What is Fencing?

Foil:

Descended from the 18th century small sword, the foil has a thin, flexible blade with a square cross-section and a small bell guard. Touches are scored with the point on the torso of the opponent, including the groin and back. Foil technique emphasizes strong defense and the killing attack to the body.

Epee:

Similar to the duelling swords of the mid-19th century, epees have stiff blades with a triangular cross section, and large bell guards. Touches are scored with the point, anywhere on the opponent's body. Unlike foil and sabre, there no rules of right-of-way to decide which attacks have precedence, and double hits are possible. Epee technique emphasises timing, point control, and a good counter-attack.

Sabre:

Descended from duelling sabres of the late 19th century, which were in turn descended from naval and cavalry swords, sabres have a light, flat blade and a knuckle guard. Touches can be scored with either the point or the edge of the blade, anywhere above the opponent's waist. Sabre technique emphasises speed, feints, and strong offense.

Other martial arts that include elements of swordsmanship are:

Aikido

self defence against armed and unarmed attackers. Includes using and defending oneself against Japanese sword techniques.

Arnis, Escrima, Kali

Phillipino stick and knife disciplines.

Iaido

The Japanese art of the sword draw (also Iaijutsu and batto-jutsu, more combat-oriented variants of the same).

Jogo do Pau

A Portuguese stick-fighting discipline.

Jojutsu

A Japanese stick-fighting discipline.

Kalaripayitt

Includes sword and weapons techniques from south India.

Kenjutsu

The unadulterated Japanese martial art of the sword.

Krabi Krabong

A Thai martial art that includes many sword forms.

Kumdo

A Korean variant of Kendo.

Kung-fu

A Chinese martial art that includes many sword techniques.

La Canne

French Boxing, with a single-handed stick, using rules similar to classical fencing.

Le Baton

Similar to La Canne, but with a longer, 2-handed stick.

Maculele

Afro-Brazilian machete forms, related to Capoeira.

Mensur

German fraternity "duelling", with schlagers.

Modern Pentathlon

The "soldier's medley", a sport that recreates demands placed on a pre-20th century military messenger: running swimming, shooting, equestrian jumping, and epee fencing.

Pentjak Silat

Indonesian arts that include sword and stick forms.

Single Stick

An ancestor of sabre fencing, fought with a basket-hilted wooden rod.

SCA duello

rapier-like fencing in the round, with off-hand techniques. Additional info on the SCA can be found in the newsgroup rec.org.sca.

SCA heavy lists

medieval-style heavy combat, with rattan weapons, armour, and shields. Additional info on the SCA can be found in the newsgroup rec.org.sca.

Shinkendo real-sword-oriented variant of Kendo.

Tai Chi

another Chinese martial art that includes many sword techniques.

Although rapier combat had a nominal military role (for thrusting into the chinks of heavy armour), it was most popular amongst civilians who used it for self-defence and duelling. Rapiers were edged, but the primary means of attack was the thrust. Rapier fencing spread from Italy to Spain and northwest Europe, in spite of the objections of masters such as George Silver who preferred traditional cutting weapons such the English long sword.

The Spanish school, under masters such as Narvaez and Thibault, became a complicated and mystical affair whose geometrical theories required much practice to master. Italian masters like Agrippa and Capo Ferro developed a more pragmatic school in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, introducing innovations such as linear fencing and the lunge.

By the 18th century, the rapier had evolved to a simpler, shorter, and lighter design that was popularized in France as the small sword, or court sword. Although the small sword often had an edge, it was only to discourage the opponent from grabbing the blade, and the weapon was used exclusively for thrusting. The light weight made a more complex and defensive style possible, and the French masters developed a school based on subtlety of movement, double-time parries, and complex attacks. When buttoned with a leather safety tip that resembled a flower, the small sword was known as le fleuret, and was identical in use to the modern foil (still known as le fleuret in French). Indeed, the French small sword school forms the basis of most of modern fencing theory.

By the mid-19th century, duelling was in decline as a means of settling disputes, partially because victory could lead to a jail term for assault or manslaughter. Emphasis shifted to defeating the opponent without necessarily killing him, and less fatal duelling forms evolved using the duelling sword, or epee de terrain,

an unedged variant of the small sword. Later duels often ended with crippling thrusts to the arm or leg, and fewer legal difficulties for the participants. This is the basis of modern epee fencing.

