Epee buildingandreferencemanual

UNT Fencing Club

Epée Building and
Reference Manual

by: Trevor Riegelman

Table of Contents iii

List of Illustrations

Chapter 1: Using this Manual 1
Understanding Who the Manual is For
Understanding What the Manual Contains
Understanding Which Conventions the Manual Uses

Chapter 2: Epée Composition and Basics 5
Epée Composition
Epée Inner Workings

Chapter 3: Preparing the Blade 9
Gathering Components
Cleaning the Blade
Cutting the Blade

Chapter 4: Setting the Tip 13
Threading the Wire
Placing the Barrel

Chapter 5: Wiring the Blade 17
Placing Wires Correctly
Keeping the Wires in Place
Gluing Wires Down
Drying Wires

Chapter 6: Building the Base 21
Applying Spaghetti Tube
Placing the Bell Guard
Installing the Socket
Adding the Bell Pad
Adding the Grip

Chapter 7: Finalizing the Weapon 25
Testing the Current
Installation of the Tip
Testing the Tip
Testing the Bell Guard

Index…………………………………………………………………………... 31

List of Figures v

Chapter 2:
Figure 2.1 pg.7
Figure 2.2 pg.7
Figure 2.3 pg.7
Figure 2.4 pg.8

Chapter 4:
Figure 4.1 pg.15

Chapter 5:
Figure 5.1 pg.19
Figure 5.2 pg.20
Figure 5.3 pg.20

Chapter 6:
Figure 6.1 pg.24

Chapter 1:
Using This Manual
Understanding Who the Manual is For



Chapter 1 3
Chapter 1: Using this Manual
This chapter introduces you to the features and content of this manual and
helps you understand
• Who the manual is for
• What the manual contains
• What conventions the manual uses

Understanding Who the Manual Is For
This manual is primarily to be used by members of the University of North Texas Fencing
Club. This manual may also be used by UNT Recreational Sports staff. Members or staff
who may need information on repairing or building an epée may refer to this guide.

This manual uses the following sections to help you repair or build an epée.
• Chapter 2: Epée Composition and Basics
This chapter contains the basic information that any epée fencer must know
• Chapter 3: Preparing the Blade
This chapter informs you of what you will need to build the epée.
• Chapter 4: Setting the Barrel
This chapter will teach you how to start building an epée, threading the wire and
placing the barrel.
• Chapter 5: Wiring the Blade
This chapter will teach you how to set the wire across the length of the blade.
• Chapter 6: Building the Base
This chapter will show you how to complete the base of an epée, including
installation of the socket and adding a grip.
• Chapter 7: Finalizing the Tip
This chapter will show you how to assemble the tip and place the tip into the
barrel correctly.
• Chapter 8: Testing the Weapon
This chapter will show you how to check for any errors that may have occurred in
the building process.

4 Epée Building and Reference
This manual uses the following features to help you find information easily:
• Layout:
• Notes and Cautions:
Note: Pay attention to all notes, like this one!
They will help you along the way.

• Special symbols:
Signifies specifics

Chapter 2:
Epée Composition and Basics
Epée Composition


Chapter 2 7

Chapter 2: Epée Composition and Basics
Of the three weapons of fencing, epée is the most realistic. It is modeled after the classic
dueling sword, right down to the blood groove (without the sharp point!). Of course, with
modern technology comes modern fencing, and the Epées we have today were born out of
the necessity of scoring simplicity.

Epée Composition
In this manual we will break down the Epée into three basic components:
Tip - This includes all the components of barrel:
1) French Tip
2) Contact Spring
3) Barrel Spring
4) Barrel
5) Tip Screws
6) Wire Cap
Fig. 2.1
Blade - The body of the weapon that holds the wiring.
1) Blood Groove
2) Wire
Fig. 2.2
Base - The base of the weapon; starting from the bell guard, ending at the grip.
1) Bell Guard
2) Bell Pad
3) End of Wire
4) Spaghetti Tubing
5) Body Cord Socket
6) Tang
7) Grip

Fig. 2.3
Use these sections as a reference if you encounter any questions in assembly.

An epée is made up of a basic circuit.

Fig. 2.4
When the tip is pressed down on any ungrounded point it closes the circuit. This in turn
causes the circuit to be complete and allow the box to signal your touch. This is known
as the “lightning stroke.” For example: when your blade presses down on the toe of your
opponent’s shoe, you have scored a touch. If you hit the strip (and it is grounded) then
no point will be scored, as the circuit is still live. The same is true for your opponent’s bell
guard. This, too, is grounded and if touched will not score any points.

