Innovation and inventions in fencing (new book)

INNOVATIONS AND INVENTIONS IN FENCING George and Shalva Kokochashvili, Tbilisi, Georgia, 2014

This book was written by George and Shalva Kokochashvili, twin brothers from Tbilisi Georgia (a European country). Both authors are civil engineers and share the same hobby: inventions. They hold sixteen Georgian and Soviet Union patents for inventions in sport, medicine (surgery, plastic surgery, burn, water therapy) and engineering. They have been engaged in fencing since 1972 till present and, so far, they have designed and tested dozens of fencing handles.

This work is a compilation of various pieces of information and contains a wealth of graphical material (some of which is being published for the first time), on fencing history, fencing weapons, fencing for disabled people, Georgian and other historical fencing; a description and explanation of existing fencing equipment and its evolution and innovation up to the present; fencing training devices; various worldwide inventions, including devices by the Kokochashvili brothers (specifically, new fencing handle designs and several training devices that can be used not only by fencers but in other kind of sport and by disabled or blind people; fencing equipment suppliers and other interesting and unusual information about famous people engaged in fencing, and much more besides.

This book is dedicated to all those who enjoy fencing and inventions.

George (left) and Shalva (right) Kokochashvili

ISBN 978-9941-0-5338-2. Copyright Š2014 by George Kokochashvili, Shalva Kokochashvili

Contents Authors’ introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 3 Foreword ....................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Short history of fencing ............................................................................................................................................ 7 Fencing weapons ..................................................................................................................................................... 10 Fencing as a therapy .............................................................................................................................................. 46 Fencing injuries ........................................................................................................................................................ 48 Wheelchair Fencing ................................................................................................................................................ 50 Fencing for blind ...................................................................................................................................................... 53 Fencing on bayonet ................................................................................................................................................. 55 Singlestick .................................................................................................................................................................. 57 Khevsuretian Dashna (Epee)............................................................................................................................... 58 A short chronological history development of fencing sport................................................................... 61 Fencing Grip .............................................................................................................................................................. 69 Handle inventions, patents .................................................................................................................................. 85 Innovative Fencing Handles of Kokochashvili .............................................................................................. 88 Handles of Kokochashvili KT (Transforming) ............................................................................................. 92 Handles of Kokochashvili K .................................................................................................................................. 93 Handles of Kokochashvili KG (with small guard under the lower part) ............................................. 94 Make your own design of the handle ................................................................................................................ 95 Training devices for fencers ................................................................................................................................ 96 Training device for fencers of Kokochashvili ..............................................................................................102 Training device for coordination moving of fencers ................................................................................105 Training device for sportsmen of sports games of Kokochashvili .......................................................105 Supplement ..............................................................................................................................................................109 Fencing weapon handles.....................................................................................................................................110 Fencing equipment suppliers ................................................................................................................................117 Interesting and Funny staff ...............................................................................................................................120 Finger Jousting .......................................................................................................................................................120 Fencing - computer games .................................................................................................................................121 Funny people ...........................................................................................................................................................123 Fencing quotes ........................................................................................................................................................125 Vintage pictures on Fencing thematic ...........................................................................................................126 Famous people and fencing ...............................................................................................................................131 1

Annotated Bibliography which were used in the book ............................................................................135 Sources of information about fencing ............................................................................................................139 Name of patents used for book .........................................................................................................................141 Literature and sources used for the book .....................................................................................................143

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There would have been no enjoyment in fencing and inventions if our families hadn’t completely backed us. This work truly relates what can happen given a little luck and supportive family. We dedicate this book to memory of our beloved mother Mrs. Nelli Nishnianidze and father Mr. Otar Kokochashvili, big funs of sport and inventions, without whom we cannot fence or invent …

George and Shalva Kokochashvili

Authors’ introduction Please allow us to introduce ourselves: we George and Shalva Kokochashvili twin brothers from Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia (a European country). We are both civil engineers and our hobby is inventions. We both hold sixteen Georgian and Soviet Union patents for inventions in sport, medicine and engineering. We began to train in fencing in 1972, and have continued this down to the present.

