Things You'll Need:
- Electric fencing cord
- Electric foil, sabre or epee
- Lame
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Step 1
Make sure the fencing cord matches the weapon. There are a number of different electrical cords in use and styles differ depending on whether you are using a foil, sabre or epee.
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Step 2
Slide the fencing cord through your lame (the fencing jacket), over your shoulder and along your weapon arm. Some lames are built specifically to accommodate the wire, while others are cheaper and less efficient. You should end up with the end of the wire sticking out of your lame sleeve at the wrist and the other end protruding from the bottom back of the lame.
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Step 3
Connect the cord's alligator clip to the appropriate spot on the back of the lame. This grounds the circuit and allows the wiring in the lame to pick up signals when it is struck with a weapon.
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Step 4
Connect the cord to the socket of your weapon, typically by inserting it and giving it a half turn to lock it in place (specific models may vary). This allows the machinery to register legal hits by your weapon, based on the style of fencing and the rules in play.
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Step 5
Connect the back of the cord to the floor reel, which links the fencer to the scoring apparatus and triggers a buzzer or light when one of the combatants scores a touch.
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Step 6
Test the connection by pressing the tip of the blade against a connected lame and then an unconnected area of the body. The cord should convey the proper signal (legal touch, illegal touch or off-target) for each particular hit.
