Weapons

All three weapons in fencing are composed of the following parts:

·    A flexible steel blade completed at its forward end by a point and at the rear by a tang, which is included in the hilt when the weapon is mounted. Flexibility is measured by comparing bend in the blade with and without a weight an inch from the end of the blade.
·    A grip in which the tang of the blade is fixed by a locking nut, or in any other way, enabling the fencer to hold the weapon. The grip may be composed of one or several parts; if in parts, it is divided into a handle (which is normally held in the hand) and a pommel (rear portion of the hilt which locks the handle onto the tang).
·    A metal guard, with the convex face towards the front, fixed between the blade and the hilt, serving to protect the sword hand. The guard may contain padding or cushion to reduce the effect of blows. It also contains a socket to which the bodywire can be connected.

Sabre
The sabre owes its heritage to the Middle Eastern scimitar and the 18th-century cavalry sword.  It is similar to the foil, but weighs slightly less.  It is about one inch shorter, a maximum of 3 feet, 5.3 inches. The steel blade is rectangular, measuring at least 4 millimeters wide and 1.2 millimeters thick, and up to 2 feet, 10.6 inches long. Its flexibility equivalent is between 1.5 and 2.7 inches.

The sabre is a thrusting weapon as well as a cutting weapon. The end of the sabre blade is folded over onto itself, or is made in one piece with a square or rectangular tip measuring between 4 and 6 millimeters. The guard of a sabre is full and convex, with no rim or holes. It must be sized so that it is able to pass through a rectangular gauge measuring 5.5 by 5.9 inches around and 5.9 inches long. The interior of the guard is insulated with insulating paint or a pad. The exterior of the guard, the grip, and the pommel are all completely insulated.

Foil
The modern version of the dueling rapier, the foil is perhaps the best known fencing apparatus. The teaching weapon for the other swords, it has a flexible blade and is used chiefly for thrusting. The maximum length of the entire foil is 3 feet, 6 inches and the maximum allowable weight is 1.1 pounds. The tapering quadrangular blade is made of fine steel and can be no more than three feet. The flexibility equivalent of the blade must measure a minimum of 2.1 inches and a maximum of 3.7 inches. The guard diameter must measure between 3.7 and 4.7 inches.

Epee
The épée (the French word for 'sword') is the descendant of the ancient dueling sword, the rapier. It developed from the dueling weapons of European noblemen.

Average length: 43 inches
Average weight: 1.7 pounds.

The épée has a larger hand guard which must measure less than 5.3 inches in diameter and between 1.1 and 2.1 inches deep. Its steel blade is thicker and triangular, measuring one inch wide on each side. The flexibility equivalent of an epee sword must be between 1.7 and 2.7 inches. It was designed to be effective as a thrusting or stabbing sword.


Equipment

White Uniforms
Fencers wear white uniforms because, in the pre-electric days of the sport, touches were determined by an ink spot left on the uniform by the weapon. Cheating was possible by soaking a uniform in vinegar, so that when a weapon hit the vinegar-treated material, the ink was dissolved and no mark was left behind.

Material
Competitors' clothing must be made entirely of "robust" material able to resist a pressure of 800 Newtons. The material cannot have a smooth surface which might allow weapons' points or touches to glance off the uniform. The way seams are made, especially under the armpits, is particularly important for safety. An under-garment consisting of a protective plastron pad covering the upper body, especially vital organs, is mandatory.

Jackets
For all weapons, the lower edge of the jacket must overlap the knickers by at least 4 inches when the fencer is in the en garde position. Fencers' jackets include a lining making a double thickness of heavy-duty Kevlar or cotton cloth for the sleeve down to the elbow of the sword arm and covering the flank up to the armpit. An épée fencer is required to wear a regulation jacket, which covers the whole surface of the body's trunk. Women's equipment must include breast protectors made of metal or another rigid material.

Glove
For all weapons, every competitor wears a glove on his sword hand. The gauntlet of the glove covers half the forearm of the competitor's sword arm to prevent the opponent's blade from entering the sleeve of the jacket. Foil gloves may be slightly padded. Sabre gloves are made of conductive material, which can be removable or fixed, and should cover the whole arm with the jacket. The conductive material of the glove must make good contact with the sleeve of the conductive jacket by using an elastic band or button.

Knickers
Knickers are fastened below the knees. Fencers wear socks which cover the legs up to the knickers; the socks can have a turn-over 4 inches high showing the colors of a fencer's nation.

Masks
Masks are made of wire mesh with gaps of less than 1/10 of an inch; the wire, with a minimum gauge of 1 millimeter in diameter, is usually stainless steel. The bib of a mask is made with cloth resistant to 1600 Newtons (twice as strong as uniform material). The mask includes a safety strap at the back.

Masks used in foil cannot extend below the chin. They are insulated internally and externally by a plastic material resistant to impact.

Masks for épée must be shaped so the bib reaches below the collar bone prominences (clavicles).

Sabre Mask
The sabre mask is different from that used in foil and épée; because the head is a valid target area, it has a metallic covering. Also, the metal mesh of sabre masks is not insulated and must conduct electricity. The bib and trim are covered with conductive material with the same electrical characteristics of the conductive jacket used in sabre. The electrical contact between the jacket and the mast is made by means of a wire and one or two crocodile clips. The wire is attached by clip or by being soldered to the mesh of the mask, and is between 11.8 and 15.7 inches long. The crocodile clip is soldered to the other end of the wire.

Electrical Scoring Apparatus
The apparatus consists of a 12V circuit connected to the fencers. The colored lights of this apparatus register valid hits; the white lights register hits landing outside the valid target area. (For more on the electrical scoring apparatus, see the "Scoring" section.)