In sport we have following inventions and patents, which can be used by fencers and others: 1. Kokochashvilis’ Training Device for Fencers (# 432, # 1397049, 1988) 2. Kokochashvilis’ Handle for Cold Steel (# 431, # 1572664, 1990) 3. Kokochashvilis’ Handle for Fencing Weapon (# 444, #1466767, 1989) 4. Kokochashvilis’ Handle-2 for Fencing Weapon (# 433, # 1734800, 1992) 5. Kokochashvilis’ Training Device for Sportsman of Sports Games (# 443, # 1535553, 1990) We have ourselves made and tested a dozen designs of fencing handles that gave quite positive results. For a long time now we have been trying to realize (produce and commercialize) our inventions, but this is more difficult than coming up with new inventions.

The aim of the present book is to identify and describe similar or different issues and topics in fencing sport and its equipment’s. We fully realize that each idea or invention needs testing, approval, and so on. We have decided that publication may attract some attention and interest: ‘better late, than never,’ as the saying goes. Samples of our innovative items for various applications have been distributed and introduced to different entities worldwide. Meanwhile it is understandable that, without official permission from the Fedération International d’Escrime (FIE), it is not allowed to use new fencing handles at official competitions.

During the many years of engaging in fencing, we have checked most of the information available from different sources in a number of languages (including English, French, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Georgian, Russian, German, etc.). We have found that each author has his own vision, ideas and so on. In some sources different dates were shown, or different explanations, rules, and so on, given while referring to the same materials historically, to legislation, rules and the like. For this reason, the present authors decided that, for greater accuracy, only the latest available updates to the rules and regulations of official bodies, for example, the FIE or other organizations or federations, would be used.

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Gathering information on fencing is a huge and never ending task and it was also our big wish to have such information in one book. Our aim here is to provide general information about this beautiful sport not only for fencers, but also for other readers, to learn something about fencing and the evolution of fencing equipment. For us the main purpose was to connect somehow our fencing inventions (fencing handles and training devices) to existing inventions in fencing and, at the same time, to show the development of fencing through innovation and inventions.

Some Internet articles do not mention the names of their authors, and for this reason we give only the title and web address. We have included in a supplement some interesting information about fencing weapons, companies, dealers in fencing equipment and the like.

Indeed, there are also other sources of the information, which can be updated at any time. You are welcome to provide any additional information to the authors.

We would like to thank everybody who has written even the briefest of items on the popularization of fencing as the beautiful art of fighting with swords.

Especially we are grateful to one of the world’s great geniuses, Thomas Alva Edison, for his great inventions and quotes.

We also thank each and every one who will be interested in seeing our work.

Big fans of fencing and innovations, we dedicate this work to all those people who enjoy fencing and inventions. We hope that it will inform and inspire a new generation of young athletes and that this work will increase the number of the fencing fans worldwide.

Very sincerely yours, Mr. George Kokochashvili Mr. Shalva Kokochashvili Masters of Sport in fencing Inventors-Engineers E-mail: gkokochashvili@yahoo.co.uk gkokochashvili@gmail.com skokochashvili@gmail.com Tbilisi, Georgia (country in Europe), 2014

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Necessity is the mother of invention.

Plato –Greek philosopher

Foreword I have the honor to present this foreword to the Georgian engineers and inventors, and sword fencing Masters of Sport Mr. George Kokochashvili and Mr. Shalva Kokochashvili for their work "Innovations and Inventions in Fencing" (Georgia, Tbilisi, 2014).

The presented work authors George and Shalva Kokochashvili are the authors of many inventions and projects in different fields (sport, medicine, engineering, and others) with over 30 years’ experience, and involved in fencing more than 40 years as winners and other prize holders at many international and national championships, the national fencing team members. Twin brothers Kokochashvili with their seniority and experience are describing with highly professionally subjects related to fencing - one of the oldest and most beautiful sport; fencing’s world history and related inventions, without which it is impossible to have the progress. All this contributes to not only the sport, but also for the development of other fields, which are needed as sports results, as well as educational activities, culture and health behaviors and development.

