significant amount of curvature. If
the objective is to "hook" the blade around blocking parries or
body parts, however, these limits are fairly restrictive.
Remember that the wire groove on epee and foil blades goes on the
top (thumb side) of the blade, and the outside of the blade
curvature.
Sabre curvature is handled differently, it being the deflection
of the point from the line of the forte. 4 cm is all that is
tolerated.
2.9 Guards
Foil guards vary mostly in diameter, being between 9.5 and 12 cm
across. The largest guards (eg. Negrini) may fail the weapon
guage check if they are dented or misshapen.
Epee guards are almost always the maximum diameter (13.5 cm) for
best protection, although they can vary considerably in shape,
depth (3 - 5.5 cm), weight, and eccentricity (up to 3.5 cm off of
center).
"Mini epee" guards are available from some vendors, but they are
recommended only for children or possibly Pentathletes.
Sabre guards come in left- and right-handed versions (the outside
of the guard being larger). Competition guards include attachments
for the capteur sensor. Sabre fencers may wish to insulate the
outer edges of their guards to prevent it from shorting to their
cuff.
2.10 Points & Blade Wires
Many fencers have experienced trouble mixing their points,
barrels, and wires. They are best used in matched sets.
Points are regularly tested in competition. Both foil and epee
points must pass a weight test, by lifting a mass (500g for foil;
750g for epee) after the point is depressed. (Technically, epees
only have to lift the mass 0.5 mm, whereas foils must lift it to
the top of the point travel.) In addition, epees must pass two
shim tests, the first to make sure that there is at least 1.5 mm
of travel in the tip, and the second to make sure that the point
doesn't light until the last 0.5 mm.
If the weight test fails, the main spring can be replaced or made
heavier by lightly stretching it. If the fencer thinks his point
is too heavy, the spring can be replaced, compressed, or softened
by heating one end in a flame.
If the epee 0.5 mm shim test fails, the secondary contact spring
is too long. It should be adjusted or compressed. If the 1.5 mm
shim test fails, your point may be improperly set up, or may be
mismatched with the barrel.
Most points are held together by a pair of screws on the side of
the barrel, and adjusting the springs requires disassembly. Some
(Italian and Russian?) epee points are screwless and are adjusted
using a small wrench.
FIE epee points use a solid contact in place of the secondary
spring. Lighting distance can be increased by carefully filing
the contact.
Epee points work by closing the circuit between the two blade
wires when they are depressed. Dirty or faulty points will
normally cause the weapon to fail to register touches. Foil
points work in the opposite manner, by opening a closed circuit
between the blade wire and blade. Dirty or faulty points will
usually cause the weapon to produce spurious off-target lights.
See Troubleshooting (sections 2.13, 2.14), below.
Blade wires are typically insulated with cotton to facilitate
gluing and cleaning. Nevertheless, inexpensive wires can be made
at home using plastic-coated wire-wrap wire from an electronics
store. Use the cup from an old wire, and attach the new wire by
heating the solder connection with a soldering iron.
Blade tips are threaded metric 3.5 x 0.60 for foils and 4.0 x
0.70 for epees. Rethreading with a die is difficult, but
possible with adequate preparation. Pre-filing the tip into a
long, blunt cone (5.5 mm long with the top 1.5 mm narrower than
the inside diameter of the die) will assist in guiding the die
through the initial turns; the extra metal left behind can later
be removed with a file. The leading edge of the wire groove
should be rounded and the groove filled with epoxy putty or
similar hard compound to prevent the die from jamming on the
groove edge. The putty must be removed afterwards, of course.
No more than 4 mm of threading is needed to affix the barrel.
2.11 Body Wires
The primary question with foil and sabre body wires is bayonet
(eg. Paul brand) vs. two-prong (eg. Uhlmann brand). They are
equally functional; the primary difference is in cost and
maintenance. Two-prong is a simpler design, and usually less
expensive, but also has a reputation for being less reliable
(depending on the brand). Naturally choice of body wire also
determines the choice of weapon socket (or vice versa). One of
the primary considerations in deciding which to go with
should be the prevalent in your club or region. Going
with the local favourite will make it easier to borrow weapons or
wires when yours fail.
Epee body wires are all of the same basic 3-prong design. Some
(French) designs have metal sheaths on the prongs that can
accumulate grime underneath them over the years. If not cleaned,
the dirt can break the circuit at inopportune times.
2.12 Glue
Recycled blades must be cleaned before they are re-wired.
Solvents such as acetone can help, but 10 minutes with a utility
knife (foil) or wire brush (epee) to remove all traces of glue
residue from the wire groove also works. New blades sometimes
require a small amount of cleaning as well, to remove grease and
grit from the machining process.
