"Points d'Arret"

  Update:  For those that couldn't attend the recent 2024 South Florida Open Fencing Tournament in Palm Beach, I haven't forgotten about you.  The next batch of Points d'Arret are complete and are available.  Please feel free to contact me by email at heritage2107@yahoo.com for pricing and mailing information.  They are provided in packages of 3 points and mailing is flat rate within the continental U.S.  

So nice to be back after all the COVID issues.  Apparently, the sources for Points d'Arret have dwindled to a trickle and many in the Classical Fencing world have resorted to making their own from bolts with countersunk heads for use on their epeés.  After taking some measurements of a point I had on hand, I decided to try my hand at making them using the machines in my shop.  The angles and depth of calculated cuts involved a lot of trial and error. The power of machinery versus the size and nature of the material resulted in unacceptable material strength and a lack of a consistent product.

After many adjustments and rewritten notes, I was able to achieve an acceptable and consistent product as seen above.  The points shown are of carbon steel (stainless may come later).  They are drilled internally to reduce rough crosshatching of center material during cutting of the point angles.  The points are cut with a 60 degree carbide bit similar to the one in the picture.  After refining the point angles, the internal surface is formed to give a concave surface that maintains the strength of the point while still allowing for sharpness.  It still involves time and many steps but at least I can count on the results.

So far, I've been able to make 12 sets of three and they'll be available at the 2024 Classical Fencing Open Tournament in Palm Beach but, depending on demand, I hope to be able to provide more.  My email address is on the home page of this blog.

"The Lady in Red"

Another step in the creation of a custom Classical Fencing foil, "The Lady in Red" is a commissioned weapon ordered by one of my local fellow fencers.  The grip for this foil was my third attempt to get the thickness and spacing of the under cord just right to allow the wire and leather windings to properly nest on the main leather body.  Thinning the edges of the red glove leather at the overlap points was an education in itself.  The decision to completely tear down the first two efforts wasn't an easy one since the under cord and main leather wrap are cemented with tanners' glue.

This foil features a German Figure 8 guard from Andrew Chin, a fused layer pad and one of the few remaining carbon steel blades from the original Blaise Frères forge before it was sold.  Of course, every lady should be properly dressed so I included a red wrap for the blade guard.

The foil also showcases one of the six urn-shaped pommels that I recently made.  As mentioned before, while each pommel in the set is similar, each one has a distinct feature to set it apart from the rest.  The six were named after the stars in the Constellation Orion and this one is "Alnilam," which is Arabic for "String of Pearls."

As always, many thanks to Joel Mason of Jacob's Armoury, whose design inspired the "Fabulous Machine" that made the windings on many of my grips possible and to Scott Wright, a member the Classical Fencing Group, for inspiring me to add color to my leather grips.

"El Paladín" (The Paladin)

This is the first of six new guard designs in brass for the Classical Fencing foil.  Originating from the Latin palatinus (of the palace), "Paladin" later came to refer to high level officials in royal courts.  In later romantic folklore and legend, the name was used to refer to the closest companions of Charlemange and were comparable to the Knights of the Round Table in Arthurian legend.

The name was chosen because the center bar supports the strength and stiffness of the guard and allows it to be made of thinner material than the traditional Open Figure 8.  The guard is cut with jeweler's saw blades from 1/8 inch brass rather than 3/16 inch as would normally be required.  Even with the center bar, the guard weighs only 51 grams.  The center hole has been drilled but will not be squared until custom mounted on the tang of a blade.

As with many projects done for the first time, there was a lot of testing and hand work required so the completed product took more time than I anticipated.  If I can't reduce that time significantly, the six designs may turn out to be "one of a kind" items.  Still to be tested is the life span of the guard under regular use.  So far, I haven't seen any significant impact on guards made of the same brass alloy.  I plan to make a similar guard in a vertically shortened form.

For the curious, the playing card shown is the Knight from the Spanish card deck.  As with early similar decks, there was no Queen in each suit so the three face cards were the Knave (or Page), the Knight and the King.

