France Lames

[It]

Looks like we're saying good-bye to France Lames. What do ya think?


Let me put it in other words. Looks like France Lames may be closing it's doors. Might be going out of business. <img src="graemlins/crap.gif" border="0" alt="[Crap]" />

[ 04-22-2002: Message edited by: It ]</p>

[Bebop and Rocksteady]

I think they're starting to live up to their name.

[D'Artagnan1673]

At least they blades. They also sell masks, shoes and uniforms.

I hope they come back once they've got their blades back to good quality. Our club has a france lames epee blade from several years back and it is still going very well! Once they get their kinks out again, they will have a good product!

[ScorpionDevil]

Our skool's fencing team has France Lames blades that are couple yrs old and are still working perfectly well. But teh blade that we brought recently had been breaking easily. Lots break within 3 months. And some even break within a couple bouts. <img src="graemlins/evild.gif" border="0" alt="[Evil]" />

[Prometheus]

I have yet to find anyone, myself included, who has had problems with thier FIE blades.

[shyHeidi]

Now... other than them breaking, what exactly is wrong with france lames? I mean, I've been hearing things about how they're not good for a while now, actually ever since I joined this thing, but... I've got a dry foil from them and it seems to be working fine, am I just used to a bad product without knowing it, or is it just my luck that it hasn't broken or something but otherwise it's fine, or...?
<img src="confused.gif" border="0">

[D'Artagnan1673]

To my understanding, France Lames used to be a very good company. That is why most france lames blades that are at least a few years old are still holding up. However, at least for the past 2-3 years, the quality of FL blades has dropped dramatically. I've had no experience from their FIE blades, but my one FL electric blade snapped after about a months use.

It seems that most everyone on this forum agrees of this, as well as TCA. Most other vendors still will recommend FL. I am not sure why.

[neevel]

The one issue I've known of with FL maraging blades was a batch from 3-4 years ago with tangs that were well-nigh impossible to put a bend in-- they weren't brittle or prone to breaking there, you just couldn't bend them.

Triplette makes hay about some FL blades that failed inspection at Jr./Cadet World Champs a few years ago, but there were also a number of Blaise Freres epee blades that wouldn't pass this year for being too stiff (including a couple from the US team).

While their non-maraging blades were never as durable as, say, Leon Paul's low-end blades, there was a distinct decline in quality the past few years. Not only were they not lasting as long, but they were also much more prone to taking kinks than in the past.

I was given a couple of prototype blades from a new Ukranian manufacturer to bring back for one of the U.S. vendors to evaluate which are very similar in balance and feel to FL blades, so there may be a replacement for people who liked the feel before too long. I've yet to have someone who'd know reliably tell me directly as to whether FL is actually out of business, so I'm still treating it as a rumor for now. Remember, there was a spell last year when Prieur wasn't shipping masks to the U.S. due to some moving/retooling at their facility, but that didn't mean they'd gone legs-up, and their masks are now available.

-Dave

[135711]

maybe they'll merge? or....everything will go on salle.

[D'Artagnan1673]

Yep, I remember when Prieur stopped sending masks. I've heard of the FL "feel" blades. I think TCA carries them.

I've thought on buying a Prieur mask before. I looked up a thread from months ago where everyone was talking about how the mesh maker retired and the new one wasn't doing as well. Have they gone back to their usual high standard? I have heard a few too many complaints from people that the padding in the Prieur masks isn't as good as the Uhlmann, that is about the only thing that has kept me from buying one as of yet.

[neevel]

[quote]Originally posted by D'Artagnan1673:
<strong>Yep, I remember when Prieur stopped sending masks. I've heard of the FL "feel" blades. I think TCA carries them.

I've thought on buying a Prieur mask before. I looked up a thread from months ago where everyone was talking about how the mesh maker retired and the new one wasn't doing as well. </strong><hr></blockquote>

The one's Triplette sells are from WKC in Germany. I've not seen them, so I can't make any further comment, but these ones are from a different manfacturer.

The "little old meshmaker retiring" bit is B.S.-- mesh is made using automated machinery, not hand-woven by expert artesians adhereing to old-world traditions of craftsmanship .

-Dave

[D'Artagnan1673]

I hope would hope that it was automated. Actually, what I meant was that the person who operated the mesh maker retired. Anyway, that is what I heard.

[ScorpionDevil]

Today during fencing pratice, a guy made a 90 degrees bend w/ one of the France Lames foil that we brought about couple months ago. Now we dont have enough foils for the tournment this Sat. <img src="graemlins/evil3.gif" border="0" alt="[Evil 2]" /> <img src="graemlins/evild.gif" border="0" alt="[Evil]" />

[peircer]

Bend it back. If it breaks it wasn't going to be usable anyway. Just make sure you warm it up first.

[D'Artagnan1673]

good 'ole France Lames

[ScorpionDevil]

I checked up on that blade that were bend 90 degrees 2day. It wasn't just a bend, but part of the metal flied off, and the whole fencing team was searching the gym for the metal that flied off. <img src="graemlins/evild.gif" border="0" alt="[Evil]" />

[damianip]

[quote]Originally posted by neevel:
<strong>

The one's Triplette sells are from WKC in Germany. I've not seen them, so I can't make any further comment, but these ones are from a different manfacturer.

The "little old meshmaker retiring" bit is B.S.-- mesh is made using automated machinery, not hand-woven by expert artesians adhereing to old-world traditions of craftsmanship .

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

The WKC blades are a bit heavier than the F-L blades but similar in balance. They are, however, stiff and durable as hell. My son, the "blade bane", started with two almost two years ago.

He has broken one, but the other is still his favorite and gets used every week. I don't use them because I use the occasional flick and they just don't co-operate.


Paolo