wiring a foil
I'm no good at practical things. I was a disaster at cookery classes and chemistry experiments.
Sometimes I can manage on a sort of hit or miss basis - and reckon that with practice I'll be better. So I sat in on the demonstration of how to re-wire a foil.
It began badly. I was asked to take the foil to pieces - something I've done successfully in the past. But it was a pistol grip, whereas I always use French grip, and I couldn't loosen the pommel. After making a fool of myself in front of an audience, I had to pass the foil to a boy (who also struggled, so perhaps I wasn't entirely feeble).
The demonstration included advice like, "you'll need your stanley knife for this." But I don't have a stanley knife. At some point the blade has to be heated on a gas-stove, bent like a bow and left with the right (epoxy) glue in a safe place for several days. And then, on the last day of the procedure, it's still possible to snap the wire. I suspect that's just what I would do.
The demonstration ended with the words, "and re-wiring an epee is much harder."
Steam fencing suddenly has great attractions. Should I ditch my feminist principles and admit incompetence - or just pay someone efficient to do re-wiring for me? I don't think I have the time or skill for this.
I did get to fence a little epee. As in all my fencing lately, I was slow and unscucessful.
Must try harder.
Sometimes I can manage on a sort of hit or miss basis - and reckon that with practice I'll be better. So I sat in on the demonstration of how to re-wire a foil.
It began badly. I was asked to take the foil to pieces - something I've done successfully in the past. But it was a pistol grip, whereas I always use French grip, and I couldn't loosen the pommel. After making a fool of myself in front of an audience, I had to pass the foil to a boy (who also struggled, so perhaps I wasn't entirely feeble).
The demonstration included advice like, "you'll need your stanley knife for this." But I don't have a stanley knife. At some point the blade has to be heated on a gas-stove, bent like a bow and left with the right (epoxy) glue in a safe place for several days. And then, on the last day of the procedure, it's still possible to snap the wire. I suspect that's just what I would do.
The demonstration ended with the words, "and re-wiring an epee is much harder."
Steam fencing suddenly has great attractions. Should I ditch my feminist principles and admit incompetence - or just pay someone efficient to do re-wiring for me? I don't think I have the time or skill for this.
I did get to fence a little epee. As in all my fencing lately, I was slow and unscucessful.
Must try harder.
posted by kathz | 8:01 am
3 Comments:
Yes, I am 100% with you there - I don't really understand why I need to be expert in wires, and techinical bits in order to hit someone at top speed - yet it seems assumed (by the guys) that every fencer has a deep armourer lurking inside. Yeah, about as much as I have a deep mechanic and deep plumber lurking inside.
I think it is good to explore as many aspects of fencing knowledge as possible. Okay....you may not have a desire to go all the way down the path, but at least you went a little ways and looked around. I think that is a very good thing!
It was probably good for me to watch the demonstration and understand how hard it was. As I wasn't feeling too well, there was something to be said for sitting down. I admired the expertise on display. But it was a long demonstration and well before the end I was eager to stab someone - lots of people if possible.
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