The presented work "Innovations and Inventions in Fencing" is such first book where there are collected in such form the large amount of technical and historical materials from the multilingual ancient and modern sources. In a very interesting way here are presented the fencing tools varieties and the latest invented items including the authors’ George and Shalva Kokochashvili’s inventions (which are protected by the and Inventors Certificates) Georgian new fencing weapon handles and training equipment for the first time it’s compared with the ancient and modern worldwide inventions, such as Italian, French, Belgian and others. Brother Kokochashvili’s sport innovations are not only desirable and necessary for only fencing, but they can be used in other fields too, which is given in this paper. Also these devices can be used for disable people during their training and sport activities. Mr. George and Mr. Shalva Kokochashvili work "Innovations and Inventions in Fencing" pays attention to the historical Georgian ancient Fencing weapons, which is useful to the interested persons of all ages around the world, and which is undoubtedly a glorious thing for our country.

Mr. George and Mr. Shalva Kokochashvili’s fencing weapon handles were been promoted many years on various levels (tournaments, publications, samples, etc.). These devices were been applied to the relevant agencies in many countries, federations. The samples have been exhibited in numerous exhibitions and used in fencing competitions at various levels and also sent for testing in fencing centers of various countries.

Once again I want to stress that I consider a great honor to have the opportunity to make a reference for such kind of start of the work, and I wish to the Georgian inventors and fencers George and Shalva Kokochashvili great success with their projects, boundless stamina and health in the implementation of their noble deeds.

At any time, upon request, I am ready to provide you with additional recommendations.

With great respect, 5

Mr. Jumber Lezhava Director of the Jumber Lezhava International Foundation, Guinness World Record Multiple Holder in Press-Ups UNESCO World Sportsman of the citizen Honorary Citizen of various countries and the cities King Vakhtang Gorgasali First Degree Order holder The State Prize Laureate Knight of the many medals and awards Sports Honored Worker Engineer, inventor, writer and traveler Professor, Honorary Academician "The Man of Georgia 2002" and "Man of the World 2009" Nominated in the book “Great Minds of 21st century (American Biographical Institute, USA, 2013) Honorable participant of the Olympic Games / Guest (Atlanta 1996, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012), Etc. E - Mail: Jumber-lezhava@mail.ru

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I am proud of the fact that I never invent weapon to kill.

Thomas A. Edison(Most famous American Inventor who, singly or jointly, held a world record 1.093 patents. In addition, he created the World’s first industrial research laboratory, 1847-1931)

Short history of fencing With the word “Fencing”, everybody will remember the great novel of Alexandre Dumas “Three Musketeers”, first serialized in 1844, in the 17th century. It recounts the adventures of a young man named d'Artagnan after he leaves home to travel to Paris, to join the Musketeers of the Guard. D'Artagnan is not one of the musketeers of the title; those are his friends Athos, Porthos and Aramis, inseparable friends who live by the motto "all for one, one for all" ("tous pour un, un pour tous"), a motto which is first put forth by d'Artagnan. 1 Alexandre Dumas spent two month and seven days there, in Tbilisi, Georgia. He was so overwhelmed with impressions that he began to write his book “Le Caucase” (“Caucasus”) before leaving for France. He describes the nature, traditions, sights, Tbilisi, the Georgian cuisine virtuosic ally, with great love for his host city… He is inspired by the theater and baths in Tbilisi. Dumas enthusiastically collected Georgian armaments, clothes, ethnographic materials. During his visit, he was living in the house of the Georgian philanthropist Jakob Zubalashvili. Dumas left the city on 11 January, 1859 2 .

Family of Zubalashvili is the relative to Kokochashvili family in Georgia and Mrs Anastasia Zubalashvili our granny and very kindest person, who had a lot of memory about her famous relatives hosting in Georgia the great Alexandre Dumas.

It’s obvious that most readers of this novel wanted to become one of musketeer and to know fencing well, which has quite a long history.

The human being has always tried to invent weapons to defend himself against the nature and other human beings, and this since Cain: he used his strength, resorted to his material, improved his dexterity and used his intelligence. The history of fencing gives a marvelous account of all that 3.

The earliest depiction of swordplay is a relief (Fig.1) in the temple of Medīnat Habu, near Luxor in Egypt, built by Ramses III about 1190 B.Sc. depicts a sporting competition organized by the Pharaoh to celebrate his victory over the Libyans. The weapons - certainly sticks with bronze plates in the end - are buttoned. Hands are protected by a guard similar to that of sabre, and some of the fencers have the face protected by a mask, whose chin rolling pad, covering both ears, is attached to the wig. The non-sword arm is used for parrying blows and is protected by a kind of shield. 4 One can identify a jury presiding over the tournament.

