Armourer Development

In fencing, the armourer (sometimes called the weapons master or technician) is the person responsible for the safety, compliance, and maintenance of equipment used in a competition or club.

Their main duties include:

Equipment control before competition

• Checking weapons (foils, épées, sabres) for conformity with regulations (dimensions, weight, flexibility, tip pressure, electrical function).
• Inspecting masks, jackets, gloves, lames, and body wires to ensure safety standards are met.
• Applying control marks/seals to approved gear.

Technical support during competition

• Repairing or replacing faulty weapons, body wires, or scoring apparatus.
• Assisting referees if there’s a dispute about whether a weapon is working or meets the rules.
• Ensuring scoring boxes, reels, and cables are functioning correctly.

Safety assurance

• Preventing dangerous equipment from being used (e.g., broken blades, masks with failed mesh, worn cords).
• Making sure electrical contact and resistance are within regulations to ensure fair scoring.

Club-level responsibilities (outside of tournaments)

• Maintaining the club’s stock of weapons, masks, and scoring equipment.
• Teaching fencers how to care for and check their own gear.

In short, the armourer is the technician and safety officer of fencing, ensuring that all gear is legal, functional, and safe to use.