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Assembly


 

Mounting a foil from it's components
Wether you have purchased a weapon as parts or you are changing a broken blade all fencers should know how to mount a weapon. For a list of the components of a foil click on Parts in the menu on the left.

General Information:

When ordering a new blade you will need to specify whether it is to have a crosse tang or a french tang. The tang is the part of the blade that runs inside the handle and is usually either threaded or slotted. Mounting a weapon is far easier if you have access to a vice but can be done without one. Tou will need a point screwdriver if you are using a bayonet style inside guard socket and a normal screwdriver if the socket is two pin. A round file is also very usefull and you will also need a suitable allan key if you are fitting a pistol grip.

If the blade has been rewired you will need to replace the plastic insulation. This is a 1mm diameter plastic tube that slides on over the wire all the way to where it is glued to the tang. You should ensure that you have enough spare wire to cope with any mistakes, 10 cm should be sufficient.

The first thing you need to do is bend the tang so that when you come on guard the point of the blade is aimed more centrally at your opponent. This bend is called a "set" and most companies ship blades with no set on them. To do this you need to place the tang in the vice as shown above and then pull gently but firmly on the forte of the blade (the forte is the thick part of the blade just in front of the tang. If the blade has been manufactured properly the tang will have been heat treated so that it bends relatively easily. A set is put on a blade before mounting. This set is to bring the tip of the blade to point more centrally towards the target when you are standing on guard. The set shown here is about average (between 7 and 9 degrees) Set is down to personal preference and varies greatly between individuals. A heavy set is bent more and a light set is straighter, in general foilist that preferring flick hits usually have a heavy set.

After setting the blade, lock it in a vice with the tang vertical with the blade groove facing towards you. Slide on the guard making sure the blade wire runs inside the indent (as shown by the arrow). Then slide on the inside-guard socket making sure the red blade wire is inside the guard socket’s pentagonal hole (otherwise the wire would be trapped between the guard and the socket, and split). Then push the wire flat against the guard so it runs directly away from the blade.

Install the pad with the red blade wire running between the inside-guard socket and pad.
Now slide on the handle.


IMPORTANT!! THE SLOT AT THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE 2 PICTURES ABOVE IS WHERE THE RED BLADE WIRE MUST GO; OTHERWISE THE WIRE WOULD BE TRAPPED BETWEEN THE GUARD AND THE HANDLE AND WOULD BREAK. FOR FRENCH GRIPS A SLOT MUST BE MADE BY USING A FILE.

After place the nut on the tang, tighten it with an Allen key. For French grips, slide on the handle, then place the brass inset on the tang, and then tighten the pommel by hand.

Bend the foil pad out of the way so the wire and inside-guard socket screw can be seen. Using the round file, gently remove the white cotton that insulates the wire on the end of the red blade wire.

Wrap the exposed copper wire underneath the screw, between the plate and small washer, then tighten the small screw. Remove the excess copper wire and tuck the red blade wire under the guard pad. In the image, the wire comes from the inside-guard socket and goes towards the outside of the guard and then down and underneath the pad back to the blade.

Push the pad back into place and check the tightness of all the nuts, and check for the presence of 15 cm of insulating tip tape.