Uhlmann 'SM' FIE Maraging Blades?

[Balaestra]

I'm getting my first set of electric gear and I was just wondering what kind of FIE approved blade I should get. I'm leaning towards the 'SM' blade by Uhlmann (because they don't import 'FS' blades into AUS), but the reviews on this website say that Vniti makes a very good FIE blade.
I'm fairly new to fencing (17weeks) so my arm and hand and wrist aren't rock solid yet, so I need a blade that isn't heavy and stiff (eg. 'BF'). I haven't learnt how to flick yet, so a really whippy blade isn't what I'm after.
Any opinions or experiences would be welcome.

P.S. this is for foil

[CvilleFencer]

If you find BF blades "heavy" chances are you would not be able to pick up a Vniti without using two hands! Vniti are the overall best and longest lasting foil blades around IMHO but they are a bit heavy. StM blades are a bit lighter, and tend to be fairly long lasting but towards the end of their life they take weird bends that they never recover from.

I would by my StM blades from someone other than Uhlmann as you can save a few bucks without the premium mark on them. Check out www.thefencingpost.com or www.shopeli.com for some really good prices on StM blades. They are the same that Uhlmann sells, just less.

If you are looking for a lightweight FIE blade I am fond of the new prieur Chevalier blades. You can find them at the fencing post or at WWW.blue-gauntlet.com. They are cheaper than any of the other and if you have a soft hand will last for a good while.

Hope all of that helped!

[Wraith]

I've used an StM blade (which is the "real" name for Uhlmann's SM or MtS blades) for a few months now, and I like it alot. I like my Vniti foil better, but as Cville said, Vniti's are heavier than BF's though they are not nearly as stiff (at least mine isn't, but I might have got a good one), so if you need a relatively light blade, StM should do fine. However, if you have only been fencing 17 weeks, it might not be a good idea to start using FIE maraging blades just yet. I also endorse Cville's suggestion of using a source other than Uhlmann (I got mine from Fencing Post for about 20 dollars cheaper)

[Namir]

I suggest you look at this thread from a few days ago...

"The Diffrence between "BF" "SM" and "FS" Blades" ---
http://www.fencing101.com/vb/showthread.php?t=12207

Also I do not find "BF" to be all that heavy I ordered mine from Triplette.com and simply asked for it light and they sent me one that was, no problem.

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Also... off topic... has anyone ordered from Shopeli.com yet? They have great prices but how is their service?

[cowpaste]

Why not start out with Maraging blades? The first electric blade I bought was maraging, and I have never regretted that decision. The blade is still in good condition, and I'd been fencing for less than a year when I made the purchase. Not every "beginner" rams the crap out of their blades. I learned rather quickly that causing 90 deg bends in blades was a bad thing and how to avoid it.

[Balaestra]

Thanks for all of your opinions! I'm probably going to get a cheaper blade as well, because I have to have two. I just thought that I would have a cheap one for practice, and a nice one for competitions. I do have a tendency to counter attack into an opponent's preparation using a straight lunge, so I need a blade that will take curves well. The last comp I went to was an open comp (everyone was way more advanced than me) and I used a fellow club member's electric gear, in one particular bout, I got many of my points from counter-attacking into my opponent's preparation (she was the U15 foil champ of my state so I knew I wouldn't be winning). However, after that bout, my friend's foil that I had been using was bent ridiculously downwards! I found after trying vainly to straighten it that I had bent it so it wouldn't really recover, but at least it was bending the right way!
So a maraging foil that takes bends (big ones) well would probably be the best.

[Wraith]

If you're a fan of attacking into preparations with a straight lunge, then I would say that it is imperative you *not* get a maraging blade. The kind of curves you described putting into a non-maraging blade will almost always snap a maraging. Oh course, on the plus side, the fact that your friend's foil bent down means you were landing your attacks at the right timings. Stick with a non-maraging, at least that's my opinion.

[downunder]

Originally Posted by Wraith

The kind of curves you described putting into a non-maraging blade will almost always snap a maraging.

not quite sure what you are on about there mate