Rainbow Blade?

[damianip]

[quote]Originally posted by foodle:
<strong>

At least one issue (that you probably don't care about) is flickability/flickiness. While a good flicker can flick with basically any stiffness blade, a more flexible blade requires less effort to flick. However, the downside of a very flexible blade is that you may suffer some in pointcontrol, since the point may lag where you want the point to be.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Point control for me is the main difference. I recently switched from a collection of BF, F-L and Lammet blades to a couple of LP sheet metal blades.

They flick very well but I really have to quiet my hand down to get my point control back. There's also something about the x-section that seems to make them parry better than the other blades. or rather, let me get away with a sloppier parry than previously.

Also, did we include Lammet in the list of forges? Also there is WKC in Solingen.

Paolo

[Inquartata]

[quote]Originally posted by neevel:
<strong>STM uses especially colorful finishes for their blades-- in this case, 'rainbow' is an accurate description of the multicolored iridescent finish (they also have an iridescent blue and a genuinely gold-looking gold). In the case of the blue and gold blades, the finish is genuinely cosmetic </strong><hr></blockquote>

Does this mean a genuinely cosmetic finish ( in the way gunbluing is ) which will get worn-scraped off with use, or that its alloy has additives that make the metal itself colored, through and through?

[neevel]

[quote]Originally posted by Inquartata:
<strong>

Does this mean a genuinely cosmetic finish ( in the way gunbluing is ) which will get worn-scraped off with use, or that its alloy has additives that make the metal itself colored, through and through?</strong><hr></blockquote>

Yes, it's like gunbluing: a surface finish that you could grind off with sufficient effort (it'd take far more abrading than you'd normally subject any blade to-- even a wire-wheel on a grinder won't take the finish off in the time it takes to clean the blade of rust). Most blade manufacturers that use finish colors do so as a way to readily identify blade models which would otherwise be indistinguishable without close inspection. The matte black coating on Vniti blades, however, appears to be more of a leftover from the manufacturing process, and is easily removed with a scotch-brite pad.

Sam-

The Chinese are just not producing maraging blades, and thus have never submitted anything to be homologated by the FIE. The FIE doesn't really do much to regulate the production of ordinary carbon steel blades (though the gnomes in Brussels might, now that CE requirements have been set for many standard fencing gear items).

-Dave

[Pierfrancesco]

[quote]Originally posted by neevel:
<strong>It's a badge-engineered (as all Allstar blades are) STM blade from Ukraine. STM uses especially colorful finishes for their blades-- in this case, 'rainbow' is an accurate description of the multicolored iridescent finish (they also have an iridescent blue and a genuinely gold-looking gold). In the case of the blue and gold blades, the finish is genuinely cosmetic (i.e., it's not used to distinguish between different models they way BF does). I'm not sure if the rainbow finish is also cosmetic, or if it signifies a different model.

STMs seem to be decent blades-- I picked up a couple of their maraging foil blades (in blue) from one of the Russian team cadre for $32 apiece to try. They're fairly light, and not point-heavy. You could probably find one cheaper that's not Allstar-branded.

-Dave</strong><hr></blockquote>

my foil has an STM blade. the rainbow finish is definitely funky. being my first weapon, i can't really comment on the flexibility or other characteristics of the blade compared to others, other than it works for me

[Gav]

A friend if mine uses the gold blades. No real difference except their maraging and pretty.

[Puppet Master]

What are the CE requirements? I see it stamped on just about everything recently, from textiles to computer hard drives, and really raised my curiousity when i saw it on my new Uhlmann mask. Assumed it was something like the UL, but thats only for electronics. Is this part of the new world order?

[Bob Farrow]

[quote]Originally posted by Puppet Master:
<strong>What are the CE requirements? I see it stamped on just about everything recently, from textiles to computer hard drives, and really raised my curiousity when i saw it on my new Uhlmann mask. Assumed it was something like the UL, but thats only for electronics. Is this part of the new world order? </strong><hr></blockquote>

CE is Conformité Européenne.

(info cut and pasted from <a href="http://www.euroconform.com/" target="_blank">http://www.euroconform.com/</a> )

What is CE marking?
The CE mark is a mandatory European marking for certain product groups to indicate conformity with the essential health and safety requirements set out in European Directives. The letters 'CE' are an abbreviation of Conformité Européenne, French for European conformity. The CE mark must be affixed to a product if it falls under the scope of the approx. 20 so called 'New Approach' Directives. Without the CE marking, and thus without complying with the provisions of the Directives, the product may not be placed in the market or put into service in the fifteen member states of the European Union and Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. However, if the product meets the provisions of the applicable European Directives, and the CE mark is affixed to a product, these countries may not prohibit, restrict or impede the placing in the market or putting into service of the product. Thus, CE marking can be regarded as the products trade passport for Europe.

The CE mark is not a quality-mark. First, it refers to the safety rather than to the quality of a product. Second, most quality markings are voluntary opposite to the CE marking, which is mandatory for the products it applies to. CE indicates conformity with mandatory European safety requirements. European conformity is certified by following clear and understandable procedures, the so-called ‘conformity assessment procedures’.

[D'Artagnan1673]

We had a guy buy an Allstar rainbow blade about 3-4 weeks ago. It broke last night. That's because the guy put the weapon in the bend rack and gave it a reverse bend!!! He put the blade in the opposite way!!! That was a sick feeling for him.

Wow!!! I held the weapon afterwards, its light!!! BF makes the TCA and Allstar blades but his weapon was much, much lighter than mine. I think it was because he's using an ultralight guard.