Cutting swords had been used in bloodsports such as backsword prizefights at least as far back as the 17th century. Broadswords, sabres, and cutlasses were used extensively in military circles, especially by cavalry and naval personell, and saw some duelling application in these circles as well. Training was performed with wooden weapons, and stick fighting remained popular until Italian masters formalized sabre fencing into a non-fatal sporting/training form with metal weapons in the late 19th century. Early sport sabres were significantly heavier than the modern sport sabre and necessitated a strong style with the use of moulinets and other bold movements. As with thrusting swords, the sabre evolved to lighter, less fatal duelling forms such as the Italian sciabola di terro and the German schlager. Hungarian masters developed a new school of sabre fencing that emphasized finger control over arm strength, and they dominated sabre fencing for most of the 20th century.

Duelling faded away altogether in the early 20th century. A couple of noteworthy duels were fought over disputes that arose during Olympic games in the 1920s. According to E.F. Morton (A-Z of Fencing) the last widely publicized formal duel occurred in France in 1954, ending with a scratch to the arm. German fraternity duelling (mensur) persisted longer, and may still occur with some frequency.

The first modern Olympic games featured foil and sabre fencing for men only. Epee was introduced in 1900. Single stick was featured in the 1904 games. Epee was electrified in the 1936 games, foil in 1956, and sabre in 1988. Early Olympic games featured events for Masters, and until recently fencing was the only Olympic sport that has included professionals. Disruptions in prevailing styles have accompanied the introduction of electric judging, most recently transforming sabre fencing. Foil fencing experienced similar upheavals for a decade or two following the introduction of electric judging, which were further complicated by the new, aggressive, athletic style coming out of eastern Europe at the time.

Women's foil was first contested in the 1924 Olympic games, and Women's epee was only contested for the first time in 1996, although it has been part of the World Championships since 1989. Women's sabre has a small amount of grassroots support, but has not made much impact yet on the national and international scenes.

For some, "real" fencing is a duel with sharp swords and lives on the line. Other than the fear/courage factor, the primary technical difference here is that with live blades you only need to hit your opponent once, and therefore only require one good move (which explains the prevalence of "secret thrusts" in the bad old days). The sport fencer, by comparison, has to hit his opponent as many as 15 times (even more if the officiating is poor!), and so requires considerably more depth than the duellist. On the other hand, the sport fencer takes many more defensive risks, since he has up to 15 lives to work with.

Some purists will equate "real" fencing with classical fencing, ie. the prevalent styles of the traditional French and Italian schools of fencing that predominated before electric fencing was popularized. By comparison, modern fencing is more mobile and athletic, while classical fencers were known for their more sophisticated phrasing and bladework.

A few fans of heavy metal think real fencing is only done with big, strong swords, and that light duelling-style weapons are toys. Historically, however, lighter thrusting swords evolved because they were considerably more deadly than heavy cutting weapons. Many masters of the 17th century disliked the new schools of fencing precisely because they were too murderous. However, the light duelling sabres that arose near the end of the 19th Century did lack offensive punch on the cut compared with their more military antecedents. Military sabre fencing required more arm strength, and the use of moulinets.

Lastly, it just seems apparent to some that sport fencing has evolved away from its bloody origins. Technically, this is untrue, at least for the thrusting weapons; the theory, methods, and techniques of fencing have not seen significant innovation since at least the last century. The modern fencer remains well-equipped, skill-wise, to fight a duel. Tactically and psychologically, however, the sport is a vastly different world from the duel. Obviously there is no real danger to getting hit, and with up to 15 hits needed to secure victory, there often isn't even much figurative danger. In addition, since the quality of a hit (eg. fatal vs. serious wound vs. minor scratch) is immaterial, fencers will naturally prefer an easy "wounding" hit over a difficult "fatal" one, and glancing hits will often win out over strong thrusts.

If the question means "what kind of fencing is the most fun?" then the answer is: it depends what aspects of fencing you enjoy the most. If you are fascinated by technique, bladework, and tactics, you will probably get a lot of satisfaction from foil fencing. More visceral fencers who want to experience the adrenaline rush of a fast, agressive sword fight will want to try some sabre. Most epee fencers consider themselves practical, no-nonsense sword fighters who rely on as few artificial rules as possible. Enthusiasts of more medieval combat styles, involving armour and heavy weapons, should consider joining the SCA or a kendo dojo.

On the other hand, if the question means "which weapon is the most deadly?" the answer will depend on a lot of factors, not the least of which are the skill of the combatants, the presence of armour, the military and cultural context, and the rules of the fight (ie. is this a street fight, a gentlemen's duel, or open field warfare?). Most swords are highly optimized for performance in a specific environment, and will not perform well outside it. Comparing two swords from completely different historical contexts is therefore extremely difficult, if not downright silly.

