Any comments on the LP carbon fiber french handle?

[smohrle]

Hi all -
Has anyone ever tried this handle. The LP foil/epee carbon fiber french handle. If you have, how did you compensate for the weight being moved forward on the blade (ala balance point is about 2cm away from the bell now).
Thanks for any input!
Sarah

[prototoast]

(ala balance point is about 2cm away from the bell now).
Thanks for any input!
Sarah

That's pretty much an optimal balance point. Anything more or less in a matter of personal preference. If it's not entirely comfortable, try setting the tang differently.

[smohrle]

Well....that seems to be what is different about this handle, instead of the metal thing (i think that is the tang?) coming out the bottom, it is hollow about half way up and the weight in the handle is all towards the bell. Which means for me, the blade is always wanting to tip down...

[RebelFencer]

Easy solution:: Pistol grip!

[mfp]

Hi all -
Has anyone ever tried this handle. The LP foil/epee carbon fiber french handle. If you have, how did you compensate for the weight being moved forward on the blade (ala balance point is about 2cm away from the bell now).

Huh? Just 2cm away from the bell?

I have a stock LP "reaction" epee with the carbon fiber handle and LP blade and its center of gravity/balance point is around 12.5 cm forward of the bell, not 2cm. All of my other (non-LP) french handle epees have a c.g. around 2-3cm forward of their bells, which I prefer greatly over the LP weapon's c.g.

The way I compensate for the LP difference in c.g. is by rarely using it anymore and sticking to using my other french grip epees. The LP grip has other annoyances as well, including needing a special tool to tighten it when it gets loose (which is often). Just being able to twist a pommel by hand to tighten a "traditional" french grip is much less of a hassle than dealing with the LP.

[achilleus]

You fence foil? And you bought the carbon fibre grip?

Why?

The main advantage of that grip is the reach, which is not needed in foil. Take RebelFencer's advice and get some pistol grips.

[glowstix]

those grips look like tennis racket handles, dude!! they suck!! probably wouldn't work well with foil.

i'd consider one for one of my epees just out of curiousity. i'm still wondering if a french grip would suit my game (but then again i don't know what my game is.. ).

[RebelFencer]

To make another addition--By relooking through that old thread on all the awesome equipment you purchased, I would assume that you are intending to be pretty serious about this sport (or at least more serious than the casual rec fencer). Trust me when I say this: "You need a pistol grip for foil." There is absolutely no positive in a french grip that would overshadow any of the positives in a pistol grip. If you were to do epee', it would have a strategic advantage (i.e. more reach [damn them!]). If you are more inclined towards the shape or feel of a french than I would highly suggest either a Spanish offset (are those legal yet?) or a Russian grip. Or you could just fence with a french grip, your choice.

[smohrle]

Hi Guys -
Thanks for all the advice. I have resolved to getting a couple of pistol grips and changing them out -- My coach is bringing a hungarian pistol grip tonight, and I have tried belgum (sp?) at the club....I am inclined to agree with y'all.

Grrrr....wish I had not made that mistake, but ah well .

Thanks for the advice!

Sarah

[El Chucko]

Can you use the LP "Tennis Racket" grip with a short-tanged blade? Or, does it require a full-length tang, like traditional french grips?

[DHCJr]

That is one of the proposed advantages. A standard pistol grip tang is all that is required, besides the special wrench. You can use a 11mm wrench, if you have a long enough extender.

[Mr Epee]

Hi Guys -
Thanks for all the advice. I have resolved to getting a couple of pistol grips and changing them out -- My coach is bringing a hungarian pistol grip tonight, and I have tried belgum (sp?) at the club....I am inclined to agree with y'all.

Grrrr....wish I had not made that mistake, but ah well .

Thanks for the advice!

Sarah

FYI, The grip that is rapidly becoming known as the Hungarian Grip is not a foil grip. In Hungary, it is commonly known as "epee grip", although there was Canadian girl (Mahoney, I think) who used them to get more power but obviously at the expense of control.... the Hungarian version of the belgian grip is usually called "foil grip"...

Go belgian (variations) or visconti, and if someone suggests a Zivkovich, punch them directly in the face (preferably with keys in your hand) and run away quickly... Tell 'em I said it was ok...

[achilleus]

Go belgian (variations) or visconti, and if someone suggests a Zivkovich, punch them directly in the face (preferably with keys in your hand) and run away quickly... Tell 'em I said it was ok...

Ya know, I always have the same reaction. And when people post online asking questions about such grips, I really want to hunt them down, and slap them too...

Don't know why that is...

[El Chucko]

Wait a dog-gone minute! The LP grip in question here is more than 50 bucks! What the ...?!?!??!?!?!? Who on earth pays $50 for a stinkin' grip?

[Go? Fencing?]

Trust me when I say this: "You need a pistol grip for foil." There is absolutely no positive in a french grip that would overshadow any of the positives in a pistol grip.

What about that every pistol grip I've tried (and I've tried quite a few) makes my hand want to die, or some of them are so bad that they make my hand want to shrivel up and die? French... makes my hand happy.

[howtobrew]

First off, I don't fence foil anymore. Haven't done it in about 10 years. Always used French grip when I did.

These days I am an epeeist, and I use French usually.
I have tried Visconti - my hand always cramped.
I tried the Carbon Fiber - It is not too bad, but mostly useful for posting. And it is hard to justify the cost for the its features.
I have a Zivkovic Z grip on what used to be the Carbon Fiber epee. I like it. Don't know why Mr Epee and Achilleus don't like it, I like it even though it took some filing to get it fit over the tang properly.

My favorite French Grip right now is the PBT Rubber over Aluminum grip. It is thicker than your standard rubber Fr grip, but not quite as thick as the Escrime Cartel Rubber over Wood grips. Which I would like to try sometime.
Hope this helps,
HtB
PS. Why don't you like Ziv's?

[fencinman89]

From what I heard a few people talking about, (These are pure rumors) that the extension of the carbon fibre grip could help disabled fencers because of the set distance. I am not a wheel chair fencer and hope to GOd never to be, but I see how it possibly could help. I also can see how every other grip out there would be beneficial in some way or another.
-Tre'

[Alex_Paul]

The Carbon Fiber grip costs $50 because it is hand made from carbon fiber which is a notoriously difficult material to worlk with. If you look at any product when you try to reduce weight by making it from exotic materials the price shoots up.

Interestingly when we did our survey of favorite and worst products last year it came up the same number of times in each catagory. Basically you either love them or hate them!

They are far more use for Epee than foil because obviously the reach is more important. Yes the ballance point changes if you don't have a big heavy metal pommel on the end but the whole point of a weapon made with one of these handles is the reach NOT the ballance. To counteract the fact that the c of g is further from the point where you are holding the weapon (assuming you are posting) you have to practice with it and your style and arm muscles will develop to fit. If you are using a Carbon handle and not posting then you are using the wrong handle!

[achilleus]

PS. Why don't you like Ziv's?

Because, in general, all they do is encourage a death grip on the weapon.

[reddphoenix]

Excuse my stupidity when it comes to fencing terms, but posting? Aye?

- Gnat