Section C
Instructions for Re-Wiring an Electric Foil Blade
Introduction
·
Equipment
·
Supplies
Preparation of blade
Installation of the New Wire
·
General
· Using Cementit
· Using Quick-Drying Cement
Introduction
Proper maintenance of
electrical fencing equipment includes renewal of the conducting wire running
down the center of electric foil blades. The procedures for wiring a blade
fresh from the crate are different than those of re-wiring a used blade, and
this instruction deals with re-wiring only. For instructions on wiring new foil
blades, see Chapter Three, Section B.
Equipment
· 6mm hex wrench
· Small locking pliers
· Four-inch vise (six-inch is better) clamped or bolted
to a table top or bench
· Jeweler's screwdrivers
· Needle-nose pliers
· Knife
· Very small triangular file (5/8-inch per side, 6-8
inches long)
Supplies
· Cementit (obtained from fencing supply stores), or
quick-drying cement*
· Replacement wire
· New barrel (in case the old barrel is damaged)
· Denatured alcohol
· Four inches of ¾-inch-wide masking tape
*Beginning armorers should
not attempt re-wiring with quick-drying cement because the fast drying time
leaves little margin for error. Cementit takes about an hour to harden and 8
hours to cure completely, so is more forgiving during installation. With
quick-drying cement everything has to go right the first time, but the blade is
ready for use after 10 minutes.
Preparing the Blade
1.
Disconnect the old wire from the socket assembly inside the guard of the weapon
using the needle-nose and locking pliers, as appropriate.
2.
Remove the pommel nut, located at either the end of a French or Italian grip
or inset into the cavity on an orthopedic
grip, with the locking pliers or hex wrench, as appropriate.
3.
Slide the grip, socket assembly, thumb-pad, and guard off the tang.
4.
Transferring attention to the other end of the blade, remove all tape from
the barrel assembly and end of the blade.
5.
Press the tip in and remove the two set-screws holding it in the barrel.
6.
After removing the tip, extract the spring inside the barrel by gently tilting
it out. If the spring is wedged in the
barrel, use the tip of a jeweler’s screwdriver to withdraw it. For details
on foil tip springs, see Chapter Three, Section E.
7.
To unscrew the barrel from the blade, clamp the blade upright in the vise,
with about one inch of the blade appearing above
the vise below the barrel. Note: if there is too much blade exposed between the
vise and barrel, it will twist while removing the barrel and could break. Clamp the locking
pliers firmly on the flat surfaces of the barrel provided for that purpose
and unscrew the barrel counter-clockwise. The barrel may come free immediately
or it may take some strain, but it is rare for a tip to break while removing
a barrel unless the metal is flawed or seen very heavy use.
8.
Removal of the old wire is dependent on a number of factors. If the glue is old
you may be able to pull the wire out with your fingers. If the glue or cement
is fairly fresh you will need to employ repeated applications of a solvent and
may have to literally chisel the old wire out. This instruction presumes a
medium difficulty wire, one that is still completely in the groove, but with
glue that has become somewhat brittle with age.
A.
Clamp the blade horizontally in the bench vise about 10 inches from the tang
end so it is flush with the vise lips.
B.
Trickle denatured alcohol down the entire length of the wire groove so as to
soak the glue entirely.
C.
Using one of the jewelers screwdrivers, firmly score the glue surface above the
wire. If you cut down too deep, you may break the wire, making extraction more
difficult, but this is not a critical point, as it will probably break anyway.
Repeat this step once or twice until you feel the top surface of the glue has
been mostly shattered.
D.
Using the needle-nose pliers, grasp the wire at one end or the other and twist
the pliers so as to roll up the wire on the nose of the pliers. Picture opening
a sardine can. This method spreads out the stress on the wire as it comes
out and frequently the whole wire can be extracted in one piece, if care is
taken. Note: Should the wire snap, and the end be buried in the groove,
wedge the end of the smallest jewelers screwdriver under the wire at an angle
and hammer firmly until the end rises out of the groove. This may take some
practice to perfect. Once you can grasp the end of the wire with the needle-nose
pliers, proceed to roll up the next section of wire.
9.
The groove must be completely clean before the new wire can be glued in.
Leaving the blade in the vise as is, use the jewelers screw drivers as chisels
to ream the remaining glue out the groove until you can see shiny steel along
the entire length of the blade. If the glue is particularly heavy or hard an application or two of alcohol will
soften it.
10.
Finally, sand the entire blade surface with 400-grit emery paper to remove all
rust and tape residue and inspect the threading on the tip for damage, the blow
the dust out of the groove.
Installation Of The New
Wire
General
1.
Carefully uncoil the new wire and remove all kinks. Inspect the barrel threads
for damage. If the threads are damaged discard the barrel and use a new one.
For details on barrels, see Chapter Three, Section E. Take the free end (the
non-cup end) if the wire and thread it through the barrel, running it into the
wide end so it comes out the narrow end, but do not pull the wire all the
way in--do not allow the cup to go into the barrel. Instead, leave the cup
about four inches from the mouth of the barrel.
Note:
step two is the most critical part of the installation. The desired result is
to have the barrel firmly screwed on to the end of the blade with the cup-end
of the wire still hanging out of the barrel a few inches, but traveling
freely--not pinched or the insulation stripped off.
2.
Put a dab of Cementit or quick-drying cement on the threads of the blade tip
and, ensuring the wire is laying in the groove, hand tighten the barrel on the
tip. Ensure the wire moves freely in and out of the barrel.
