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The Traveling Fencer's Kit

2026-09-24

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What to Pack for a Tournament

Most equipment failures at a tournament are small: a loose tip screw, a tired spring, a dirty barrel, a loose pommel. With a small kit you can fix them yourself between bouts instead of waiting in line at the armory. This is the kit I recommend in my armory workshops.

Every Fencer

  • 6mm hex key (Amazon) or a crescent wrench — Tightens the pommel nut. Pack whichever fits your pommel.
  • Wide flat head screwdriver
  • Seam ripper (Amazon) — Cuts old inspection tags off your body cords before weapon control.
  • A bag for your tools and parts — So everything lives in one place and actually makes it into your fencing bag.

Foil and Epee

  • Screwdriver magnetizer (Amazon) — Magnetize your tip screwdriver so tip screws stick to it instead of disappearing into the carpet.
  • Magnetic pad (Amazon) — Keeps screws and springs in one place while you work.
  • Small parts container (Amazon) — For your spare screws and springs.
  • Extra screws and springs for your tip — Match your point brand.
  • Isopropyl alcohol (Amazon) and Q-tips (Amazon) — Clean barrels and points. Don't use oil or graphite in your tips. Both attract dirt, and graphite is conductive, so it can short out your tip.

Epee

  • Epee tip screwdriver (Amazon) — Sized for epee tip screws. Keep the point pressed down while you take the screws out, or it will launch across the room.
  • 6mm wrench (Amazon) — Epee barrel.
  • Test weight (Absolute Fencing) — A 500g/750g combination weight, so it covers foil too.
  • Shims (Absolute Fencing) — For the 1.5mm and 0.5mm checks the referee runs at the strip.

Foil

  • 1" gaffer tape (Amazon) — Tip tape. The last 15 cm of the blade needs to be insulated with no bare gaps.
  • Foil tip screwdriver (Amazon) — Sized for foil tip screws.
  • 5mm wrench (Amazon) — Foil barrel.
  • 8mm ratcheting wrench (Amazon) — Foil socket.
  • Test weight (Absolute Fencing) — 500g.

Saber

  • 8mm wrench — The same 8mm ratcheting wrench (Amazon) works. With the Every Fencer list, that's all a saber fencer needs.

Nicer Options

  • Leon Paul combi weight (Leon Paul) — A foil and epee weight that can also test lamés.
  • Negrini feeler gauges (Alliance Fencing) — Nicer shims. Highly recommended.
  • Whiteside Fencing Tester (Whiteside) — A nicer tester for weapons and cords.

TL;DR

Every fencer: 6mm hex key or crescent wrench, wide flat head screwdriver, seam ripper, a bag. Foil and epee: screwdriver magnetizer, magnetic pad, small parts container, spare screws and springs, alcohol and Q-tips (no oil or graphite). Epee: tip screwdriver, 6mm wrench, test weight, shims. Foil: gaffer tape, tip screwdriver, 5mm wrench, 8mm ratcheting wrench, test weight. Saber: 8mm wrench. Upgrades: Leon Paul combi weight, Negrini feeler gauges, Whiteside tester.

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