Fencing:Glossary

Terms related to fencing

Hold

A call to immediately stop all activity on the field for safety concerns. Any person may call a hold.

Line

In melee combat, a minimum of two combatants, on the same side, in contiguous mutual weapons support range.

Terms related to types of blows

Thrust

The front (i.e. head-on cross section) of the point of a blade makes contact with the opponent.

Tip Cut

The tip of the blade is placed upon the opponent and moves across the opponent by dragging along the line of the edge of the sword.

Draw Cut

The edge of the blade is placed upon the opponent and slides in the line of the sword or dagger by:

• pulling (i.e. contact starts closer to the hilt and ends closer to the tip)
• pushing (i.e. contact starts closer to the tip and ends closer to the hilt).

Percussive Blow

The edge of the blade makes contact with the opponent with controlled force such that the opponent can reasonably feel the contact.

Terms related to acknowledging blows

Head

The head and entire mask or helmet

Body

The body head and torso includes the head and entire helmet, the neck, chest, abdomen, back, and the regions on the inner part of the upper arm and the inner thigh extending 10cm down from the armpit and the inner thigh, respectively

Hand

The hand, including all fingers, up to and including the wrist

Arm

The arm not including the hand or the area defined as part of the body

Upper Leg

The upper leg, not including the area defined as part of the body, down to and including the top of the kneecap and the crease at the back of the knee

Lower Leg

The foot, lower leg, and knee below the upper leg

Torso

The torso includes the chest, abdomen, back, and the region on the inner part of the upper arm extending 10cm down from the armpit.

In this context, external reproductive organs refers to penis and/or testicles

Hemangioma

A collection of blood vessels at the surface of the skin, characterized as a raised red growth. Hemangiomas that bleed more easily than regular skin must be covered by rigid material.

Terms related to equipment

Abrasion-resistant material

Material that will withstand normal combat stresses (such as being snagged by burr on a metal blade) without tearing. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• broadcloth
• a single layer of heavy poplin cloth (35% cotton, 65% polyester; "trigger" cloth)
• sweat pants
• opaque cotton, poly-cotton or lycra/spandex mix tights

Nylon pantyhose and cotton gauze shirts are examples of unacceptable materials.

Penetration-resistant material

Material that will predictably withstand a puncture as shown by passing a penetration test. The following materials are known to pass these tests when new:

• ballistic nylon rated to at least 550 Newtons
• commercial fencing clothing rated to at least 550 Newtons
• mail made of welded or riveted steel rings that will not admit a 5/32 inch (4 mm) diameter probe. Rings no greater than 0.155 inch (4 mm) in internal diameter made of wire no less than 0.020 inch (0.5 mm) thick meet this requirement

The above materials need only be tested at the marshal's discretion; all other materials must be tested the first time new gear is used, or if no marshal on the field knows a given piece of gear to have been tested.

Under Armour, Spandex, and other similar stretchy materials are not suitable components of penetration-resistant material and must not be included in testing. Kevlar is not an acceptable material, as it degrades rapidly.

Resilient padding

Material that compresses under pressure from a thumb but returns to its shape within 3 seconds of the pressure being removed

Rigid material

Material that will not significantly flex, spread apart, or deform under pressure of 12kg applied by a standard mask tester, repeatedly to any single point. Examples of rigid material are:

• 22 gauge stainless steel (0.8 mm)
• 20 gauge mild steel (1.0 mm)
• 16 gauge aluminium, copper, or brass (1.6 mm)
• one layer of hardened heavy leather (8 ounce, 3.2 mm)

Perforated material that meets this requirement must have holes no larger than 3 mm in any direction, and a spacing of at least 5 mm centre-to-centre.

Terms relating to weapons

Blunt

A protective covering for the tip of a sword or dagger.

• A blunt can be made of shatter-resistant polymer, rubber or leather.
• It must have a minimum size of 10mm in any direction that strikes the opponent.
• Polymer and rubber blunts must be at least 3mm thick between the striking surface and the tip or edge of the blade.
• Leather blunts must be at least 1.6mm thick.