Epee tip maintanance

All weapons are fully tested before they leave the Leon Paul factory however, the nature of the point means that sometimes a weapon that tests perfectly before dispatch can either become faulty in transit or stop working after the first few hits. This is because the point contains a contact spring which closes the circuit to register a hit sometimes this will test as the correct length on our test rig but after the weapon has been jarred a few times in transit or when first used the spring can move. There is no way to test for this without bashing each blede before it leaves us, something that would probably not be well recieved by our customers! This faliure happens on about 1 in 4-500 blades and is usually very easy to rectify using a small screwdriver. Maintanance of the travel within your point is something that needs to be done as a matter of course every 3 months or so during the normal useand as such all long term epeists should be able to help. If a club armourer is available then they will certainly be able to show you how to fix the problem. If not then the explaination below will guide you through the simple process.

If you are unable to find someone to help or to have a go for yourself then please contact us at sales@leonpaul.com to make arrangements for the return of the weapon.
Contact spring adjustment
Most problems with epees occur in the point and the most common problems usually involve one of the two springs. Epee points contain two springs which each serve a very different purpose. The first of these is the pressure spring which must lift more than 750g for the weapon to be legal. The second is the contact spring which sits inside the larger pressure spring and is responsible for completing the circuit that registers a hit.
On the right is a 3d animation of a working Leon Paul GT epee point. This cut away model shows what happens within a the tip when it is depressed. The circuit is normally open between the two brass contacts inside the point on the farthest right of the model. When the tip depressesd it travels for a minimum of 1 mm before the contact spring inside the copper coloured pressure spring touches the two contacts and completes the circuit. If the point is not in contact with an earthed piste or the opponents weapon this causes a coloured hit light to come on.

If your weapon will not register a hit or fails the travel test then you will need to replace or stretch the contact spring. To do this you will need a small flatbladed screwdriver and if available a vice or volunteer pair of hands to hold the weapon while you work. Clamp the epee in the vice or have someone hold it so the top stays still and, using a magnetized point screwdriver (you can magnetise a screwdriver by rubbing it against a fridge magnet), remove the two small tip/grub screws. It is best to keep one finger over the point as you remove the second screw to prevent the point from springing off onto the floor.


These are the parts found in an epee point. You can clearly see the difference between the copper coloured pressure spring and the small steel coloured contact spring that is attatched to the point


If hits do not register hits or register intermitantly:
The contact spring is too short and it can be 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 end of the spring gently to stretch it. You will need to stretch the spring approximately 0.5mm to get the correct travel.

In order to stretch the spring evenly you may find it best to rotate the point your nail/screwdriver is inserted into the spring at several different locations around the spring and stretch it slightly with your nail at each location.

If hits do register but the weapon fails the travel test:
The contact spring is too long and it is best to replace the spring. This problem is much rarer than the spring being too short. You can replace the spring by twisting the itanti clockwise to unscrew it and replacing it with a new spring reference number E23. The weapon can then be tested either with a test box or apparatus to ensure that the new spring is the correct length.

If the weapon fails the weight test:
The large copper colourd spring is old and needs to be replaced this can be swapped for a new spring reference E18. Once re assempled the weapon should be checked with a weight top ensure that it will lift 750g.