Spanish Grip Legality

[Epictetus]

What is the ruling on Spanish Grips? I've heard opinions ranging from they are all illegal, to only offset Spanish is legal, to they are all legal. Could someone point out what is allowed and why that would be the case?

[HDG]

Epictetus, My guess is that the Spanish offset should be okay, but the "Spanish Modern" using a french foil-style pommel would not be okay for the same reason that in an earlier thread it was asserted (the good folks at LP notwithstanding) that the Gardere grip is not legit for competition. cf USFA rules @m4.6.a


BTW I love your book, you should quote from the Enchiridion instead of Homer.

[Epictetus]

Lol, true...

*goes rumaging through "Discourses" in search of an apt quote"

This is sometimes atributed to Epictetus:
"God, give me the courage to change waht I can and the wisdom to know what I cannot"

[S. Hunter]

I would seriously love to know what makes a spanish illegal and an italian legal. Both have orthopedic aids, and a french(like) pommel. The only difference is where the crossbars are positioned, really. I USE an italian grip, and would be mad if they made it illegal, but I just can't see the logic in banning one and allowing the other.

[DHCJr]

This is my own interpretation, since the rule and those that were specified in SEMI minutes were long before my time. You could hold any handle illegally, but could you hold, let us say a Belgium in the same fashion at the back of the handle as the front. You would need to change how you held the handle.