The translation of hieroglyphs teaches us that the opponents shouted at each other “On guard … and admire what my valiant hand is going to make!”, and that spectators did not spare encouragements for their favorites: “Go! O excellent fighter!”. The winner salutes with his 7

“Figure 8” guard foils A – Iron mounting “figure 8” guard, corded handle; B – Special “club” foil.

C – Ladies foil The Spalding Special Detachable foil Bell guard foil A – Nickel-plated bell guard, leather covered handle.

B –Reinforced nickel-plated bell guard and high polished, leather covered handle.

C –Ladies foil. Small bell guard with nickelplated and polished; Leather covered handle.

Spalding, special Italian Pattern foil Rubber foil button. We are thinking that this is for protection head of the blade, so no injury can result from a touch or hit.

Fig. 22

Fig. 23

Different guard design of the French foil (Fig. 23)

Foils of 19th-20th century

Neapolitan foil, Italy. Early or mid-19th century

Foil for “gioco misto”. Straight cord covered handle, brass pommel, Italy, Mid-19th century Classic French foil. Guard with rings formed “number eight”, France Late 19th-early 20th century.

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Italian foil. Late 19th- early 20th century.

Fig. 24 There is quite interesting issue that acting fencers are developing fencing equipment’s, like as Pavel Kolobkov (Russian, epee fences) has developed Kolobkov Pro epee blades, together with help of Leon Paul, mentioning by Craig Harkins on 2007 16.

Epee - the second sporting weapon was introduced as a reaction against the “artificial” conventions of the foil and was intended to simulate the conditions of a duel as closely as possible - the target here is any part of the body. Epee fencing was developed in Paris in the 1860s. Most epee tournaments before Second World War were fenced in the open air on gravel path, with bouts initially for just one hit.

Epee - Directly descended from neo-Latin terms, in use in various countries, chiefly Spain, Italy and France, for the straight thrusting weapon: espada, espé, espée, épée. A European form of a long thrusting weapon (from centuries previous) bore the similar name of Estoc.

Target area for Epee

Schematic elements for the Epee

Fig. 25 In epee the weapon used is a maximum of 770 grams, with a maximum length of 110cm. Epee had a large ‘cereal bowl’ guard. The valid target area is the whole body, head to toe, including arms and hands. Any hit upon the earthed piste or on the opponent's grounded weapon will not cause the apparatus to register. The basic rule of engagement is that the first to hit his or her opponent has scored (Fig.25). Below shown some designs of the epee. Fig. 26

Italian epee, 1885 17 - Giordano Rossi.

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French epee for duels, France Mid. 19th century Epee for electrical system fencing, France.

1930-1940

Different design of the guards for epee N.T. Poddobri (1940)

Epee “da terreno”, Italy. Early 20th century.

Fig. 26

Fig. 27

The World Championship, Epee, Budapest, (Hungary) August, 1959. Left – Tassinari (Italy), right Guram Kostava (Georgia, Two-fold World Champion in team competition /1961, 1967/) (Fig. 27) Sabre - sabre, also spelled “saber”, heavy military sword with a long cutting edge and, often, a curved blade. Most commonly a cavalry weapon, the sabre was derived from a Hungarian cavalry sword introduced from the Orient in the 18th century; Therefore in the late 19th century an Italian fencing master, Giuseppe Radaelli, developed a lightweight fencing sabre that could be manipulated with the speed and accuracy of a foil. By the early 1900s, Italian master had introduced the principle of this new weapon to all fencing countries. The military sabre had been relegated to a ceremonial role by the 20th century, while the fencing sabre had

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innovation. The first masks were made of continuous metal (instead of from the steel grid entered subsequently), in them openings for eyes so the part of the person most needing protection appeared as a result of open for a prick, casual or intended were cut through 49.

La Boessiere’s invention created a turning point in fencing as a sport. The safety that this mask offered, allowed instructors and masters to focus on more varied techniques, on precision and even increased the speed of swordplay! It sparked more development in non-fatal techniques emphasising strategy and calculated plans of attack. Fencing became more of a thinking game.

The mask has been improved over the years with new and more resilient materials being used to offer optimal protection and comfort.

