Any opinions on Prieur FIE Maraging blades?

[Balaestra]

I know that it's a matter of preference, but what's the difference (if there is one) between Uhlmann maraging blades and Prieur Blades (electric)?

[CvilleFencer]

Going from your profile I will assume we are talking foil blades. My answers change a little for epee blades.

There are two main blades you can get from Uhlmann. BF and StM. BF are considered to be the best all around blade in the world and are very popular high-level foil blades. They are very quick and nicely balanced for most people and last a reasonable amount of time. StM Blades are a bit heavier, also come in a wide range of flexibility, and have some very pretty colors like gold, red, blue rainbow and of course just plain silver. Nice touch that. They seem to me to be a bit heavier than the BF blades and are quit durable but towards the end of their lifespan they tend to take weird bends that they never recover from.

The new prieur blades are very not bad. They have a dark blue finish that is not anywhere near as nice as the StM blades but does the job. They are by far the lightest FIE blades I have ever come across. I recently put one together with an LP plastic Belgian and ultralight mini guard and prieur blade for a young fencer and it was very surprising to me the difference between it and my Vniti swords. They weigh almost twice as much! On top of being light and fast the Prier blades are also a very good value.

All is not beer and skittles however. Light blades mean that I, being used to vniti's, tend to hit harder than normal and the blades actually through off my technique a bit until I fence a few bouts with it to get used to the weight and flex. Every one I have seen will take a lateral bend. Not a big deal and it will straighten right back out, just kind of strange.

I have been using one for about 4 months now and am very happy with mine. Light, fast and cheap. I also have BF and StM FIE blades in my bag as backups to my Vniti's and practice weapons. The Prieur is now my favorite for lesson and drills.


Hope all that helped and good luck!

[Artisan]

If you are talking about the ones [epee] marked: Chevalier D'Avignion, then I've had some experience with them. They are light, quick and stiff. It was the first blade I used that I had a real affinity for. They are also the most brittle blade I have used, and the three that I had all broke sooner than any other blades I've owned. One developed an unusual sideways bend - probably from being swept by someones arm in a late parry - but that I could not get out. I moved on to another type because at $80, they did not seem worth it, no matter hop much I liked them.

[mifencer]

Originally Posted by Artisan

If you are talking about the ones [epee] marked: Chevalier D'Avignion, then I've had some experience with them. They are light, quick and stiff. It was the first blade I used that I had a real affinity for. They are also the most brittle blade I have used, and the three that I had all broke sooner than any other blades I've owned. One developed an unusual sideways bend - probably from being swept by someones arm in a late parry - but that I could not get out. I moved on to another type because at $80, they did not seem worth it, no matter hop much I liked them.

The Chevalier D'Avignion (prieur's) for foil are the best for me. They're light and very flexible. I've been fencing with 3 of them for the past year, and I finally broke 1 of them -- which I've using excusively for the past 2 months (I've been too lazy to re-wire my other 2). I recommend these blades to everyone. But then again, the people I know from Europe (German, French, Romania) prefer the BF's.

[Balaestra]

Thanks for all of your quick responses!
The reason why I asked was because I have to order the Uhlmann StM blades and that would take about two weeks! And I have a comp in one week so I need electric equipment soon, and a club that I go to has one left.
It seemed okay, but it had a strange color (rainbow-red or something ).
But it looked kind of scratched and strange, so that turned me off.

Also, do they take big bends well? Because I have a tendency to do very long, fast lunges where my foil (dry, the only one I have at the moment, Uhlmann) bends at a somewhat 90 degree angle. I also do these attacks into my opponent's preparation, so we're both moving fairly fast when I hit. So if the prieur (foil) blades are brittle, then mine probably won't last very long...

[Artisan]

90 degree bends? I don' think any blade will stand up to that kind of hitting on a regular basis, FIE or otherwise...

Tip: you're too close!