Popular wiring glues include Duco cement, 5-minute epoxy, and
cyanoacrylate glues (eg. super-glue). Some fencers have reported
success using rubber cement and silicone. Cleaning and gluing
techniques will vary depending on your choice. Thin,
quick-drying glues such as cyanoacrylates are best put down over
top of the wire as the wire is held in the groove. If you use a
thicker glue such as epoxy, you can carefully prepare one surface
first. For foil wires, coat the wire in glue, and then gently
pull it tight and lay it into the groove. For epees you can
alternatively lay a bed of glue down before setting the wire in
the groove, then make a second run of glue over the wire to seal
it in place. Top glue the blade, and let it dry while the blade
is held in a flexed position with the point in the air.
An acetone bath for cleaning blades can be constructed from a
length of copper tubing, sealed at one end. Fill with acetone,
drop in your blades, and let soak overnight.
A blade-bowing tool for holding blades flexed while the glue
dries can be constructed from a length of cord or chain attached
to some small cups (film cannisters work well). Place the cups
over either end of the blade, and the tension of the cord will
hold the blade bent for as long as you need it. Alternatively,
stand the blade up with the point bent under the rim of a counter
or table.
2.13 Scoring Apparatus
The scoring apparatus consists of the reels, floor wires, and
indicator box, and optionally a timer and scoring tower(s). In
sabre, the capteur sensors can also be considered part of the
scoring apparatus, since they are provided by the tournament
organizers.
Modern foil scoring boxes should display only a coloured light or
a white light for each fencer. Older boxes (or ones with older
firmware) may display both if an off-target touch is immediately
followed by an on-target touch.
It is possible to defeat the foil scoring circuit by grounding
your own weapon to your lame' (your opponent's touches will fail
to register, but yours will register). This is illegal, and
scoring boxes must be equipped with a grounding light to detect
when fencers do this. Some newer boxes have an anti-fraud
feature to eliminate this hazard and allow touches to be scored
in spite of grounding. Boxes without such an anti-fraud circuit
are useful for detecting dead spots on lame's (ground the lame',
and then poke the opponent in various locations; white lights
indicate a dead spot).
Many sabre scoring boxes come with a variety of special options
or programs for variations on the standard rules; for example,
fencing without sensors, or with modified whipover timeouts.
Reels are typically portable, spring-wound devices (either
"turtles" or "snails"), although some salles have permanent
overhead installations involving pulleys and bungee cords. The
overhead variety is normally more reliable, since it has fewer
mechanics and no electrical brushes.
2.13.1 Wireless Systems
Wireless scoring systems are currently prohibited, largely due to
the difficulties in distinguishing between real and forged
signals. Various modern electronics technologies hold the
promise of circumventing these problems, and some wireless
designs are currently in development. The FIE is expected to
rule on the use of these wireless scoring systems in the near
future.
Simple "buzzboxes", compact battery-powered devices that signal
touches with a light or buzzer, are available from various
sources, but have very limited functionality. As a rule, they
cannot distinguish between targets (on/off, bell hits, etc.), or
distinguish the timing of hits, and do not work with sabre at
all..
2.14 Foil Troubleshooting
Weapon fails weight test.
1) The spring is too soft. Get a new spring or stretch the old
one.
2) Friction between the barrel and point is overwhelming the
spring. Clean the inside of the barrel, or replace the entire
tip if the barrel or point is bent/warped.
Hitting the strip produces a light.
1) The strip is not grounded, or is dirty/corroded.
2) The exterior of the foil point is dirty/corroded.
Valid touch produces a white light.
1) Opponent's lame' is not connected.
2) Opponent's body wire is broken. Diagnose by testing at the
lame' clip and at the reel wire connection.
3) Opponent's lame' has a dead spot. With some boxes, dead spots
can be diagnosed by grounding the fencer's weapon to his
suspect lame', and then probing the lame' with the other
fencer's weapon. This does not work with boxes that have an
anti-fraud feature.
4) Your foil body wire polarity is reversed. Disassemble and
reverse the connections.
5) The exterior of your foil point is dirty/corroded.
6) Foil circuit is breaking just before the touch (see below).
Foil produces white lights when the tip is not depressed.
1) The tip is jammed shut. Spin the point or slap on the floor to
free it.
2) Grit in the tip is breaking the circuit. Spin the point or
slap on the floor to dislodge the grit.
3) The barrel is loose. Tighten carefully with pliers.
4) The foil wire is broken. If the lights are intermittent, try
flexing the blade to trigger the white lights; success means
the blade wire is probably broken. If the lights are
triggered by shaking the blade, the point or clip may be to
blame.
5) The circuit is breaking at the clip. Check that the body cord
is held securely by the clip.
6) The body wire is broken. Diagnose by shorting the two
connections on the weapon end of the body wire. If the lights
continue, the body wire or reel is at fault. Short the two
close prongs at the other end of the body wire; if the lights
stop, the body wire is to blame. If not see (7).
7) The scoring apparatus is broken. The connections, reel wire,
reel contacts, floor wire, or scoring box may be at fault.