Even though the mask is absolutely crucial, it is not the only important part of modern protective equipment. La Boessiere’s innovation along with recent advances in protective gear has made fencing one of the safest sports practiced today. The sample of mask please see (Fig. 52).

Fencing mask 50 (K. T. Bulochko, 1967) XVIII century (a, b, c); Fencing mask XIX century (d, e, f); Modern mask for fencing for the period of 1967: g – for foil; H – epee; K – sabre.

De La Boesserie mask (1780)

US Army military fencing mask, 18 century 51

French, late 18 c .

Russian (1850)

Sabre fencing mask for military use, Italy, 1850. (Palazzo Cisterna 53)

French (1870)

Wire mask, plain,

Wire mask, with ear

Wire mask, with ear

th

52

31

Fig. 68

So called “round “ fencing strip can be found from the engraving of the 15th eyelid of the German master of fencing Hans Talkhoffer on which "Mordschlag" reception (German a mortal blow) and counteraction is shown it 76 (Fig. 68).

Point (tip) - The end of the blade, which must touch the opponent's target area to score a point.

Below shown evolution of developing score point for the weapon.

Fig.69

Russian sport fencing weapons points from the period of Peters’ epee with round, sharp points till the electric epee point with the cylinder shape point (1967 period 77, Konstantin Bulochko) (Fig.69).

Fig. 70

In order that the end of head of the epee weapon does not slip on a suit of the fencer, it was supplied with sharp teeth point. Such kind of points were made together with blade, or were fixed separate on the blade and then fixed on the top (1953), according to V. Loim. The sharp tooth was fixed on the blade with rope 78 (Fig. 70).

Fig. 71

Method fixing the head for foil of epee (proposed by N. Poddobri, (1940) (Fig. 71)

In pre electric 79 era, epeeists used a point d’arret (“stopping point), a three-pronged point with small protracting spikes, which Fig. 72 would snag on the opponent’s clothing or mask, helping the referee to see hits. The spikes caused epee fencing to be a notoriously painful affair, and epeeists could be easily recognized by the tears in their jacket sleeves (Fig. 72).

For checking the touch of the weapon on the body was invented special marker points. There were different designs of such kind of market points.

Marker head. In time of hit on a suit of the fencer, with sharp teeth (length 2 mm), touch as marked with ink, which was in the small balloon of the head 80 (1940) (Fig. 73).

Fig. 73

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from the guard; The individual way of a continence of a saber is closer to tail part of the handle (Fig. 127, B.).

Fig. 127

A

B

V. Arkadiev in “Fencing” (page 78) (1959) - mentions, that the distance of the thumb finger from the guard is approximately 1 sm. (Fig. 128) Fig. 128

Holding foil with different type of grip, according to K. Bulochko ”Fencing” (page 10), and V. Arkadiev, namely holding Italian grip, the location of the thumb finger is approximately 1 sm. from the guard (Fig. 129).

Straight handle

Handle with cross handle

Pistol grip Fig. 129

Fig. 130 Holding epee handle with ordinary, normal style (Fig 130 A), holding the handle with lengthening of the handle (Fig. 130. B), when the position of the thumb finger from the guard is approximately 2 sm. according to V. Arkadiev.

Different style of the holding the epee also provide by Giuseppe Mangiarotti 171 in “La Spada” (page 63) (1971). (Fig. 131)

A – Normal;

B – lengthening the handle.

Holding with anatomic grip.

Fig. 131 77

List of handles of existing fencing weapons

Fig. 133 79

A good idea is never lost. Even though its originator or possessor may die without publicizing it, it will someday be reborn in the mind of another....

Thomas A. Edison

Handle inventions, patents As a design of the handles, we would like to provide as an example, the 1908 Pattern Cavalry Trooper's Sword 187 (and the 1912 Pattern, the equivalent for officers) was the last service sword issued to the cavalry of the British Army. It was widely considered the most effective cavalry sword ever designed, although ironically its introduction occurred as swords finally became obsolete as military weapons.

The rounded rectangular section chequered grip was of a semi-pistol configuration. Although not as extreme as modern fencing pistol or orthopedic grips, this design caused the blade to naturally align with the arm when the arm was extended, in position for a charge using the point. A thumb stop was indented on top of the grip, just behind the guard. The large pommel helped to keep the point of balance of the sword close to the guard, balancing the sword for its length.

