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When you get a new lame, or you have one that is already working well, you want to make sure that you keep it in good repair. When beginning to care for your lame, you should remember that the lame is a metallic jacket made up of both fabric at metallic threads. The lame is in good working order when the metallic threads are intact and able to conduct electricity with little resistance.

The natural enemy of the foil and sabre lame is sweat. The salt in your sweat will work to corrode your lame from the first time that you fence, so you want to do everything possible to minimize the damage and extend the life of your lame. Most of the things that you can do are really common sense, but in order to save a couple of seconds of time some people throw that out the window.

After a night or day of fencing, make sure to put your lame on a hanger and hang it up in a dry area between uses. Do not wad it up and toss it in your weapon bag along with your damp uniform - that is a sure way to kill your lame and suck another hundred dollars out of your wallet. If you are one of those people who has especially corrosive sweat, then you will also want to gently rinse out your lame in the bathroom sink and then pat it dry with a towel or paper towels before hanging it up.

If you have to pack your lame in a bag, then roll it rather than folding it to prevent the metallic threads from being broken. Also, keep your lame with your weapons in a separate compartment from your uniform. This will help preserve both your weapons and lame.