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 The
Foil
Foil is the most common weapon and is usually
the first weapon learnt because it teaches good
point placement and requires very speedy foot
work. It is also the simplest of the three weapons
to grasp the basics of.
The objective when fencing foil is to hit your
opponents chest with the tip of your blade only.
Hits to the arms, legs and head do not count
as points nor do any contact from the side of
the blade.
Foil fights are usually to 5 points. The foil
originated as a training weapon for people who
usually fence Epee but the skill involved in
fencing Foil means it has developed into a style
in its own right.
 How
it Works
An electrical current is sent from the scoring
box to the weapon via the ‘B’ wire.
This wire is then linked to the foil wire by
the bodywire socket, the baseplate spring and
screw in a bayonet socket.
In the rest state this current flows up the
foil wire, then in the tip it transfers into
the blade. The blade is linked to the ‘C’
wire (ground) at the socket so the current returns
to the box via the C-wire.
When the point is depressed, the circuit from
‘B’ to ‘C’ is broken.
If the tip is in contact with the opponents
lame’ then the current will switch to
flow through the lame’, and back to the
box via the opponents ‘A’ wire which
is linked to the lame’ but the alligator
clip. This new circuit is detected by the box
which responds with a coloured light.
However if the tip is not in contact with the
lame’ (ie: off target) then no circuit
is formed. The box detects the broken circuit
and responds with a white light.
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