The Traveling Fencer's Kit

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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.

Body Cord Repair

These stay on the bench at home, not in the travel kit.

Body cord tester — I recommend the Whiteside Fencing Tester (Whiteside, $299). A nice ohmmeter also works: either an analog meter with a 5 ohm center scale (hard to find these days) or a digital multimeter with a responsive bar graph. But those run $100 or more and you still need a jig to plug the cords into, so you're better off with a dedicated fencing tester.
#1 Phillips screwdriver (Amazon) — Some body cords use Phillips screws.
4mm flat head screwdriver (Amazon) — For opening body cord shells.
2.5mm flat head screwdriver (Amazon) — Good for pin set screws.
Wire strippers (Amazon)
Ferrule crimper (Amazon)
Uninsulated ferrules — 18 AWG is the most common (Amazon). 20 AWG is for thinner wires, like Leon Paul 2-prong cords only (Amazon).
Soldering iron, solder and flux — For fixing lamé clips and mask cords.
Helping hands — Useful for holding the work while you solder.

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.

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. Body cord repair: Whiteside tester, #1 Phillips, 4mm and 2.5mm flat head screwdrivers, wire strippers, ferrule crimper and ferrules, soldering iron with solder and flux, helping hands. Upgrades: Leon Paul combi weight, Negrini feeler gauges.