Chapter 3:
Preparing the Blade
Cleaning the Blade

Cutting the Tang

Chapter 3 11

Chapter 3: Preparing the Blade
If you’re working with a brand new blade, there should be little to no preparation. Blades that
need to be stripped and rewired, on the other hand, will need much more preparation. This
chapter will explain exactly what you will need to build the weapon and how that weapon
should be prepared before building.

Cleaning the Blade
If you are rewiring an old blade, make sure the blood groove is clean.
1) Check for spots of dried glue down the center of the blade.
2) Use the razor blade to carefully remove the dried glue spots.
3) Repeat 2 – 3 times until blade does not have any remaining glue.
Leaving old dry glue will keep a new coat of glue from sticking, causing the wire to pop out
of the blade

Cutting the Tang
The tang is located at the base of the Epée. It is the long cylindrical shaft with screw-like
grooves. Whether to cut the tang or not depends on which grip you are more
comfortable fencing with. Remember: once you have cut the tang the blade will not be able
to use a French Grip.
French Grip: A new blade comes with the tang ready for a French Grip (unless it
was ordered pre-cut).
Pistol Grip: If the tang has not been shortened, then it will need to be cut.
1) Place the Blade on the vice grip.
2) Tighten the vice grip around the base of the blade.
3) Put the desired pistol grip on to the tang.
4) Twist the grip bolt into place without tightening it.
5) Use a marker to mark the end of the bolt.
6) Take off the bolt and the grip.
7) Use the hack saw to carefully cut off the rest of the tang after the area that was
marked.

Chapter 4:
Setting the Tip
Threading the Wire

Placing the Barrel

Chapter 4 15

Chapter 4: Setting the Tip
The ﬁrst step in building an Epée starts at the tip of the blade. If done incorrectly, this pro-
cess could cost you a new wire.

Threading the Wire
For this step you will need an empty barrel and an Epée wire. Make sure you have un-
curled the wire from its coiled position.
1) Find the top of the empty barrel. This is the most open and circular area.
2) Find the end of the wire. This is the point with 2 ends.
3) Gently push the two ends of the wire through the most open end of the barrel and
out the other side.
4) Gently push and pull the wire until the white cap is just barely above the barrel.
Fig. 4.1
Note: As an optional step, you may put a small amount ‘Loctite’ on the tip of
the blade before placing the barrel. This will ensure that the barrel does not
come loose while fencing.

Placing the Barrel
Now that the wire had been threaded through the barrel, it is ready to be placed onto the tip
of the blade. The blade makes a long triangle shape, make sure you are placing the barrel on
the top point of that triangle.
1) Place the Epée so that the tip faces upwards, preferably using a vice grip or wrench
to hold it steady.
2) Take the wires protruding from the barrel and place them into the blood groove.
3) Place the barrel on top of the tip. Make sure the wires are in the groove.
4) Screw the barrel into place while holding the wires in the groove.
5) Once the barrel gives resistance, gently tighten it with the wrench. Make sure not to
over tighten it, or you may snap the wire.
6) Take a ‘Q-Tip’ with one end cut off.
7) Gently pull the excess wire down while using the shaft of the Q-tip to press the
white wire cap into the base of the barrel.

Chapter 5:
Wiring the Blade
Placing the Wires Correctly

Keeping the Wires in Place

Gluing Wires Down

Drying the Wires

Chapter 5 19

Chapter 5: Wiring the Blade
The wire runs down the blood groove and is essential to an electric Epée working. This pro-
cess must be done carefully and with precision to prevent problems with the weapon later on.

Placing the Wire Correctly
The wires must be placed perpendicularly to each other in the center of the blood groove.
It is important that the wires do not cross. It is also important that they are straight and taut.
Use the following suggestions to help assure that this is done correctly.
o Separate the two strands of the wire
At points the wire may cross. Avoid this by running down the length of the wire and
completely separating the two strands into a left and right side.

o Place each strand separately
Set the left strand, then the right strand.

o Check and Check Again
You can never be too careful. Check the length of the wire for snags or crossed
wires.

Run the wires from the tip to the base of the blade and hold them at the tang. Tighten the
wires to remove any slack.

Keeping the Wire in Place
The wires must be able to stay in place and taught for the gluing process. In preparation for
gluing, here are some ideas on how to get the wire to stay.
o As you set each strand, take a wooden clothes pin and clamp the excess wiring to the
tang. Follow this by placing a piece of spaghetti tubing in the base of the groove and
wrapping a piece of tape around it. This is personal favorite of Vincent Santa Maria,
long time armorer for the UNT Fencing Club.

