Maintenance

Plug the epee into your test box using the bodywire/cord. No light should show.
When the tip is depressed, the red light should light. In the illustration, the epee is locked in the vice and the tip depressed by my foot.

Place a 750 gram test weight gently on the tip of the epee; the light should remain off. The tip has to have more than a 750 gram weight resistance to be legal.

Next, place your finger gently on the test weight and increase the pressure applied. This should make the tester’s red light turn on.

To test the travel of an epee use the 0.50 mm feeler gauge. “Travel” is how far the tip has to move before a hit is registered. When the 0.50 mm front gauge is placed between the barrel and the tip and the tip depressed until there is no space between the tip gauge and barrel, no light should show on the tester.

If any of these tests do not work, follow these instructions:

Clamp the epee in the vise so the top stays still and, using a magnetized point screwdriver, remove the two small tip/grub screws.

These are the parts found in an epee point.

The tip has a small contact spring which is what closes the circuit and makes a hit register. When this contact spring is too long, the epee will fail the 0.50 mm feeler gauge test. When the spring is too short the weapon will either not register hits or will register intermitantly. If the spring is too short it can be either replaced or stretched. To stretch the spring you should insert your fingernail or a small screwdriver near where the spring enters the point and then pull the spring gently to stretch it. In order to stretch the spring evenly you may find it best to rotate the point at which your nail/screwdriver is inserted into the spring.
If the large spring, which controls the pressure needed to score a hit, fails the 750 gram weight test ie. the spring no longer lifts a 750g weight then this spring is too weak and should be replaced.
Epee point parts can be bought in bags as a rewire set or individually.