Épée The épée is the modern derivative of the dueling sword , the smallsword ( itself descended from the rapier ) , used in sport fencing . " Épée " is French for " sword " . As a thrusting weapon the épée is similar to a foil ( compared to a sabre ) , but has a stiffer blade that is V - shaped in cross - section called a fuller , has a larger bell guard , and is heavier . The technique however , is somewhat different , as there are no rules regarding priority and right of way . In addition , the entire body is a valid target area . Background . While modern sport fencing has three weapons ( foil , épée , and sabre ) , each a separate event , épée is the only one in which the entire body is the valid target area . Épée is the heaviest of the three modern fencing weapons . Fencing matches with the épée require a large amount of concentration , accuracy and speed . Since the entire body is a target , a successful épée fencer must be able to anticipate their opponent ' s moves and strike their opponent at the correct time . In most higher - level competitions a grounded metal piste is used to prevent floor hits from registering as touches . Unlike sabre and foil , in épée there are no right - of - way rules regarding attacks , other than the aforementioned rule regarding touches with only the point of the weapon . Touches are awarded solely on the basis of which fencer makes a touch first , according to the electronic scoring machines . Also , double - touches are allowed in épée , although the touches must occur within 40 milliseconds ( 1 / 25 of a second ) of each other . Description . A modern épée for use by adult fencers ( size 5 ) has a blade which measures 90 cm from the bell guard to the tip ; the maximum allowable mass is 770g , but most competition swords are much lighter , weighing 300g - 450g . Épées for use by children under 13 are shorter and lighter ( size 2 ) , making it easier for them to use . The épée has a three - sided blade , in contrast to the foil and sabre which are rectangular in cross section . In competitions a valid épée touch is scored if a fencer touches the opponent with enough force to depress the tip ; by rule , this is a minimum force of . Since the hand is a valid target , the bellguard is much larger than that of the foil . The bell guard is typically made of aluminium or stainless steel . The tip is wired to a connector in the bellguard , then to an electronic scoring device or " box . " The bellguard , blade , and handle of the épée are all grounded to the scoring box to prevent hits to the weapon from registering as touches . In the groove formed by the V - shaped blade , there are two thin wires leading from the far end of the blade to a connector in the bellguard . These wires are held in place with a strong glue . The amount of glue is kept to a minimum as in the unlikely ( but possible ) case that a fencer manages a touch in that glue , the touch would be registered on the electrical equipment , as the glue is not conductive ( the blade is grounded ) . In the event of tip to tip hits , a point should not be awarded . A " body cord " with a three - pronged plug at each end is placed underneath the fencer ' s clothing and attached to the connector in the bellguard , then to a wire leading to the scoring box . The scoring box signals with lights ( one for each fencer ) and a tone each time the tip is depressed . The tip of an épée comprises several parts including : the mushroom - shaped movable tip ; its housing or " barrel " , which is threaded to the blade ; a contact spring ; and a return spring . The tips are generally held in place by two small grub screw s , which thread into the sides of the tip through elongated openings on either side of the barrel . The screws hold the tip within the barrel but are allowed to travel freely in the openings . While this is the most common system , screwless variations do exist . The return spring must allow the tip to support a force of without registering a touch . Finally , an épée tip must allow a shim of 1 . 5 mm to be inserted between the tip and the barrel , and when a 0 . 5 mm shim is inserted and the tip depressed , it should not register a touch . The contact spring is threaded in or out of the tip to adjust for this distance . These specifications are tested at the start of each bout during competitions . During competitions , fencers are required to have a minimum of two weapons and two body wires in case of failure or breakage . Each fencing weapon has a different tempo , and like foil , the tempo for épée is rather slow with sudden bursts of speed . History . As a French word , " épée " simply means " sword " ( ultimately a derivation from " spatha " ) . As an English term , " épée " was introduced in the 1880s for the sportive fencing weapon . Like the foil ( " fleuret " ) , the " épée " evolved from light civilian weapons such as the smallsword , which since the late 17th century had been the most commonly used dueling sword , replacing the rapier . The dueling sword developed in the 19th century when , under pressure from the authorities , duel s were more frequently fought until " first blood " only , instead of to the death . Under this provision , it became sufficient to inflict a minor nick on the wrist or other exposed area on the opponent in order to win the duel . This had consequences for both fencing technique and design of the weapon . Rapiers with full cup - guard s had been made since the mid 17th century , but were not widespread before the 19th century . Today , épée fencing very much resembles 19th century dueling . An épée fencer must hit the target with the tip of the weapon . A difference between épée and foil versus sabre is that a corps - à - corps or " body - to - body " contact between fencers is not necessarily an offense , unless it is done with " brutality or violence " . In the pre - electric era , épéeists used a " point d ' arrêt " ( " stopping point " ) , a three - pronged point with small protruding spikes , which would snag on the opponent ' s clothing or mask , helping the referee to see the hits . The spikes caused épée fencing to be a notoriously painful affair , and épéeists could be easily recognized by the tears in their jacket sleeves . Today non - electric weapons ( typically used for practice ) are generally fitted with plastic buttons .