Fig. 5.1

o Take the two strands and carefully wrap them around the tang. Place tape around the
point where the tang meets the base of the blade and over the wires, securing the
tightness in the blood groove. Use this method if clothes pins are not available.

Gluing the Wires Down
This process involves the use of the jig. You will ﬁnd the jig in the club toolbox. It looks like
a chain with a PVC pipe cap hooked to each end.
1) Remove the blade from the vice grip.
2) Place the end of the tang in one of the caps of the jig.
3) Place the tip of the blade into the cap at the other end of the chain. This process will
require the blade to bend with the groove end facing upward in the arc, and it will
resist. Do not worry: These blades are meant to bend and it will not snap.
Fig. 5.2
Note: If the blade is older and you are truly afraid it may snap, take a piece of
cloth or towel and rub the blade for approximately 2 minutes. This process will
warm the blade and give it more flexibility.

4) Once the jig is attached, place the blade back in the vice grip securely with the arch
of the blade facing upward.
5) Take a bottle of Super Glue.
6) Place the nozzle of the glue so that it is angled into the blade 1/2 inch below the tip.
7) While lightly squeezing the bottle, slowly run it down the length of the blood groove
so that glue coats the wires.
8) Stop when you have reached the point of the base where the blood groove ends and
the tang begins.
Fig. 5.3 9) Repeat steps 6 – 8 one more time to make sure you have not missed any spots.

Drying the Glue
The glue will need 25-35 minutes to completely dry. You may either leave the blade on the
vice grip or, if you are working on multiple blades, hook the jig to the top of a coat hanger
and hang it up. The hanging process should allow for a 5 minute faster drying process.

Chapter 6:
Building the Base
Applying Spaghetti Tubing



Adding the Bell Pad

Adding the Grip

Chapter 6 23
Chapter 6: Building the Base
The base of the weapon begins with the bell guard and ends with the grip. After the glue
has dried, carefully take the blade out of the jig and remove the tape from the wire. After
straightening the wires you are ready to move on to the next steps.

Applying the Spaghetti Tubing
The spaghetti tubing is necessary for insulating the wires at the base of the blade. This will
help to prevent snapping and fraying of the protective thread around the wires, which may
cause grounding in the bell guard.
1) Cut approximately 6.5 inches of spaghetti tube.
2) Slide the tubing over each strand by holding the end of a strand and gently slide
the tubing to the base of the blade. Keep the wiring as straight as possible.
3) Twist the tubing back and forth to help ease it over the wire.
3) Stop when the tubing has reached the beginning of the groove.

The placement of the guard will depend on whether you are making the blade for a right
or left handed person. To judge how the guard should be placed:
1) Turn the blade so that it is facing groove side up.
2) Place the bell guard on the end of the tang.
3) Make a fist with your prominent hand as if you were holding a sign.
4) Place the fist in the bell guard area.
5) Adjust the guard so that a majority of the guard covers your fist.

After you have decided how it should be placed, carefully thread the wires through the
bell guard and slide the bell guard to the base of the blade. Make sure the spahgetti
tubing covers the wire at the base of the bell and fits in one of the pre-cut grooves.

The socket will connect the current to the wires from the reel cords and tournament box.
The placement of the socket should be unobtrusive to the hand, whether it is near the palm
or the top of the hand.
1) Take a three-prong socket and slide it down the tang using the metal attachment.
2) Put the wires through the square hole in the metal attachment.
Note: Make sure the spaghetti tubing reaches the base of the socket.
3) On the side of the socket, between the metal and the plastic of the socket, locate the
small hole.
4) Thread the two wire strands though the hole so that they stick out securely next to
the socket.
5) Take the lighter and burn approximately 1 inch of the ends on each of the stands.
Fig. 6.1 This should cause them to ﬂare. The raw wires are covered in cloth and chemical
coverings that need to be burned away. A few quick sweeps should help to loosen
these coverings.
6) Take a pair of pliers and very gently scrape off the burnt coverings. Do this by
lightly squeezing a burnt strand with the pliers and pulling towards the end of the
strand.
7) Halfway unscrew the two prongs of the socket that are the closest together.
8) Wrap each of the unscrewed prongs with 1 strand 1 time around.
9) Gently tighten the screws so that it does not pull the wire too tightly. Wrapping them
too tightly may cause them to snap.
10) Stop twisting once the top of the bolt reaches the wires.
11) Cut off any extra wire sticking out from the prongs.