The original official specification called, once again, for a “cut and thrust” blade and the final 18 inches (460 mm) of the blade was theoretically supposed to be sharpened, but little more than lip-service was paid to cutting ability. The straight blade prevented the slicing action of a curved sabre and the concussive force would be compromised by the hilt-biased balance. Furthermore the narrow blade was weak in the cutting axis, and the pistol grip with specialized thumb placement, ideal for thrusting, was awkward for the cut, provided by Andrew Jordan in his article “Knofs: design background” and “Blade smith”. 188189 (Fig. 155)

Drawing of one of the oldest sword handle

Fig. 155 We tried to find information about fencing weapon handles inventions and below are shown some of them (Fig.156) Existing patented fencing handles

1.

Handle for fencing weapon of Kokochashvili Authors: George Kokochashvili and Shalva Kokochashvili

Patent of Georgia 433 (1987); Patent SU # 1,734,800 (1992)

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2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Handle for cold steel of Kokochashvili.

Authors: George Kokochashvili and Shalva Kokochashvili Handle for fencing weapon of Kokochashvili Authors: George Kokochashvili and Shalva Kokochashvili

Cantilever Epee Handle Pack Leon Paul. 190

Ergonomic handle for a fencing weapon Author: Fernard Prat

Patent of Georgia 431 (1987); Patent SU # 1,572,664 (1990) Patent of Georgia 444 (1987); Patent SU # 1,466,767 (1989)

Patent Pending GB1306080.1 Patent # WO2008/096080 (A1); (2008) Patent France # 2,910,819.

(2006)

Fencing sword Author: Julius Henry Reinhardt

Patent US 6,565,484 B1 (2003)

Handle for fencing weapons Author: Ganz Ulrich

DE 3,414,912 (1985)

8.

Foil Handle Author: Kwong -.Yu.R. Lee

US Patent 2,663,251 (1982)

9.

Handle for fencing epee, sabre or foil Author: John Culling

US Patent 234,836.

(1975) US Patent 234837 (1975) US Patent 234,839 (1975)

10.

Handle for fencing epee, sabre or foil Author: John Culling

US Patent 234,838 (1975)

11.

Handle for weapon of fencing particularly for foil and epee Author: Francois Jean-Paul

FR 2,262,791 ( 1975)

12.

Hand guard for file Author: Rimond.E. Lind Etal

US Patent 3,121,938 (1964)

13.

Sword Author: Frederick W. Moehle,

US Patent 2,544,563 (1951)

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14.

Sword Author: G.L. Marble

US Patent 1,886,567 (1932)

15.

Handled implement Author: Henry.F. Everett

US Patent 840,832.

(1907)

Fig. 156

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To have a great idea, have a lot them.

Thomas A. Edison

Innovative Fencing Handles of Kokochashvili More than 3 decades, we are trying to develop fencing equipment’s: handles for the fencing weapons and training devices for the fencers.

We are familiar with most of products and designs of existing fencing handles worldwide.

Several new designs of handles we developed, are quite different in design, in comparising the existing ones. Out handles are been tested, and gave quite good results. The design and size of our handles are satisfying requirements according to the FIE regulations. Comparison of the dimensions of existing handle with our designs, made according to the FIE regulation.

Our aim was to create handles, which can be used by different users, including disabled. The novelties of our handles three of them (please see above mentioned table of patented handles) are also protected by Patent of Georgia an SU. Our main goal was the followings: •

This device can be used for fencing weapons. It can be easily assembled on the weapon and is attachable to all blades (epee, foil, sabre);

•

The shape of the handle guarantees reliable holding of the weapon, particularly at the back end thus and lengthening the weapon within the standard limits;

•

The design of the stops can be transformed and combined. It may be fixed according any size of the fingers and their anthropometry, depending at holding style of the weapon, which is useful for beginners and also for sportsman’s, who wanted to changed their style of fencing and etc;

•

The fencer’s fingers embrace of the handle and are fixed and pressed against the stop and fixed in one position and mean time avoid injury;

•

The handle can be adapted both for right-hander and for left-hander fencer in a short time of period (couple of minutes);

•

On the basic design handles of various types and modifications can be designed.