Then again, perhaps the question means "which style of fencing is the most realistic?" It must be said that questions of realism have little relevance to an activity that has almost no practical application in the modern world other than sport and fitness. Historically, however, epees have the closest resemblance (among FIE weapons) to real duelling swords, and the rules closely parallel those of actual duels (sometimes being fought to only a single point). Other martial arts with a high realism factor include kenjutsu and some aspects of SCA fighting.

According to Gilbert Felli, Sports Director of the International Olympic Committee, the IOC plans to refine future games in various ways, including:

• limiting the number of athletes to 15000
• increasing participation by women
• eliminating "so-called artificial team events"
• limiting sports of a similar type
• modernizing the Olympic program
• encouraging sports that provide a good television spectacle

The primary source of injury in fencing is from pulled muscles and joints. Proper warm-up and stretching before fencing will minimize these occurences.

There is a risk of being injured by broken weapons. The shards of a snapped blade can be very sharp and cause serious injury, especially if the fencer doesn't immediately realize his blade is broken, and continues fencing. Always wear proper protective gear to reduce this risk. FIE homologated jackets, britches, and masks are ideal, as they are made with puncture-resistant fabrics such as kevlar. If you cannot afford such extravagances, use a plastron (half-jacket worn beneath the regular fencing jacket), and avoid old and rusty masks. Always wear a glove that covers the cuff, to prevent blades from running up the sleeve.

Fencing is often said to be safer than golf. Whether or not this is true, it is an extraordinarily safe sport considering its heritage and nature.

Sabre can sometimes be an effective starter weapon, for a few reasons. Like foil, it has rules of right-of-way to emphasize proper defense, and its de-emphasis of point attacks can be a relief to a beginner who doesn't yet have much point control. Also, in some areas it may still be possible to compete in dry sabre competitions, meaning that it can be the cheapest of all weapons to compete in (although electric sabre is definitely the most expensive weapon). However, sabre differs from foil and epee in a few key respects that can reduce its effectiveness as a starter weapon if the fencer plans to try the others in the future. Among these differences are the aforementioned de-emphasis of point attacks, and a different sense of timing and distance.

Epee is sometimes used as a starter weapon for two reasons. First, the rules are simple and easy to grasp, and second, the equipment costs are lower, since no lame' is required. However, the apparent simplicity of the sport can obscure its subtleties to the beginner, and make progress difficult later on. Furthermore, the lack of right-of-way in epee can make transitions to the other two weapons difficult, if put off for too long.

A dedicated novice who practices twice per week will be ready to try low-level competition in 3-6 months. Competition at this point should be viewed as a learning aid, not as a dedicated effort to win.

Serious attempts at competing will be possible after 2-3 years, when the basic skills have been sufficiently mastered that the mind is free to consider strategy.

A moderate level of skill (eg. C classification) can take 3-5 years of regular practice and competition.

Penetration of the elite ranks (eg. world cup, A classification) demands three to five days per week of practice and competition, and usually at least 10-15 years of experience.

Progress can be faster or slower, depending on the fencer's aptitude, dedication, and quality of instruction. Rapid progress normally requires at least three practices per week, and regular competition against superior fencers.

The average world champion is in his late 20s to early 30s and began fencing as a child.

On the athletic side, speed and endurance must rank foremost. Other traits that can be exploited are strength (for explosive speed, not heavy handedness), precision, and flexibility. Quick reaction time is extremely important.

On the intellectual side, a good mind for strategy and tactics is essential. The ability to quickly size up your opponent and adapt your style accordingly is essential.

Psychologically, a fencer must be able to maintain focus, concentration, and emotional level-headedness under intense conditions of combat. Stress management, visualization, and relaxation techniques are all helpful to putting in winning performances.

As far as body type goes, it is always possible to adapt your style to take advantage of your natural traits. Even so, height seems to be useful in epee, but not necessarily in sabre. Small or thin people are harder to hit in foil. A long reach helps in epee, and long legs are an asset in foil.

It should be noted that left handers usually enjoy a slight advantage, especially against inexperienced fencers. This may account for the fact that lefties make up 15% of novice fencers, but half of FIE world champions.

FIE Competition setup: about $AUS1000 - $AUS1500 Includes: FIE 800N jacket & britches, FIE 1600N mask, at least 2 electric weapons, body cord, socks, glove, shoes, lame (foil & sabre only), sensor (sabre only).

Note: while FIE-certified equipment is recommended both in terms of safety and quality, clothing costs can be as much as halved by purchasing regular cotton or synthetic knits. Do not expect such equipment to be accepted at national or international levels of competition, however. Always wear a plastron when using non-homologated fencing jackets.

Club costs vary, but are usually on the order of $50-$100 per year for each day per week of fencing. Many clubs will provide or rent equipment to beginners.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.