Foil Armoury Section
Foil overview
Both men and women compete in foil, in separate events. The weapon used is a maximum of 500 grams, with a maximum length of 110cm. A micro-switch in the tip needs at least 500 grams of pressure to activate the registering apparatus. The valid target area is the torso only, excluding arms, legs and head.The valid target area on the fencer is covered by a metallic jacket (lame), which causes a colored lamp to light when the target area is hit by the opponent’s weapon. A hit on the non-valid area (not covered by the metallic jacket) causes a white lamp to light.Epee evolved from the sword, favored by duelists of the time. Training for sword fighting (for dueling or combat purposes) concentrated on thrusts to the torso, where hits would have the most lethal effect.
How a hit is made.
The Foil circuit is normally ON, however the circuits have three possible states used by the apparatus to determine the scoring.
1 In the normal state the the blue (center pin) and green (near pin) wires in the diagram on the right are connected in a single circuit through the apparatus. This state produces no light and would be the state of the circuit as the fencers come on guard.

Click on image to enlarge.

2 When the point is depressed by any surface except the opponents lame, guard or a connected metallic floor (piste) the circuit is broken and the "off-target" light comes on.
3 When the point is depressed at the same time as the point is in contact with the opponents lame the original circuit is broken and a new circuit is made. This circuit is between the blue part of the diagram on the right and the red part of the opponents circuit. This new circuit causes a "hit" light to come on.
As well as being electrical, the system also has a mechanical component. That is, moving parts and electronics working in conjunction cause the lights to come on.

This means that both mechanical and electrical faults can cause the system to function incorrectly.

Most designs for foil points contain the same basic elements shown in the model on the left.
These parts are:

- The Point Tip which moves within the barrel
- The point insulator or sleeve which is sometimes built into the tip- The barrel/base which screws onto the blade
- A contact within the barrel/base which is attached to the wire running down the blade. This must be insulated from the barrel/base
- Grub screws which hold the point within the barrel/base
- A spring to provide the required 500g resistance
On the above is a 3d animation of a working Leon Paul GT point. This cut away model shows what happens within a foil point as it is depressed.The circuit, which is normally closed between the grub screw and the part of the point tip on the farthest right of the model, is broken as the tip is depressed. The break in the circuit causes a white light if the point tip is not in contact with the opponents lame and a colored light if it is.
Each manufacturer has their own design of tip which has its own relative strengths and weaknesses. The three main types of points are most commonly refereed to as British, French and German, the diagrams on the left show the three basic designs. One of the main advantages of the Leon Paul point is the thicker wall of the barrel which means that they never need to be reamed or straightened because they don't dent.

Click on the image to zoom
Crosse / Pistol Grip
French Leather Grip

Regular cleaning maintenance and testing of your weapon is the best way to ensure its optimum performance and life span. Trapped dirt can cause damage to the inside surfaces of the point and may result in off target lights coming up and a worn spring can cause it to fail weapons check at a competition. In general it is recommended that you check your foil points before each competition or around every 1000 hits (10-15 training sessions). To properly look after your foil point you will need: a point (watchmakers) screwdriver, a magnet, tip tape or electrical insulation tape, point cleaning fluid or alcohol, a 500g test weight, a foil bodycord and a test box. If you just want to clean the point without testing it you will only need the first three items in the list above.
Testing the spring
Before you disassemble the point it is a good idea to check that the spring conforms to regulations (ie that it takes more than 500g to depress the point). Plug the foil into your test box using the bayonet plug, leaving the crocodile clip off any metallic objects. The green light of the tester should now be lit. When the tip is depressed, the light should go “off”. If this is not the case then please visit our foil troubleshooter to try to find out what the problem is.
To test the spring place the 500 gram test weight on the tip of the foil. The light should still remain “on”. Next, placing your finger gently on the test weight and increasing the pressure applied should make the light turn “off”. Releasing the finger pressure should have the light return to being “on”. If the light turns off as soon as you place the weight on the tip or fails to come back on when you remove your finger from the weight then the spring is worn and should be replaced.
Point disassemble
To clean the inside of your point you will have to completely disassemble it. First remove the pvc tape on the tip by carefully peeling it off or carefully cutting it away using a craft knife. You should now have exposed the grub screws on either side of the point. If you have access to a vice then it is a good idea to place the foil blade in it so that the point is held firmly at a height which is comfortable to work at Click here for a top tip.. You can star to unscrew the tip starting by completely removing one screw, when you come to the second screw you should keep one finger on the top of the point to endure it does not spring out as you remove the screw. The screws should come out relatively easily and you should be careful to ensure that you don't damage the head.
Point re-assembly and adjustment
Before you reassemble the point, clean out the inside of the barrel using electrical contact cleaner and a cotton bud. Do not use an oil based lubricant such as WD40 or similar, as this may trap minute particles of metal and dirt causing excessive wear, resistance and low connectivity.
Rub both ends of the foil point with an abrasive block before replacing. If the weapon has failed the weight test the spring should be lightly stretched or discarded and replaced. The official tests require that the spring will raise a 500g weight and that the travel is less than 1.0mm also that the blade is insulated with tape for the top 15cm.
Clean off the tip and gently abrade both ends using sandpaper or an abrasive block to improve connectivity. Ensure that the plastic sleeve is in good condition and fits the barrel. Plastic sleeves are made to different sizes by different manufacturers so check for fit before assembly.
Worn grub screws can cause many problems and again are not the same for different manufacturers points. Do not re-use them if they show signs of excessive wear at either end. Ensure that your point screwdriver is in good condition and of the correct size. Magnetize your screwdriver to allow you to pick up the screws more easily and ensure that you do not cross thread the grub screws when inserting them.

The screw should be tightened until it is firmly in place but do not over tighten as this may cause shorts, premature wear or a sticky point.

When reassembled, tape over the barrel with electrical insulation or blade tape. The tape should finish just short of the foil point sleeve so that it does not interfere with its operation during use.

Alternatively you could return it to the manufacturers or try posting in the armoury section of the fencing forum


Zoom
 

© 2007 C Wheeler and Leon Paul






Fencing worldwide
Fencing Equipment

 

home shop forum armoury armoury links