So what type of FOIL do YOU use?

[CvilleFencer]

As requested here is the foil part of the survey. It seems that there are a lot more types of foil out there than there are of epee but that may just be my perception. I will keep this one mostly limited to FIE weapons. Should you choose other please give a description and no matter your pick please feel free to talk about your guard/pad/socket/grip combo.

While most of us have a few types of foils we like, please pick the one you use most often, or that you would prefer to use more often in the case of club members who are always borrowing my blades...

Thanks all!

[TooLoftheDeviL]

BF Blue / German Point & Socket / Vniti Bell / Uhlmann Visconti grip (small)

[CvilleFencer]

Sorry I did not get my poll done before my first response! Please check your vote TOTD!

I use medium flex Vniti/Blackstick blades mounted with LP GT tips, extra large rolled edge guards, 2 prong sockets, a puffy leather bellpad and a Zivkovic BIII grip with outside hex nuts holding it all together.

Also in my bag is an StM gold FIE with a Schermasport Belgian grip that I use for giving lessons and an Prieur FIE Chevalier with a German Visconti that is my super last resort backup. I keep meaning to order a new Zivkovic grip for it. I also sometimes use an old Lammet non FIE blade that is stiff like a pool cue and mounted with a TCA Large American grip that I use against a certain type of fencer.

I like the Vniti as it is the most durable blade I have ever come across. The StM is decent but just never feels quite right to me. It just seems to flex wrong for me at the worst times. The Prieur is a nice light and fast weapon and I think I would use it more if I could ever remember to order another grip for it!

[LordTofuDog-jnr]

I've got two (soon four since I love this setup so much) BF blades from PBT with a standard 100mm guard, fuzzy style of padding, two-prong prieur and my beloved english uhlmann insulated grips - cut back to my hand size. Over all the weapon is not overly heavy has good flex but not to much (I hate blades that flex to much) and it gives me a sense of the wepon - I don't think "wow I just parried without a weapon in my hand" every time I fence. Other weapons have done this to me.

[mollusk]

Vniti blade/Uhlmann point with V2a barrel and homemade wires/2 prong socket/BG stainless guard/BG large Visconti grip/BG plastic pad.

My third weapon is an Allstar badged BF white with a very strange point. It was purchased for me in Paris two years ago. The tips screws are countersunk and thread into the collar of the tip like a normal French point, but the screws are not compatible with any other French point I have ever seen. It is also incompatible with any other French tip, spring, or wire I've tried in it. When the tip needed to be replaced I had to take an Uhlmann tip, unscrew the contact, and replace the collar with the old one. In other words the tip in it now is an Uhlmann tip with a different collar. It also uses German springs and German wires, not French. The action of the point is very smooth and the surface finish is excellent, like a German point. Anyone else have a point like that?

The Vniti blade and stainless guard make for a heavy weapon, but once I start fencing I don't notice the weight at all. The stainless guard does help with moving the center of gravity back making the weapon less tip heavy than it might be otherwise.

My favorite Vnitit blade has seen at least 5 hours of fencing per week for the last 18 months and is still going strong.

[The0ne]

BF white's. . . I have one PBT, and one witha guy lunging on it, don't know the brand. Nice blades!

[CvilleFencer]

Originally Posted by The0ne

BF white's. . . I have one PBT, and one witha guy lunging on it, don't know the brand. Nice blades!

The blade with a guy fleching on it is a Blade blade. I think they are made either by lammet or the dynamo forge in Lugansk in the Ukraine. They are very durable non-fie blades and are what we use for loaner/club weapons at my club sine for a while you could prick them up pretty cheap. Rust like the devil though.

[TooLoftheDeviL]

Originally Posted by CvilleFencer

The blade with a guy fleching on it is a Blade blade. I think they are made either by lammet or the dynamo forge in Lugansk in the Ukraine. They are very durable non-fie blades and are what we use for loaner/club weapons at my club sine for a while you could prick them up pretty cheap. Rust like the devil though.

A dude lunging - not fleching. The same stamp is on my bf blues and my bf white from when I used them before. And I agree with TheOne, good stuff.

[reposte]

There is this type of a wonderful black Russian FIE blade, not very well known but exquisite.
Very good balance, like a BF and with similar dimensions, with a very nice bow when flicked with as well as point control.
Bought one from my coach the other day, forgot the name will post it next week.
Also, BF.

For personal training I use an Allstar FS blade. Very stiff, hardly flicks but very good balance for point control. Beatufully set coming out of the store.