3.
Clamp the locking pliers firmly, but not too tightly, on the barrel. While
slowly moving the wire in and out to ensure it has not become snagged, slowly
tighten the barrel by rotating clockwise until the barrel feels quite firmly
seated. You may have to tighten the grip of the pliers a bit. If the wire snags, stop tightening the
barrel and back it off until the wire travels freely again. This tightening process
is tricky and you may split a few barrels or find the tip has come loose while
bouting before a feeling for the proper tightness is acquired. Gently tug
enough of the wire through the barrel to clear any debris formed from old glue
or metal filings and repeat the tightening process. Note: be careful not to
strip the insulation from the wire while checking for free movement. If there
is any resistance whatsoever in moving the wire, it is much better to dismantle
the entire assembly and begin again than wreck a $5 wire. If the wire continues to snag, it will be necessary
to remove the barrel and use a small file to widen the groove at the tip
slightly.
4.
Once the barrel is screwed into place the cup must be seated in the barrel.
Carefully draw the wire through the barrel until the cup reaches the barrel.
Using the tip of a jewelers screw driver, or, if available, a point setting
tool, and press the cup firmly into the barrel while pulling the wire with the
other hand. Once the cup has reached the bottom, position the screwdriver edge
on the bezel in the middle of the cup and give it a light tap to ensure the cup
is seated properly.
Final
gluing instructions for using Cementit or quick-drying cement are different, so
be sure to follow the appropriate procedure.
Using Cementit:
5.
Handling the weapon carefully so as to avoid damaging the dangling wire, clamp
the blade horizontally in the bench vise about 10 inches down from the tang
end.
6.
Squeeze the first bead of glue into the groove for the entire length of the
blade, stopping 1/8 inch before the tang begins.
7.
Grasp the loose end of the wire and while pulling the wire slightly taut, lay
it along the groove. You can guide it into the groove with a fingernail,
toothpick or bit of Popsicle stick. Note: Do not use a metal tool to guide
the wire into the groove as that will greatly increase the chances of tearing
the insulation and ruining the whole job.
8.
Once the wire is in the groove, firmly, but gently take all the slack out of
the wire by pulling the wire taut along the tang. You should be able to pull
about ¼-inch.of slack out of the wire, but do not pull too hard or the wire
will break.
9.
While pinning the wire to the tang with a thumb, tape the wire flat to the base
of the tang (near the blade) with one turn of the masking tape. Replace your
thumb on the tape to semi-immobilize the wire and give it a final gentle tug to
ensure all the slack is out. Visually examine the wire inch by inch to ensure
it is in the groove and below the level of the blade surface. If there are any
high spots, use the toothpick to press the wire into the groove.
10.
With the wire tugged taut and pressed into place, wrap the free end of the wire
snugly around the tang below the tape (towards the threaded end) and use the
loose end of the masking tape to hold it in place.
11.
Scrape or wipe the excess glue off the blade surface prior to putting on the second bead of glue.
12.
Squeeze a second bead of glue down the length of the blade, stopping, as
before, 1/8 of an inch before the tang begins (it is okay for glue to ooze into
this last 1/8 of an inch: stopping short merely helps avoid getting excess glue
on the tang). While laying down this second bead, make sure the wire nowhere
bows out of the groove. If it does it can be reseated with the toothpick or, if
necessary, unwinding the wire wrapped around the tang and pulling the wire taut
again. Here the advantages of Cementit are apparent as the glue takes hours to
set.
13.
Once the wire is seated properly, the blade should be bowed between the
underside of a table and the floor so that the distance in a straight line from
the tip to the end of the tang is about 35 inches with a cut down tang and 38
inches for a French or Italian grip tang.
14.
Leave the blade wedged in place overnight or for at least eight hours, after which it will be ready for reassembly. For reassembly instructions,
see Chapter Three, Section D.
Using Quick-Drying Cement
Steps
1-4 are the same. Neophyte armorers should watch this operation performed by an
experienced armorer prior to trying it themselves.
Warning:
quick-drying cement will glue your skin to the blade if you are not careful.
There are several places where you must hold the blade still with your hand and
care must be exercised to avoid injury. Also, irritating fumes rise up from the
cement so be careful not to hold your head above the glue at any time. Read all
warning labels carefully.
5.
Clamp the tang of the blade in the bench vise so that the blade extends upwards at a 45-degree angle. Be careful not to damage the threads on the
tang.
6.
This is a two-step process: the first third of the wire is glued in and allowed
to set, then the final two-thirds is cemented in.
To begin, ensure the wire is held away from the blade and put several drops
of cement in the groove just below the barrel and watch the cement run down
the groove. It may be necessary to place a lamp near the blade to see the
cement. Add a drop or two until the cement has run down 1/3 of the blade,
then with one hand grasping the tip and bending the blade downwards, use the
other hand to pull the wire into the top third of the groove so that it is
both taut and lies flat in the groove. It is imperative to ensure the cement
does not extend to the point where the wire separates from the blade. Hold
the blade and wire in position for three to five minutes, until the cement
sets.
7.
Repeat the above step with the bottom two thirds of the blade, taking care
that the cement does not run down the wire insulation and adhere to your fingers
while you hold the wire taut. The blade is now ready for reassembly. For reassembly
instructions, see Chapter Three, Section D.
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