•

Our handles can be used also for handicapped fencers, who had a problem (missing finger, and etc.) with holding of existing design of handles;

•

Material of the handles should be the same as existing ones and the meantime the weight should satisfied the requirements;

•

The design of our handle is combination of Italian and pistol grip, which can be made according to the individual design and shape. In the same time the design can be done using the new technology, material “Sugru” (about these please see the next chapter.)

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We are providing basically three different modifications of handles, which are Transforming KT (Fig. 157) - Handle for fencing weapon of Kokochashvili, Patent of Georgia #444 (1987); Patent SU # 1,466,767 (1989); General K (Fig. 158) - Handle for cold steel of Kokochashvili. Patent of Georgia 431, 1987, Patent SU # 1,572,664 (1990); and Handle with so called Small guard KG (Fig. 159) - Handle for fencing weapon of Kokochashvili. Patent of Georgia #433 (1987); Patent SU # 1,734,800 (1992). Not all the designs of our newly invented handles are presented in this work (due to the understandable and objective reasons).

As an argument of our main aim and goal, that the handle should be comfortable design we can use some phrase by Prof. John Edward Smith from the book “Foil fencing” 191 (page 17), where there is mentioned that: “As there are a number of equipment manufacturers producing handles in different styles and sizes, when selecting a weapon choose one that permits the weapon to be held comfortably, with the point of balance of the weapon just forward of the guard. Our hands are not all formed according to the manufacturer’s specifications and in some instances it may be necessary to modify orthopedic handles to individual requirements. The length of the handle between the shell and the projections may have to be shortened or lengthened in order to bring the thumb and forefinger into the correct position. Additionally the upper projection may have to be modified to permit the thumb to lie along the top of the handle. As handles are made of either plastic or aluminum this is not difficult”.

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Famous people and fencing Adrian Paul - (1959) England, star of The Highlander TV series. This series probably did the most for fencing of any venue. The Highlander series had a club that sold the series' swords, tshirts, etc. "There can only be one." "Highlander" (1992) His alter ego was Duncan MacLeod, the Highlander.

Alain Delone - (1935) is a French actor. He learned fencing, skills which he used in movies “Zorro”, “The black tulip” and etc.

Albrecht Dürer - (1471-1528) was a German painter, engraver, printmaker, mathematician, and theorist from Nuremberg. Quite interesting illustrates are made for fencing fighting scenes, wrestling is book “Albrecht Durers fechbuch”, by Friedrich Dornhoffer. Wien, Leipzig. 1910.

Aldo Nadi – (1899 - 1965) is considered among the greatest fencers of all time. Won 4 Olympic medals before he was 22 years old. After some defeats in his early years, went on to be the undefeated and uncontested master champion in the fencing world.

Aleksander Pushkin - (1799-1837) was a Russian poet. In Lyceum he was learning fine arts and gymnastics, calligraphy, drawing, dancing, fencing, horsemanship, and swimming. He graduated with good marks French, and fencing. Pushkin challenged him to a duel and was killed with a pistol (the Baron's weapon of choice). When Pushkin challenged Dantes to a duel, he believed that the Frenchman having but rules of duel the right for a weapon choice, will want to fight on sabers. However the murderer of the great poet preferred not risk. If to fence, it is so necessary to remove from itself top dress and to remain in a shirt. Dantes solved to be shot, having put on under an overcoat fenny protected clothes in which the bullet could not punch. Pushkin was excellent shooter.

Alexandre Dumas - (1802 –1870) French writer, best known for his historical novels of high adventure. The famous writer of The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo, participated in duels. He was regarded as the world's expert on all matters related to fencing and the duel.

Baron Pierre de Coubertin – (1863 –1937) was a French educator and historian, and founder of the International Olympic Committee, was a fencer 257.

Benito Mussolini - (1883-1945) was an Italian dictator, and although he was not thought to be very adept at fencing, he thought he was.

Bruce Dickinson – (1958) is an English musician, airline pilot and broadcaster best known as the lead vocalist of the metal band “Iron Maiden”. Dickinson's interests include literature, writing, fencing (at which he has competed internationally, placing 7th in Great Britain, and has founded a fencing equipment company under the brand name "Duellist" Catherina Zeta-Jones, Madonna and Rosamund Pike all kept fencing even after learning the sport for their roles in “Mask of Zorro” and ‘Die another day”.