[CvilleFencer]

I will second everything Artisan said in his last post. LP and Vniti FIE blades are the most durable in my experiance but no blade is designed with that kind of abuse in mind on a regular basis. Both Prieur and StM blades (prieur more so) are sensitive to bad bends in my experiance so I would consider one of the LP or Vniti blades mentioned above but you would probably be better served with a cheaper durable blade like a Fleche and spend the differance on some private lessons to work on your distance.

One problem you may be having is that your "starting" distance is fine but you either lunge to far or do an extra step when you do not have to which causes you to hit with more force or gives you less distance for your extension than you thought you would have. It also could be that for some reason people are steping into your attacks and you are not adapting the distance to acount for their forward movement in your attacks. It could be a lot of things actually, so talk to your coach who has actually seen you fence. Fixing the problem now will be cheaper than shelling out a $100 bones or so for a new blade every couple of months.

Hope all that helps. Good luck!

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

I use the leon-paul non-fie to great use. Its light, doesnt take a bad bend, is flexible, springy, and feels kind of continental in its balance. I reccomend them. I've had mine for six months and it hasnt taken a bend I couldnt just unbend.

[Artisan]

Originally Posted by D+F+P=Hadouken!

... feels kind of continental in its balance.

Huh? What does that mean?

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

It means that it feels like it is balanced at neither the tip nor the handle.... you can really feel the steel and have a sense of the blade being an extension of your arm and not just something that you are holding on to. To me, the blade feels like an extra finger.

[Zara_athlen]

I just got a few weeks ago and was fencing with it about five minutes ago. Its a pretty good blade, nice balance. I dont know if its as nice as a leon paul flickmaster or or my Uhlman BF but its pretty damn good

[LordTofuDog-jnr]

Hi everybody! I'm new here, yay!

Anyway since blades were mentioned and I saw the Chevalier D'Avignion was brought up I feel it is my responsibility to say this:

I bought two Chevalier D'Avignion blades from the person who runs my club and within two weeks both had taken multiple serious bends and nearly broken. Since in the last year and a half I've been fencing nothing of the sort has ever happened or even come close to happening I get the feeling they aren't the most durable blades. So anybody interested in them take this advice - no!

P.S : Balestra what state and club do you go to? If your from Victoria we might have seen each other around.

[Balaestra]

LordTofuDog-jnr,
Wow!! Somewone from Australia!! That's sooooooo cool!! And yes, I do live in Victoria. I fence at Melbourne fencing club, and Fioretto fencing club.
If you don't go to either of these, then I was reciently at an Open Comp. at the Fencing Factory. ('bout 2 weeks ago) And this weekend I'll be at the U15 foil comp.
What club are you at?

Also, thanks everyone for your opinions on the prieur blades. So Uhlmann 'StM' blades are definitely better?

[LordTofuDog-jnr]

Balestra ... you go to MFC do you.
Well so do I. I just so happen to be Robert, so unless you're around when I'm not there we're almost guaranteed to have met. Yay! Otherwise I'll find you at the club.

Just a thought, U15 you're either Michael, Raf or Mary - who?
I'd hazard a guess at --- Michael.

:EDIT: I just read another of your threads that said you've been fencing for around 17 weeks so you ain't Mike - aww well I'll find you at the club.

[ReverseLunge]

I started with france lames then switch to uhlmann. Now I only use leon paul. lp blades are great! they are soft and light and they last forever.

[Balaestra]

LordTofuDog-jnr,
Ha ha ha... I'm none of those people! I'm really new at the club (been there for 1 week), but I'm not a beginner. I'm Katie, and I don't think we have met, but if you're at the club on Saturday this week at around 10am-1pm I'll most likely see you.

[capa]

Hey!

I'm a beginner at the Melbourne Fencing Club.
Been fencing for 9 weeks now and am really enjoying it. I usually go wednesday nights but go on saturdays once and a while. Perhaps I will see you there.

Regarding your equipment question, I have found Uhlmann and Leon Paul to be the most reputable makers of fencing equipment. Of course, I may be mistaken.

I actually have ordered an Uhlmann mask and LP foil (paul france). The flickmaster looks nice but it nearly costs as much as the introductory course!!! (fully assembled)

Happy fencing