"Alacrán Negro" (The Black Scorpion)

The incorporation of two new elements for a Classical Fencing foil.  Shown with the Fabulous Machine that makes winding multiple cords and wires simultaneously possible, the Poplar wood grip core is covered with a combination of cord, black glove leather and double silver-plated wire.  My attempt to create a fully spiraled leather wrap was abandoned because the spacing between underlying cords was too wide for hand comfort, was extremely laborious and the result wasn't aesthetically pleasing.  I also found that durability might be an issue unless the leather and underlying cord were heavily glued down to prevent shifting if the leather stretched over time.  The leather is soft calfskin and is skived at the edges for smooth transition at the overlap.  The blade is a #5 SG Premium blade refined to a thrust force of 2 lbs 9 oz at nominal bend.  It's very light and intended for a skilled, advanced fencer.

The guard is a steel Figure 8 from Benjamin Arms and is backed with thick black leather.

The wire wrap is actually two, 20 gauge, silver-plated wires twisted in opposite directions to achieve a braid effect.  The ferrule at the end of the grip and the pommel are both stainless steel.  The ferrule is countersunk to cover the end of the grip and prevent mushrooming.  It is also center-drilled to maintain alignment with the pommel.  The full-faceted hex pommel isn't cast but is cut on a vertical mill.

Once again, I'm pleased to be able to credit Joel Mason, Director of Jacob's Armoury for his generous sharing of his knowledge and skills in grip windings.  Wishing him great health and happiness!

A Classic Style

A new direction in pommel creation... the Urn-shaped pommel.  Created in brass, the new pommel is inspired by pommels often found on foils of the late 1800's and early 1900's.  I found one example on a foil owned by Instructor Kim Moser, my instructor at Palm Beach Classical Fencing.  The other (shown above) is from a set of vintage foils in my collection.  While my reproduction models the shape and proportions of the originals, it is sized 108% larger to obtain a target weight of 100 grams.  The original pommel was cast and had no internal threading so it was drilled through and had to be peened onto the foil.  As a result, it's relatively light for the foil weight.  The reproduction is machined from a solid brass blank and is threaded 1" deep to retain maximum material density.

Creating the shape on a metal lathe required the custom grinding of several new shapes for the cutting bits as well as lengthy lay out time on the brass blank and repeated changes in lathe setup.  

The conical and faceted shapes require accurate machine setups but cutting is rather straightforward once the operation is underway.  In addition, a number of identical cuts can be made, one after another, after a particular setup is made.  The Urn shape, however, doesn't lend itself to repeated cut duplication.  I don't have access to a lathe replicator or CNC machine so the entire process was uniquely "hand controlled" and required an extraordinary amount of time to produce this one item.  While I've solved many of the difficulties in machining the intricate details of this new pommel, creation time is still a cost factor to be overcome.  For now, this unique pommel is reserved for a very special weapon still to be created.

Thanks to some lessons learned in making the original pommel and fine tuning of the forming bits, the transition from brass slugs to urn-shaped pommels is now complete.  While each is based on a single classic design of years past, each pommel is, in fact, made slightly unique with different decorative features.  Each will be photographed and named to become a part of a unique Classical Fencing foil.  These are the only six that will be made in this style and material.  Sometime in the future, I hope to create a small quantity in stainless steel.

The Royal Court

Faceted pommels for Classical Fencing foils and epees.  The previous post was a test of the facet angle and overall dimensions to yield the required shape and weight for the fencing weapons.  At first glance, these pommels, here created in brass and stainless steel, appear to all be the same but there are slight variations that I've incorporated to yield a weight range required for weapon balance.  Facet angles are also varied between 5 and 6 degrees to allow for the weight difference between the brass and the steel.  If you look closely at the second pommel (front row) from the left, you'll see that the forward end is beveled.

Four of the pommels have been countersunk at the end for decorative medallions.  The posts of the medallions are compression fitted into a drilled hole and sealed with epoxy for security.  I've used colored glass jewels in the past but the posts on the medallions offer a more secure attachment for decorative items.  Future options still in the drawing phase include spirals, grooved cuts and figures that can be cut into the facets of the pommels.  I'm also working on a source for bronze metal in a shape that can be machined without a lot of waste material.