Adding the Bell Pad
Adding the bell pad is a simple process of sliding a bell pad down the tang and on to the
attachment to the three-prong socket. The pad itself does not matter too much. It’s merely
there to soften the blow to the hands as well as protect the wiring. It is required by the
USFA.

Adding the Grip
Choose the grip you are most comfortable with. If you cut the tang, it must be an ergonom-
ic pistol grip.
1) Slide the front of the grip on to the tang.
2) Add the hex nut to the tang.
3) Use the outside hex screw driver to tighten the hex nut to the back of the grip.
4) Tighten thoroughly.

Chapter 7:
Finalizing the Weapon
Testing the Current


Testing the Tip


Chapter 7 27
Chapter 7: Finalizing the Weapon
Now that the weapon has been completely built, we’ll want to run a series of tests and
assemble the tip so that it is tournament ready.

Testing the Current
Testing the current will require the test box, an epée body cord, and a French epée tip
with the contact spring attached.
1) Plug in a three prong epée body cord into the three prong socket.
2) Plug the other side of the body cord into the test box.
3) Set the blade so that the barrel faces straight up to the ceiling.
4) Place the tip with contact spring attached into the barrel.
5) Check for a light on the test box as you pres the tip to the bottom of the barrel.

If a light comes on, then you may continue on to the next step. If there is no light then
the blade’s current must be stopping somewhere.
o Check the wires on the socket. Make sure the wires are bare and have no cloth
or chemical insulation left on them. For safe measures, repeat steps 5 and 6 in
Chapter 6 under installing the socket. Test the current again.

o If you are still having problems, check the length of the wire for breaks or
pinches. You may have to disassemble the base. If the wire it cut anywhere along
the groove the blade must be rewired. If the strands become too short to reach
the socket it must be rewired.

The tip of the blade will make all the difference in a fencing bout. It must be calibrated just
right to get the optimal performance. For this process the blade should still be connected to
the test box.

First, test the tip to make sure it will past shims.
1) Place a barrel spring into the barrel.
2) Make sure the test shims are nearby.
3) With the blade still attached to the test box, put the tip into the barrel.
4) Place the thinnest shim between the tip and the barrel so that the shim’s half-circle is
facing toward the barrel.
5) Press the tip onto the shim.
6) If the light goes off, remove the tip.
7) Twist the contact spring so that it goes slightly deeper into the tip.
8) Repeat steps 5-7 until the light no longer goes off.
9) Once the light does not go off when the tip is pressed against the shims, remove
the shims.
10) Press the tip all the way down without the shims in place.
11) If the light goes off, you’re ready for the next step.

Once correctly adjusted, continue the installation process.
1) Twist the tip so that its side holes match the side holes of the barrel.
2) Press the tip into the barrel so that you see the holes through the barrel holes.
3) While holding the tip in place, use a small electrician’s screw driver to screw an epée
screw into the tip’s hole.
4) Repeat step 3 on the other side.

Chapter 7 29
Testing the Tip
The tip must be able to pass two tests before it is ready for a tournament. The shims test and
the weight test.
For the weight test:
o While the weapon is still plugged into the test box, face the weapon so that the barrel
is pointing toward the ceiling. Place the 750g weight on top of the tip. Allow for the
test box light to shine once, then continue to hold the epée upright. The tip should
be holding the weight up, causing the box not to light up.

Always retest the shims after installing the tip. For the shims test:
o Press the slimmest shims to a point between the barrel and the tip. Press the tip
down all the way. As long as the light still does not go off it has passed the first
shims test.

o Press the thickest shims to a point between the barrel and the tip. As long as it fits
between the top of the barrel and the top of the tip it has passed the second shims
test.

A bell guard that fails a test will be a risk for the rest of the match. If the bell becomes
grounded with the wire, it could cause the opponents blade to score a touch on contact.
When testing the bell guard:
1) Make sure the blade is plugged in to a test box or one side of a set up fencing strip.
2) Take a second working epée and plug it in as well.
3) Use the second epée and firmly press the tip into the first epée’s bell.
4) Make sure no point is awarded.

If a point is awarded, wipe the first weapon’s bell guard with a dry cloth and test
again.

If it is still causing points to be awarded, check the wires connected to the socket. If
those wires are touching the bell they will cause the bell to fail. Tighten the wires
around the socket so that they are out of the way and test again.

If a point is awarded again disassemble the base and check the wire at the base
of the blade where the bell guard would have been. If this wire is frayed or cut, the
entire weapon must be rewired.

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