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WABUKAN Arsenal · Protection and armour · Europe

Fencing mask

The steel-mesh mask with a neck bib that protects the face and throat in fencing; its strength is fixed by the rules of the international federation (FIE).

Fencing mask
Fencing mask WABUKAN illustration

Also known as

fencing mask; masque; careta

Origin and history

Fencing equipment has been made steadily safer. After the Soviet fencer Vladimir Smirnov died at the 1982 World Championships in Rome, Kevlar was added to top-level uniforms, including the bib of the mask. Modern masks come in versions for foil, sabre, épée or all three weapons.

Martial arts that use it

Olympic Fencing HEMA

Construction

A curved steel mesh over the face, padded inside, with a bib that covers the neck. A standard mask must support 12 kg on the mesh and 350 newtons on the bib; FIE competition masks must withstand 25 kg on the mesh and 1,600 newtons on the bib. In foil and sabre parts of the mask are electrically conductive so that hits can be scored.

Basic techniques

Training

Protective equipment is part of training itself: students learn to put it on correctly, check straps and padding, and move and breathe while wearing it before any contact work.

Safety

Protection only works if it fits: replace cracked, torn or compressed padding, check helmets and grilles regularly and let damp gear dry fully to avoid skin infections.

Legality (general information)

This is training or traditional equipment, not a weapon, and is generally free to buy and own. Clubs and federations may still set rules on approved models and condition. General information, not legal advice.

Did you know?

In foil the mesh must not extend below the chin, while in épée the mask must not be covered with any material that could make the point glance off.

More weapons

Gambeson Hogu (chest protector) Mouthguard Bogu Boxing gloves

Sources

Original WABUKAN text, written from these cross-checked sources (facts, not sentences).

  1. Wikipedia — Fencing