Epee Point Spring Replacement

Introduction

This guide covers the diagnosis of epee point issues and provides instructions for common part replacements to address them.

This guide only deals with issues related to the contact spring and pressure spring. Spring issues can be diagnosed using the weights and shims tests. In this guide shims will be referred to as test gauges.

This guide uses the NEPS screw system but will work for any standard epee screw system.

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Étape 1 Olympic Fencing Epee Point Springs

Epee Point Spring Replacement, Olympic Fencing Epee Point Springs: étape 1, image 1 de 2

Epee Point Spring Replacement, Olympic Fencing Epee Point Springs: étape 1, image 2 de 2

Plug the epee body cord into the socket on one end and the test box on the other.
Hold your epee upright and place the weight gently onto the point.
The tip may depress beneath the weight. If it does not, press down on the top of the weight.
The green light on the test box should light up, then turn off.

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Étape 2

Slide the small test gauge into the space between your epee's tip and point barrel and depress it. Neither the red nor the green light should turn on.

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Étape 3

Insert the larger of the two test gauges into the space between your epee's tip and the point barrel.
You should not be able to depress the tip at all.

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Étape 4

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If your point failed any of the previous tests, you must disassemble it to adjust or replace parts.
Depress the tip while unscrewing both tip screws. Remove the tip, and then remove the pressure spring.
You can use the tip of your screwdriver to catch the edge of the pressure spring if it seems stuck.
While the tip is disassembled, take the opportunity to clean it with isopropyl alcohol and a Q-tip if you have not cleaned it recently.

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Étape 5

If your epee failed the weight test, this means your pressure spring tension is not great enough. You have two options to fix the situation:
Remove the pressure spring and stretch it out.
If you have already tried stretching the spring and that didn't work, replace the pressure spring with a new one. To replace the pressure spring, slide the new one into the barrel.

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Étape 6

If your epee fails either of the test gauges, this means that your contact spring is likely the culprit, and will need to be adjusted or replaced.
If you fail the smaller test gauge this means that your contact spring is too long. Twist the contact spring a rotation or two up the post.
If you fail the larger test gauge, this means that your contact spring is too short. Gently stretch the spring, or replace it entirely.
To remove the contact spring, pull it off the post. The post is the small threaded cylinder sticking out from the tip.
Twist a new spring onto the post while applying pressure. Make sure your new spring catches on the grooves of the post.
If this still does not solve the issue there may be a foreign object inside your point. Hold your weapon with the point toward the ground and gently tap to remove any foreign object that may be preventing your contact spring from touching the contacts.

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Étape 7

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Place the tip back onto the barrel, ensuring that the contact spring is sitting inside the pressure spring.
While holding the tip in place, pick up the NEPS screw with the tip of your NEPS screwdriver.
Depress the tip and rotate it so that the threaded hole in the tip, meant for the tip screw, aligns with the channel on the point barrel.
Insert the NEPS screw with the tip of your screwdriver and tighten it clockwise.
Be careful not to over-tighten after the screw is securely in place to avoid breaking off the tip of your NEPS screwdriver.
After your point is reassembled, go back through steps one through three, to retest your point.