American Grip

[FoilyGeezer]

I tried one of these last night after a full night of fencing with a french grip. I hate to admit it, but I really liked it as much as the Visconti's I've been fencing with...if not more. But nobody seems to carry them.

Anyone know of anybody who carries American Grips and ....are they legal to use in competition?

Thanks in advance!

[Tireur]

Back in the 70s American Fencers used to carry them. I haven't looked at their stuff much since then.

[FoilyGeezer]

Nope. No gots.

Thanks for playing. We have some lovely parting gifts for you.

I wonder if this is too much of an antique to be questing for, in all practicality?

[Tireur]

As much as I hate to recommend them , TCA has them in their catalog.

Made me look...........

[ShadowHuntr]

yes they are legal, my thing with them is they are like an unconfortable belgian. to me, it looks very similar yet instead of thin smooth edges they are fat. I know people that use american in competition so they are legal, and i know someone that had to use one as a last resort.

[FoilyGeezer]

You Da Man, Tireur!

Oddly enough though, the grip I was fencing with last night had no grip spoke for the 4 and 5 fingers (like TCA's does). It was more like a belgian with the last spoke cut off. Or closer to the Spanish but not rounded. It felt good. Like a french, but with something to hold onto. Without the tendency to over-squeeze the grip, I found my point control was better, and I could still do those small finger movements you can only do with a french grip.

Hmmmm...Guy who owned it is in his 70's. Probably bought it from Santelli when I was still in diapers.

[Tireur]

Yeah, the one my buddy used in the 70s reminded me more of the Spanish, but it's been a long time.

[FoilyGeezer]

I wonder how much grief I'd get if I took a belgian and hacked off the last spoke? Any of you armorer's want to expound on modifiying one style of grip into another?

>edit: Actually looking back over some of the older posts on the Spanish grip, I'd imagine I'd get quite a bit of grief. Like disqualification. Too bad too, because it's really a nice compromise between the lightness of the french and the quick angulation of the pistols, only you don't tend to death-grip it, and I had absolutely no trouble flicking with it either...

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!!!!!

[ShadowHuntr]

yep, tough break :P

[DHCJr]

I would like to see anywhere in the rules, where it says you can't remove a prong from a legal handle and it become illegal. You can add to make it illegal, like tape on an Epee handle, but I have never seen anything where you can't remove.

[FoilyGeezer]

Originally Posted by DHCJr

I would like to see anywhere in the rules, where it says you can't remove a prong from a legal handle and it become illegal. You can add to make it illegal, like tape on an Epee handle, but I have never seen anything where you can't remove.

Don, I think the objection is that the removal of said prong allows the grip to be pommeled. In fact, while technically true: 1.) is is far from comfortable and 2.) Nobody in their right mind is going to pommel a foil.

N.B. That this is NOT the American grip pictured on the TCA site, but the one in American Fencer Catalog I think at the bottom of page 3, and either is or closely resembles a Belgian with the last prong cut off and rounded over.

http://www.amfence.com/afscat.pdf

I have short, wide, and very strong hands, so I find that Most of the pistols actually give me too much leverage and I find myself pushing the foil around. I've been fencing with a French grip, but find when I'm fencing 1.) Younger fencers or 2.) Forget that I'm not fencing with a pistol grip. I can tend to get myself into trouble meeting my opponents blade in oppostion and trying to power through. So while it probably sux for most of the fencers out there, I kinda liked it.

[DHCJr]

You could pommel a Visconte or a Belgium the same way with removing the bottom. So what's the point?

[FoilyGeezer]

I guess the point is not getting your weapons DQ'ed by some director because he doesn't like or know what grip you're using. I'm kinda on the fence with this. I'm thinking I might build my next electric around it anyway and let the cow chips fall where they may.

[Hurriranger]

anyone got a picture of this?

[Pho]

From the way you described the handle, my bet is that it is either a spanish ofset or a centrulo. A coach at a local club has the centrulo which he got from santelli a long tie ago (he is in his 80s). Its got two prongs held bythe first three fingers and a long oval shaped extension. He likes it because it reminds him of his old italian grip. The spanish offset is similiar but instead of a long oval extension it has a more flat extension to the wrist. I don't think centrulo's are made anymore though.

[FoilyGeezer]

Originally Posted by Hurriranger

anyone got a picture of this?

Follow the link a few posts up.

Originally Posted by Pho

From the way you described the handle, my bet is that it is either a spanish ofset or a centrulo. A coach at a local club has the centrulo which he got from santelli a long tie ago (he is in his 80s). Its got two prongs held bythe first three fingers and a long oval shaped extension. He likes it because it reminds him of his old italian grip. The spanish offset is similiar but instead of a long oval extension it has a more flat extension to the wrist. I don't think centrulo's are made anymore though.

No. A Cetrullo is a Cetrullo and a Spanish Offset is a Spanish Offset. This is an American Standard which is, in fact, not made anymore. It's a different grip entirely from the Cetrullo or the Spanish Offset (or the current American Grip for that matter) All three of the former are similar in that they have only two prongs on the grip, but all three of them are definitely different grips. The best approximation is a Belgian with the last prong cut off. It was never a particularly popular grip as it was neither a pistol or a classical grip. But it's kind of a moot point now anyway, since I've decided to stick with the MacVisconti {tm}.

[Tireur]

Can you attach one to a spork????

[FoilyGeezer]

The problem with the spork grip is the same. You can easily pommel with the spork grip (esp. the titanium ones) and even worse it will impart Super Spork Power to your attacks. While FIE has yet to make any specific rules concerning Super Spork Power, the general feeling is that it represents an unfair advantage to competitors using it.

[Schiavona]

Little Gods of Fencing! Reading this thread is making me feel old, American grip, Spainish Offset, Cetrullo-my buds and I fenced with these. Now, what-they sound like relics of the Holy Roman Empire or something.

As I remember the American always felt unbalanced in my hand, but Oh! the ANGLES you could get with the Cetrullo!

[xcr]

I use a Belgian grip... I like it
American, Spanish... these I have not previously herd of...