Claude Carliez - (1925) is a French master at arms in classical fencing who became a period and fencing advisor to French films. He graduated to a stunt performer, stunt coordinator, special effects person and film director. He worked with such legends of the French cinema as Jean Marais, Louis de Funes, Gérard Oury and Jean-Paul Belmondo. He was a President of the Academie d'Armes de France and the first President of the French Stuntman's Union.

Cornell Wilde – (1912 – 1989) was a Hungarian-American actor and film director. He qualified for the United States fencing team prior to the 1936 Summer Olympic Games, but quit the team just prior to the games in order to take a role in the theater. He wrote a fencing play, Touché, under the pseudonym Clark Wales in 1937. Wilde was hired as a fencing teacher by Laurence Olivier for his 1940 Broadway production of Romeo and Juliet and was given the role of Tybalt in the production. His performance in this role netted him a Hollywood film contract.

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Douglas Fairbanks – (1883 – December 12, 1939) was an American actor, screenwriter, director and producer. His fencing skills was used in movies: ‘The three Musketeers”, “Robin Hood”, “The iron mask” and etc.

Duncan Peter Regehr – (1952) is a Canadian writer, multi-media artist, and film and television actor. He was a classically trained Shakespearean actor and he was familiar with stage fencing.

He starred as Zorro in the New World Series on the Family Channel.

Ezra Weston Loomis Pound - (1885 -1972) was an American expatriate poet and critic of the early modernist movement. He became fencing master and secretary to the great Irish Poet W. B. Yeats, after meeting him in 1912. William Butler Yeats started learning to fence at age fortyeight. Eleven years after learning to fence, Yeats won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1923.

Gabrielle Émilie Le Tonnelier de Breteuil, marquise du Châtelet - (1706 – 1749) French mathematician, physicist. She also studied fencing, riding and gymnastics General George Patton – (1885 –1945) was a general in the United States Army. He was a member of U.S. Olympic Fencing and Pentathlon teams in the 1912 Olympics and once owned a riding crop with a blade in the handle made by Georgio Santelli, New York fencing instructor and equipment manufacturer.

George Peppard - (1928 –1994) was an American film and television actor and producer. Was a fencing instructor before becoming famous in ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ with Audrey Hepburn.

George Washington – (1732 - 1799) was the first President of the United States was a fencer. In those times, and in times prior, everybody who was anybody carried and sword and knew how to use it.

Gina Lollobrigida – (1927) is an Italian actress, photojournalist and sculptor. Fencing master Enzo Musumeci Greco learned fencing to Gina Lollobridgida on the film “Beautiful but dangerous”, in which her fencing in an extraordinarily tight corset 258.

Grace Kelly - (1929 –1982) was an American film actress and Princess of Monaco as the wife of Prince Rainier III. She was trained to fence for her role in ‘The Swan’, Charles Vidor’s 1956 movie in which Grace Kelly plays a princess who adores fencing.

Guy Williams – (1924 – 1989) was an American actor and former fashion model, portrayed Zorro on the Disney TV Series. Williams was a fencer but took more lessons for this venue. Williams was 6 foot 3 inches tall and used a real foil not a stage weapon in Disney's Zorro.

Harry S. Truman - (1884 –1972) was the 33rd President of the United States. He fenced at West Point.

Istvan Szabo - (1938) is a Hungarian film director, screenwriter, and opera director. Was the director of Sunshine (2000) was a fencer himself.

Jerard Philipe – (1922 –1959) was a prominent French actor. He played role sword-fencing hero, Fanfan la Tulipe, in 1951.

Jerry O'Connell - a 1995 graduate of NYU where he fenced saber, starred in his first movie, ‘Stand by Me’. He was the lead in the T.V. show.

Jessica Yu - member of the 1986 USA National Fencing Team that competed at the World Championships, won an Academy Award for her documentary “Breathing Lessons: The Life and Work of Mark O'Brien”. She has directed episodes of hit shows like “E.R.” and “The West Wing”, according to IMDB.com.

Jim A. Naismith - (1861-1939) a famed fencing master and all-around American sportsman.

Naismith invented basketball at the YMCA College in Springfield, Massachusetts, 1891. He was an original member of and the Basketball Hall of Fame was named in his honor in 1959, in the USA. 132