The Faceted Pommel

The latest endeavor in creating unique pommels for Classical Fencing weapons!  Amazing that such a simple looking item can be so complicated to make.  Unlike most pommels available on the market, this one is not cast in a mold.  Rather, it is machined and milled from a solid brass slug as seen on the left.  Like previous creations, it is first turned and drilled on a metal lathe then tapped for a 6mm thread.  The complexity comes in accurately setting and reproducing each of the six facets at exactly the same angle on a vertical mill (non-CNC).

Cutting angles on a vertical mill isn't particularly difficult but this pommel required each cut to be 60 degrees apart, cut exactly to the same depth and perfectly tapered from the centerline at 6 degrees.  The part had to be moved for each cut so exact alignment for each cut position and depth was critical.

My drawings and calculations for the final weight of the pommel (100 grams) required an extremely exact taper angle.  Now, I don't know about you but I don't have a protractor that can accurately set a 6 degree angle (+ or - a few minutes) and I wasn't about to pay several hundred dollars for a set of machinist's angle templates.  The solution came from Joe Pieczynski at Advanced Innovations in Austin, Texas.  His videos showed me how to use the X and Y axis table on the mill (accurate to thousandths of an inch) and some simple trigonometry tables to create a 6 degree template to position the part and accurately reproduce each facet cut.  Not only did all the points meet drawing specifications, the part weighed in at exactly 98 grams!  I've already cut some additional angle templates to provide stepped weight variations for custom weapon balance.

For now, this pommel is one of a kind so I'll have to save it for a very special foil worthy of the design.  The successful results also open the door to more artistic variations that, for now, are still just in my head.

"Pluma Negra" (The Black Feather)

This Classical Fencing foil marks a new step in the making of custom grips using the Fabulous Machine seen in a previous post.  It is a commissioned weapon created to the specifications of a client.  The name reflects the lightness of the foil in the hand.  The blade is one of few remaining blades forged by Blaise Freres in France before the company was sold.  The quality of this blade allows it to be ground and honed for quick response to the fingers without sacrificing control of the point.

The guard selected by the client is a Fleur de Lis pattern from Benjamin Arms.  The grip is a light Poplar wood core wrapped with hardened cord and twisted steel wire.  The pommel is custom cut stainless steel in conical shape.  A stainless steel ferule cups the end of the wood grip to prevent mushrooming and compress the cord windings.

The Fabulous Machine allows the simultaneous winding of multiple wraps, in this case cords and wire, without the need for layering or spacing guesswork.  Each winding is in direct contact with the wood grip core, adding strength while maintaining sensitivity in handling.  The larger diameter cord is hardened to provide a sure grip in the hand.  Particularly amazing is how the grip transfers the lightest touch of the blade to the fingers while still damping aggressive hits from an opponents blade.

The use of wire windings, particularly multiple wires, is a complex skill still to be mastered.  Once again, I credit Joel Mason of Jacob's Armoury for designs and photos of his work.  

"The Fabulous Machine"

The Fabulous Machine is a tribute to the creativity and skill of Joel Mason, Director of Jacob's Armoury. He is renowned for the swords and fencing weapons he's made over the years. Sadly, his long battle with Parkinson's Disease no longer allows him to make complete weapons but you can find a lot of his work at http://www.jacobsarmoury.com . Since making custom grips for Classical Fencing weapons is one of my hobbies, I was particularly inspired by Joel's "Fantastic Machine," a device he built to wind multiple wires and cords on sword grips. You can see the original machine at http://www.jacobsarmoury.com/the-fantastic-machine.html . I have a particular love of gears, metal and machines so my "Fabulous Machine" has a bit of steam punk thrown in.
I'm very thrilled to contribute in small part to Joel's wish that the procedures and techniques he's developed not be lost. I don't think I'll ever achieve the beauty and mastery of wire winding that Joel has but hope that others will also take an interest in his work and carry on with his art. My dream would be to visit his home in Scotland and learn more while time allows but I don't know if that will be possible. Maybe there is someone out there that can.

A better view of the gear and pawl system that locks the wheel in place so adjustments can be made to the wraps.  The three brass pieces near the bottom of the side plate are actually heavy brass pipe, drilled and threaded to accept brass bolts from the underside.  This anchoring system provides additional strength against the pull of the tensioning system for the wrapping cords.

