Favorite Weapon (try to convince other fencers your weapon is the best)

[CvilleFencer]

so what if an epeeist can run you through? A Saberist can take your head!

By softly slapping your opponent with the flat of your "blade", which is way to thin and light to actually give more than a superficial cut to anything even if it had an edge. Now an epee fencer, being a disciple of truth, could rip off the point of his BF white, spend a few minutes of quality time with a grinder and have a weapon that could be used as a weapon in the manner in which it's ancestral martial art intended!

Also on the practical side should the need ever arise, epee gives you the ability to fight with everything from a ballpoint pin to a prison shank! (the crafting and use of the later being a skill most saber fencers should consider developing considering their temperments...)

[Inquartata]

Well, hey, if you think an antagonist is going to let you have that grinder time...

[CvilleFencer]

If you intend to do the sort of "classical" fencing of which he is one of the foremost fervent proponents, perhaps not. If you intend to compete in the modern sport, then yes, sadly, he is wrong.

I agree with Inq on this one. The modern game of saber has evolved to the point that their is little need to start with foil or epee and in fact some real harm that can be done to your fencing by developing "bad" habits. At best you will have to unlearn some things and retrain your body when you finally do take up saber. Having been taught a very traditional (pre-electric from a Spanish coach) style of saber and then doing foil and epee for a few years before coming back to saber I can tell you that there is a lot to change and unlearn once you take up the modern sport of saber.

[CvilleFencer]

Well, hey, if you think an antagonist is going to let you have that grinder time...

If he is true to form for many of the saber folks on .net I can either get him rambling and railing about trivial things and sneak away to the tool shed while he sputters and spits about Agincourt and the modern cult of "ME" or I can offer him an honorable and manly drink before battle and take care of my little point problem while he is in his cups!

[Inquartata]

I can offer him an honorable and manly drink before battle and take care of my little point problem while he is in his cups!

Despite the pernicious and slanderous rumors ( no doubt started by epeeists, whose own custom it appears to be ), we sabre fencers do NOT drink from our cups. That's just nasty. We prefer to make goblets from the skulls of our dismembered foes.

[CvilleFencer]

Despite the pernicious and slanderous rumors ( no doubt started by epeeists, whose own custom it appears to be ), we sabre fencers do NOT drink from our cups. That's just nasty. We prefer to make goblets from the skulls of our dismembered foes.

Whose heads you take with the flats of your non-sharpened pencil thin "blades". Hey Inq, how about those spiffy new tie-dye lames! (begins slowly moving to the tool shed...)

[Inquartata]

Inquartata leaps at Cville Fencer's throat in a dreadful silent pounce...

[Markstorm]

Sabre has no combat value at all? That makes me sad. So if I had a dueling sabre in my hand, it wouldn't have practical purpose? It depresses me to know that I have chosen a useless weapon.

[Inquartata]

No, the guard makes a serviceable knuckle-duster. Especially the steel ones. And the pommel can be used like a yawara stick. And if you half-sword with the blade, maybe you could garrotte someone with it....

[Schiavona]

No, the guard makes a serviceable knuckle-duster. Especially the steel ones. And the pommel can be used like a yawara stick. And if you half-sword with the blade, maybe you could garrotte someone with it....

Have you been secretly watching me fence?

[Markstorm]

Maybe I'll take up epee or something then... I want to learn a weapon that has some use in combat.

[deadly lefty]

Maybe I'll take up epee or something then... I want to learn a weapon that has some use in combat.

use in combat? do you carry around a dueling sword?

[Epictetus]

"Epee, for those too lazy to learn the rules."

"Foil, for those too lazy to guard the other two thirds of their bodies."

"Sabre, for those that just don't get the point."

...can't remember where I heard that, but it's fun.

[Markstorm]

use in combat? do you carry around a dueling sword?

No, it just makes me feel better that I'm learning something that has history, and adds to my knowledge. Instead of having a pointless activity of whipping other people with sticks.

Anyways, I decided that I'll probably take up sabre for a sport weapon, longsword for historical, and foil when I cant do either of the others.

I need to learn how to ride a horse, and use a lance. But that's off topic, and I'll probably do it after I get a job and stuff.

[scrapinpeg]

why don't you kill two birds with one stone and get a job at one of those medieval-themed eateries where there's jousting and all?

[K Rohm]

I've taken up Rapier fighting in the Society for Creative Anachronism, and my training in both foil and epee and to a lesser extent sabre, has done wonders for my skills fighting with real-world rated weapons. Of course, our style is closest to epee, but we also fight with off-hand weapons (main-gauche, cloak, etc.) and we make no restriction on linear movement as competitve fencing does- we're allowed to use true historical fencing methods (my personal favorite is the Spanish Circle method).

Epee is the style most closely associated with actual duelling, although all of the restrictions placed on it for competition have taken the wind out of it. fo rthose of you out there who want a taste of what our sport originated from, I suggest visiting a local SCA group and taking part ina fighter practice one day- it is definitely an eye-opener.

Oh, yeah- back to the question- without a doubt, the favored weapon...EPEE.

[Foilist 4-ever]

Some of you remember Schlager7's signature:

"Sabre is Theatre.
Foil is Art.
Epee is Truth."

I happen to like art.