[CvilleFencer]

Originally Posted by reposte

There is this type of a wonderful black Russian FIE blade, not very well known but exquisite.

It is most likely a Vniti, sometimes called a BRNO, BMI, Blackstick or Blackrat. I am not sure why it has so many nicknames. Great blades and my favorite.

[neevel]

In the end, the BF Blue FIE blades are what feel best for me. I usually pick them out myself, so I've not had any issues with durability. I do use Vnitis a lot for practice, to save wear on my tournament blades. I also like to try a variety of blades so I can get a sense of what they're like (I've currently also got a Prieur/FL FIE, a Lammet FIE, and a StM FIE blade).

I also obtained a Golubitsky Pro a couple of weeks ago when I was ordering a bunch of other items from Leon Paul. After using it in practice for two weeks, I find it to be _very_ similar to the current model Vnitis in weight and balance. If you look at it, you'll see it has the same basic shape and taper profile as Vnitis. Having only had it for two weeks, I can't comment on my own personal experience with durability, but I know how well they performed in the SEMI tests. It did take a kink in the foible when an opponent tried to close distance with a counterattack, but it readily straightened out and hasn't given any trouble since.

-Dave

[Katman]

I fence with one of those Prieur joints, an StM maraging, and a Vniti FIE. All german parts except I suspect that the guards are french. The bellpads are certainly not standard though. They'd make Inq pass out.

Of the three, I only fence heavily with the Prieur because it was the first one I bought, therefore must be used until its death. Between the three I like the feel of the StM the best, but I have yet to heavily fence with the Vniti.

My first opinion was that all FIE blades seemed a bit heavier than the non-FIE blades I had been using. I don't notice it any more though. We need a muscle flexing smilie.

I did have a chance to try out an BF FIE blade while fencing at the club. That was the best blade I've ever fenced with. I'm too broke to spring for them currently.

[vincikai]

BF and Vinti are the way to go

[vincikai]

Originally Posted by CvilleFencer

The blade with a guy fleching on it is a Blade blade. I think they are made either by lammet or the dynamo forge in Lugansk in the Ukraine. They are very durable non-fie blades and are what we use for loaner/club weapons at my club sine for a while you could prick them up pretty cheap. Rust like the devil though.

where can u get flech blade very cheap? fencing smart? btw have anyone ordred from fencing smart; do they really charge alot of shipping fee?is it worth it?

[JAySE SUiCiDE]

are the StM blades sold by Uhlmann still made my StM? Since you all know so much more than me?

thanks.
~Jes

[JAySE SUiCiDE]

My setup:
Frances Lames blades (usually second hand, hehe), german tip and wire, BG extra light guard, BG vinyl pad, Uhlmann 2prong socket, PBT K3 grip, a couple of lock washers if needed, and an inside hex!

~Jes

[CvilleFencer]

As far as I know any blade that has an StM stamp if from that forge. I understand that it is a rather tedious process to get the FIE stamp changed once it is aporved and I have not heard anything about StM being bought or having finacial troubles of any sort. So the short answer is yes, I think they are.

[JAySE SUiCiDE]

yay! thanks Cville. I can buy them now! Gotta represent...

~Jes

[ebonylevin]

Originally Posted by reposte

For personal training I use an Allstar FS blade. Very stiff, hardly flicks but very good balance for point control. Beatufully set coming out of the store.

Thats funny all my FS blades are very flicky which is good cos that extra bendiness helps me flick (i suck at it and my coach is TRYING to teach me to). But as you were saying they are very well balanced and have good control. Besides the FS blades are the cheapest and all i can afford.

[neevel]

Originally Posted by JAySE SUiCiDE

are the StM blades sold by Uhlmann still made my StM? Since you all know so much more than me?

thanks.
~Jes

Yep, they are. Uhlmann buys most of their blades (all of their blades before they acquired the Scaroni forge) from other manufacturers and stamps their brand name on to them. Their top-line blades are Blaise Freres, but for a long time they've sold various Russian/Ukranian blades as their "economy" line. Right now, they carry both Vniti and StM blades.

While the brand stamp (i.e., Uhlmann) is put on for the vendor, the actual FIE homologation stamp has to be put on by the forge. So, if a blade has the StM FIE stamp, it came from StM (assuming it's not a fraudulent stamp- that has happened in the past). This is also why the stamp on the Prieur Chev.d'Auvergne blades says France Lames-- they've coming from the old FL forge, and that's the stamp the FIE has authorized to be used from that forge.