The first test of the complete system with the machine anchored to a portable work bench.  Note the addition of a center mounting bolt.  This allows solid mounting and the ability to angle the machine as the wraps are applied and assists in tight place placement of the wraps next to each other.

The test wrap was done with four wrapping cords.  At the beginning of the wrap, each cord is anchored radially into notches in the wood and glued into place.  As the grip is turned, each cord is picked up and included until all four cords are being wrapped at one time.  The use of a larger diameter cord allows for a more secure grip by the hand.

The line tensioning system of pulleys and weights.  The overhead pulleys can handle five lines or more if similar cords are grouped.  The two pulleys behind the main pulley block allow lines to passed to the back to prevent the weights from interfering with each other.  The weight cartridges can be opened to change the internal lead weights for optimum tension on the lines.

A detailed view of the main pulley block.  Open eyelets were used in the ceiling to allow easy removal when not in use.

The completed grip mounted on a Classical Fencing foil.  The stainless steel pommel is my own but the Fleur de Lis guard is from the collection of Benjamin Bowles at Benjamin Arms.  Although many of his surplus parts are no longer shown in his new catalog, I understand he still has a number of desirable weapon parts in stock.

The French Foil

I don't commonly create complete fencing foils because of the time involved in working even the better raw blades sold today into what I would want to use in competition.  Lately, however, a number of fellow fencers have inquired about purchasing complete weapons so I thought I would develop a more classical French foil that would meet their needs and still meet the standards that I would want in my own fencing weapons.

Pictured above is a commissioned custom foil using a French grip.  The blade is an SG premium blade but has been worked to the dimensions of a 1960's French Prieur blade that I have in my collection.  Because blades are tempered, heating is an issue when a blade is abrasively reduced.  I work my blades in batches of six to twelve, minimizing heating and allowing plenty of cooling time before a blade is worked again.

The guard I've selected is a jewel all by itself.  Cast in brass, it's in the style of the German Figure 8 and was obtained from Andrew Chin of Salle Saint-George in Seattle.  The guard is backed with thick leather cowhide.

The grip is traditional French foil design.  It is hand made of Poplar and the width, depth and length are set to the buyer's preference.  It is wrapped with single, hardened black cord.  I have found this cord to be extremely durable and provides an excellent purchase in competition use.

The end of the grip is covered with a countersunk brass ferrule to protect the wood as the pommel is tightened.  The ferrule is sized to match the pommel.

The pommel, also in brass, is inspired by and based on the research of Benjamin Bowles of Benjamin Arms.  I created mine in brass to match the guard.  Ben Bowles has a new catalog of weapons that accurately follow the designs and preferences of past fencing masters and he has been very generous in sharing his research with me.

The custom touch on the end of the pommel was a request by the buyer.  It's the first time I've ever used a boring bar in the making of a pommel.  On a metal lathe, the cut can be made so accurately that the Fleur-De-Lis emblem is actually tightly "press fit" into the bored opening.  Industrial emblem adhesive was used to prevent unseating under hard use.

"La Québécoise" (The Lady From Quebec)

The Fleur-De-Lis, a stylized lily (in French, fleur means "flower" and lis means "lily), has long been used on many European coats of arms but is particularly associated with French heraldry and the French monarchy.  The symbol was also carried to the New World by European settlers, again particularly the French, and is still seen today in areas of strong French colonial settlement.  In Canada,  the fleur-de-lis remains a symbol of cultural identity for many French-speaking people.  One of these areas is Quebec, which features it prominently on its flag.

This Classical Fencing foil guard was commissioned by a client who proudly retains that cultural identity and chose the design and name.  Often seen in white, the fleur-de-lis is displayed in blue on the flag of Quebec so the client chose to include both colors.  The guard is cut in stainless steel, with stainless steel rosette, and is backed with two layers of felt, heat-fused to leather.  As with others on this page, it is a one-of-a-kind item and will not be reproduced.