Short the same wires as in (6) at the various points of
connection to successively eliminate each.
8) The guard is loose. Tighten the pommel or pommel nut.
Foil produces coloured lights when the tip is not depressed but
is in contact with the opponent's lame'.
1) The circuit is broken; see previous problem.
2) The circuit is breaking when the blade flexes as it contacts
the lame' or when the point is jarred. Could be caused by
grit in the tip, a broken wire whose ends normally remain in
contact, or a separated wire and cup.
There is no light when a touch is made.
1) You are not hitting properly.
2) Friction between the barrel and point is preventing the
point from depressing. Slap on the floor to loosen it;
otherwise clean or replace the tip.
3) Spring is too heavy. Compress it or heat one end with a
match.
4) Opponent is grounding his weapon to his lame'. Tell him to
stop; it's illegal.
5) You are grounding your own foil to your opponent's lame'.
Improve the insulation on your foible (15 cm is required).
6) The foil wire is shorting to the weapon. Check the integrity
of the insulation along the wire and beneath the cushion.
Also make sure no wire ends at the clip are touching the rest
of the weapon.
7) The scoring box is on the wrong weapon setting.
8) There is a short in your body wire. If there are no lights
when the weapon is unplugged, but there are lights when the
body wire is unplugged from the reel, the body wire is at
fault.
9) There is a short in the scoring apparatus. If there are no
lights when the fencer unplugs from the reel, this is the
problem. It can be isolated by successively unplugging
connections to the box.
Wrong lights go off when a touch is made.
1) The scoring box is on the wrong weapon setting.
2.15 Epee Troubleshooting
Weapon fails weight test.
1) The main spring is too soft. Get a new spring or stretch the
old one.
2) Friction between the barrel and point is overwhelming the
spring. Clean the inside of the barrel, or replace the entire
tip if the barrel or point is bent/warped.
Weapon fails shim tests.
1) The contact spring is too long. Adjust or compress it.
2) Point and barrel are mismatched. Replace.
Hitting the strip produces a light.
1) The strip is not grounded, or is dirty/corroded.
2) The tip is dirty/corroded.
A touch to the guard produces a light.
1) The guard is dirty/corroded.
2) The exterior of the tip is dirty/corroded.
3) The body wire (in particular the ground) is faulty (test
against the ground pin of the body cord; if the lights
continue, the body wire or reel is at fault).
4) The contact between the clip and weapon is faulty or corroded.
5) The guard is loose.
6) The ground pin socket is loose in the weapon clip.
Epee produces lights when the tip is not depressed.
1) The tip is jammed shut. Slap on the floor to free it.
2) Grit in the tip is shorting the circuit. Slap on the floor to
dislodge the grit, or disassemble and clean the point.
3) The blade wires are shorting to each other. Check the
insulation, especially inside the guard.
4) The scoring box is on the wrong weapon setting.
There is no light when a touch is made.
1) You are not hitting properly.
2) Friction between the barrel and point is preventing the point
from depressing. Slap on the floor to loosen it; otherwise
clean or replace the tip.
3) Main spring is too heavy. Compress it or heat one end with a
match.
4) Contact spring is too short. Adjust or stretch it.
5) The barrel is loose.
6) Point contacts are dirty/corroded.
7) The epee wire is broken. Re-wire the blade.
8) The epee wire is shorting to the weapon.
9) Something has come unplugged between you and the box.
10) The wires are improperly fastened to the weapon clip.
11) The body wire is broken.
12) The reel or floor wire is broken.
13) The scoring box is on the wrong weapon setting.
2.16 Sabre Troubleshooting
Box displays white lights.
1) The sensor is malfunctioning or jammed.
2) The wire in the sabre is broken, or not fastened securely.
3) The mounting bracket for the sensor is loose.
4) The body wire is loose in the socket.
5) The body wire is broken. Switch to foil setting, and diagnose
as for foil.
6) The scoring apparatus is broken. Switch to foil setting and
diagnose as for foil.
There is no light when a touch is made.
1) You are not hitting hard enough.
2) The opponent's lame' has dead spots.
3) The opponent's lame' or mask is not connected.
4) The sensor is malfunctioning.
5) The clip is not properly wired to the weapon.
6) The opponent's body wire is broken.
7) There is a break in the scoring apparatus on the opponent's
side. This may be in the reel, floor cable, or scoring box.
8) There is a short in the body wire. Switch to foil setting and
diagnose as for foil.
9) There is a short in the scoring apparatus. Switch to foil
setting and diagnose as for foil.
Box indicates a touch following weapon contact or a parry.
1) You aren't parrying well enough.
2) The weapon is shorting to the lame'. Insulate the edges of
the guard and the pommel, or hold the weapon in such a way as
to prevent the contact.
Wrong lights go off when a touch is made.
1) The scoring box is on the wrong weapon setting.