Parts list

• blade
• bell guard
• wire
• tip and tip parts
• grip and associated parts
• neccessary tools

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Everything - except the glue and locktite

Close up of electrical wires, insultation, socket and tip components

Essential tools, including 6mm open-end wrench, 6mm hex, tip setting tool, gauges, weight and electrical tester

Bell guard, pommel, washer and pommel nut

Screw driver set with glue spilled on it and with the very important magnet

Chain and quick setting glue

Assistants, Documenters and Parts Sniffers

Heather - the Photographer - and Documenter

Kayle - the Dog and Parts Sniffer

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The team under Heather's watchfull eye.

Wire inspection , according to Kayle - she can't really spell 'Ceighlid'- is important

Setting the tip

• Pass the inspected wire thru the barrel, keeping it in the blood groove.
• Holding the wire in the groove, tighten the barrel with the 6mm wrench.
• Pull the wire tight, but don't be harsh
• Firmly set the contact into the barrel with the tip tool

Fuzzy images

Pass wire thru the barrel.

Keep wire in the grove or it will break, and tighten with a 6mm wrench.

Use the tip tool to firmly set the contact in the barrel.

Wiring the Blade

• Start at the tip and carefully push the wires deep into the groove.
• Drop a drip of glue onto the wire and press the wires down with a toothpick.
• Let the glue run down the barrel and press the wires into the groove.
• Take care at the transition of the base and blade.
Avoid getting glue on the wires where the pommel starts.

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Bend the blade to imitate a hit. I really don't need to do this, but maybe some day ...

Pull the wire tight and use a toothpick to push them into the groove, then glue the tip.

Work your way down the blade letting the glue flow freely.

Hold this transitional area in place until it sets, or it will pop out.

Thank you Mrs. G. for lending me these nice sheets, so I don't get my table glued while drying my epee.

Wiring the Guard Socket

• Slide the insulation over the wire before putting on the bell gaurd to protect the wires.
• Once the insulation is in place on both wires, carefully slide the bell guard down the shank. Do not force the bell guard down, or you will break the wires.
• If you are using a German socket, like I am, take out the screw opposite the ground tab and loosen the screw on the ground tab side.
• Pass the insulated wire into the groove on the guard socket, and tighten both screws. As a note: Not tightening the ground side, or not getting the ground tab under the metal will cause off-target hits.
• Remove the insulation from the wire - I use a finger nail - and then strip any varnish off the wires with either sandpaper or a greeny. Note: Not stripping the wires thoroughly will prevent either light from working.
• Wrap the wires around the posts of the guard socket nuts. Some people use electrical eyes here, but that takes a crimper, etc., that I don't have. And this works well for me.
• Tighten the nuts down around the wires. Too much torque here will break the wires, and not enough and you won't have a circuit, so be careful.

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Having a vice is nice, but not required. It is also my Christmas present this year.

I really hate this part. You need patience to slide the insulation in place.

Both wires insulated.

You may need to file the wires holes in the bell guard.

Slide the Guard Socket over the wires

Loosen guard socket from metal stand/

Keep the socket loose, so you can secure the wire in the back.

Using a greeny to strip the wires

Close inspection.

Scrape to shiny copper

Wrap wire and tighten guard socket nuts

Afixing the Pommel

• Slide a washer on the shank before putting on the nut.
• New and shortened pommels can be tight, so quite a little force may be needed to get the pommel all the way down to the base of the blade.

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Side the pommel over the shank.

Align the notch in the pommel with the wire so that the wires don't get crushed.

Fixing the Tip

You are either very new or a very lucky fencer if you haven't had to do these steps at a tournament.

• Before putting in the pressure spring, set the tip and contact spring, and make sure you get a green light. No light means you have a bad connection or broken wire. A ground light mean you need to check your ground tab on the guard socket.
• Put the small spacing guage between the barrel and tip.
• I am told it is easier to screw in than out, so only screw the contact spring in a little at a time. Keeping doing this until you no longer get a light.
• Take the tip out and put in the contact spring.
• Having the screws drawn to a magnet and having a magnetized screw driver really helps when trying to get the little devils into the holes in the tip.

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Plug the epee into a tester

Put the tip in barrel without a pressure spring. This makes setting the spring a little easier.

No picture of setting contact...Apologies.

Drop in the pressure spring.

Drop the tip onto the spring and into the barrel.

Compress the spring and insert the little tip screws.

Verify you have enough gap using the big gap guage.

Verify that your spring is strong enough to lift a 750 gm. brass mass and that the testing light goes out.

If all is well, use nail clippers to trim the excess wire.

Testing the Blade

It has been fun spending this time with you.

See you on the strip.

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Step back. Hand high and outside .. ARM HIT .

Arm straight. Thumb at 2 o.clock. Lunge forward .. .BODY HIT.