The client also chose to add a custom grip and pommel to complete his weapon.  The grip is made of dense Purple Heart wood and follows a design similar to one created by Benjamin Bowles of Benjamin Arms .  It features a slightly wider area at the rear to allow better control with the ring and little finger.  The grip is finished in wax-free shellac to reduce wear, prevent darkening and protect the wood against moisture.  The pommel is machined from solid brass and features a recessed collar that slides over the wood grip to prevent mushrooming or splitting when the pommel is tightened.

"Trinity"

Tradition says that Saint Patrick, the primary patron saint of Ireland, used the the shamrock to illustrate the Christian doctrine of the Holy Trinity when Christianizing Ireland in the 5th Century.  According to many sources, three was a significant number in pagan Ireland and the Irish had many triple deities. While the shamrock itself doesn't appear to have been sacred to the Celts, the symbolism and the relationship of the shamrock to the earth may have helped Saint Patrick in his evangelistic efforts.  The shamrock went on to become the national symbol of Ireland and is featured on many illustrations, emblems and artifacts.

This is a commissioned foil guard based on a design selected by the client.  Even though cut on stainless steel, I considered that the size and open design might not be sufficiently strong to be use in competition.  As I've mentioned before, my creations are not designed as decorative items and are intended for actual use in classical fencing bouts.  As it turned out, all sections are amazing strong.  It is sure to be clearly visible in the 2016 Palm Beach Classical Fencing Open Tournament.

The Art of the Pommel

The pommel attaches to the threaded end of the blade and secures the guard, finger pad and grip on the foil.  It's not only a tightening device, its weight helps to balance the foil's elements for optimal blade handling.  At one time, when swords were used in real combat, it was considered perfectly acceptable to strike (pummel) your opponent with the pommel.  There is mixed evidence as to all the details of this practice so I won't debate it here but I'm sure, in a life or death situation, all was fair.

While some pommels are cast from brass and other readily meltable materials, I prefer to create mine by machining from bulk  materials.  Presented are three Classical Fencing foil styles that I've made recently.  On the front left is a conical pommel machined from a two inch slug of brass (rear right).  The other two are hex-shaped pommels made from bars of hexagonal steel and brass.  The collars at the very front are matching bushings made to fit over softer wood grips that are cord wrapped (see previous post on grips).

The tool shown at the back left is one of the lathe bits and its holder that I use to turn the pommels.  One of the pleasures of machining is making my own cutting bits from high speed steel.  The pommel in the center is made from relatively mild steel but harder steels often require the use of commercial carbide bits.

One of the more critical elements in making a pommel is maintaining the center so it can be accurately drilled and then tapped with threads.  I try to ensure that the hole perfectly aligns through the entire center of the pommel for a clean fit against the grip so drilling and tapping are done directly on the lathe.  Holding a conical shape correctly aligned in the jaws of the lathe required the creation of a matching sleeve to prevent marring the polished surface.

Machining allows for not only varied shapes but for types of finishes as well.  While the conical pommel at the bottom is highly polished, the two hex-shaped pommels above have a combination of satin and polished surfaces.

In closing, I must point out that the feel and maneuverability of a particular weapon is a very complex issue comprised of many elements and the pommel is just one.  As pointed out by Ben Bowles of Benjamin Arms, even the perfectly "balanced" weapon (by accepted standards) may prove unwieldy and ineffective in use if all the elements don't come together.  I find myself changing things quite often until I'm completely satisfied that a particular weapon is what I want to use.

Abeja Dorada

Abeja Dorada (The Golden Bee) is a commissioned guard for a Classical Fencing foil.  It is based on a design request of a client.  It is shown mounted with the client's existing blade, grip and pommel.  The guard is cut from 18 gauge stainless steel and the backing pad is two layers of yellow felt, heat-fused to a layer of leather to protect the fingers of the fencer.

This guard is a record setter in that it required 70 drill points to allow for tight turns and details.  It was cut with a hardened jeweler's blade designed to cut stainless steel.

The Art of the Grip

Other than blade preferences, perhaps nothing is more subjective for advanced fencers than the feel of a particular grip.  After all, the grip is the link between the blade and the fencer's hand.  It plays a big part in the sensations that are transferred to the fingers as the blade moves and contacts the opponents blade.  The grip plays a part in the fencer's "Sentiment-de-Fer," the sense or feeling for the blade but that is a more complex issue than I can cover here.  More critically, however, the grip affects the weapon's balance, purchase (the ability to hold onto it), weight and maneuverability.  The finest blade with the wrong grip becomes nothing more than a hatchet with a blunted point.

The ten wood grips above are made of Poplar and will be cord wrapped, like the one shown in the middle, so they are slightly undersized from the final dimensions.  They are in semi-completed status and the final shaping and wrapping will be done when the grips are ready to be fitted to blades.  Poplar is a very light, straight-grained wood that absorbs shock well.  I've also made grips with harder woods like mahogany, ash, oak, ebony, teak and maple.  Harder woods are typically heavier and are stained and sealed to show the wood grain.  Wire wrap is sometimes done to aid the purchase of the hand on the weapon but wire is rough on gloves so I only do it at a client's request.  Hardwoods transfer more shock to the hand but, in the hand of an experienced fencer, even the lightest touch of the blade is instantly felt.  

All my grips start as a blocks of wood and are center drilled, cut (based on several time-tested templates), shaped and then sanded.  They are all 6 inches long and will be later sized to the client's hand.  The final shaping will be done when the grip is fitted to the client's blade.  Although the grips above all appear the same,  each is hand made so there are slight differences in dimensions and shape that I use to fit a grip to a particular client's needs.  As I mentioned above, it's a matter of subjective feel.  

The grip in the middle is wrapped with copper-colored nylon and then wrapped on top with black nylon thread.  A small section at the end of the grip is left unwrapped to allow the recessed area of the pommel (or pommel bushing) to overlap and compress directly against the wood.  This prevents splitting.  The blocks in the middle are Mahogany (left) and Poplar (right).  At the back, behind the cords, is Zebra wood that will be part of a future grip project.

The Queen of Hearts

The Queen of Hearts is a commissioned Classical Fencing foil guard based on a design submitted by the client and is cut from 18 gauge stainless steel.  It is shown mounted on the client's blade, grip and pommel from Benjamin Arms.  The guard is backed by layers of heat-fused felt and leather to protect the fingers.

A finishing touch to the Queen of Hearts Classical Fencing foil.  The guard for this foil was the first custom-cut guard I created and its owner always wanted a single red heart mounted on the pommel but this medallion was difficult to find in a shape and size that would work.  Internet searches and messages to supplies of similar medallions were unsuccessful until one suddenly appeared before me while wandering through a local jewelry show.  Now, the Queen of Hearts is complete!

El Moro Negro - "The Black Moor"

El Moro Negro (The Black Moor) is pictured here with a previous creation, the Black Knight.  This Classical Fencing foil guard was inspired by the scimitars of the North African Berbers and Arabs that once ruled the Iberian Peninsula and other parts of Europe.  While there are many variations of the curved sword (or "saif"), this is the one most associated with the Moors of Spain.

Note that, as with the foil on the right, this is not a decorative piece but will be mounted to a foil for use in Classical Fencing.  It was not a commissioned article but has already been sold.

The Blue Gemini

The Blue Gemini is a commissioned Classical Fencing foil guard based on a design submitted by the client.  It is cut of 18 gauge stainless steel, is shown mounted to the client's foil blade and features a Royal Blue finger pad of heat-fused felt and leather.

The grip is cut from straight-grained Poplar, wrapped with #8 tarred, black nylon seine twine and is coated with acrylic to reduce wear color transfer to the fencer's glove.  A stainless steel collar was added to compress the end of the grip and prevent splitting of the wood.  The collar is tapered to match the dimension of the client's pommel to the grip.

The Queen of Diamonds

Presenting, Her Majesty, the Queen of Diamonds.  This is an uncommissioned Classical Fencing foil guard in 18 gauge stainless steel.  It is shown unmounted because it will eventually be sold.  The finger pad is layers of heat-fused felt and leather.  It is displayed next to one of my own fencing foils that has a Fleur-de-lis guard from Benjamin Arms and is also backed with a fused felt and leather finger pad.

As with many of my creations, the Queen of Diamonds is a unique piece that will not be reproduced so its owner will have a one-of-a-kind item.