Bladework question

[Eric Linder]

I am in need of an explanation of a technique refered to as a "Fine Triplette".
Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Eric

[RebelFencer]

I'd call it an oxy-moron.

[Mr Epee]

I am in need of an explanation of a technique refered to as a "Fine Triplette".
Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Eric

This is not a standard term, and to my knowledge has no specific definition.

In what context have you encountered the term?

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

It sounds like its probably a small, triple disengage. I've heard of a double disengage being called a double, so a triplett wouldnt be too far off.

[Eric Linder]

I had not thought of this move since I was a child taking fencing lessons but when I was watching the movie Scaramouche recently, I was reminded of this technique as it is used in a sort of fencing lesson in the movie but although mentioned by name, there is no way of knowing how it was done with camera angles. I am a student of historical fencing and being rather fencing obsessed, I could not help being reminded of my childhood curiosity of this technique as it I was told it was "To advanced a technique for me at the stage of training I was at".

Could you please Share with me how it is done properly please?

Tripple disenguage?
Sounds like it may be it. How is it done properly?

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

I had not thought of this move since I was a child taking fencing lessons but when I was watching the movie Scaramouche recently, I was reminded of this technique as it is used in a sort of fencing lesson in the movie but although mentioned by name, there is no way of knowing how it was done with camera angles. I am a student of historical fencing and being rather fencing obsessed, I could not help being reminded of my childhood curiosity of this technique as it I was told it was "To advanced a technique for me at the stage of training I was at".

Could you please Share with me how it is done properly please?

Tripple disenguage?
Sounds like it may be it. How is it done properly?

A triple disengage is just like a disengage, in that using the fingers to control the weapon, you pass under the opponents blade in the course of the extension.

[CvilleFencer]

Tripple disenguage?
Sounds like it may be it. How is it done properly?

Against someone with clean parries 4&6 that has never been taught a circular parry, moving in very slow motion!

It is not something that is going to come up very often if you are attacking with correct tempo and distance. Basically as I would envision the most likely situation, is that you extend with a feint to 4, disengage the parry to six (opponent retreats with parry), advance and disengage back to four as the opponent attempts to parry six (with another retreat as he parries) and then the attacker finishes with a final disengage to six as the opponent parries 4 yet again , most likely with a fleche since the other guy seems to go backwards as fast or faster than he can go forward!

Having said all that, I can't see that working out with any decent modern fencer. Like so many classical fencing techniques it is fun to practice, looks cool to the uninitiated and makes the person discussing it sound like a real fencing scholar to parents or new fencers, but just does not work to well on the strip. Not saying it does not happen (I can think of at least twice I successfully used a triple disengage to score a touch in a bout, but only because I bungled the distance/tempo of the initial attack and the opponent screwed up by letting me chase them) I am just saying it is not much of a move. Much more likely to see it by/against newer fencers than experianced ones. If you want pretty classical moves that are still somewhat effective I would focus more on envelopments, transferments, froissements and so on. In the end a disengage is just a disengage. If you have to use it 3 or more times in the same action you are most likely starting out of distance or your timing is off...

[esskreemr]

One-two (Doublé): A compound attack consisting of a feint disengage, deception of the opponent's parry, and attack in the original line. This is often used as an advancing attack.

One-two-three: A compound attack consisting of a feint disengage, double-disengage, attack. This is often used with an advance.

[cfaustus]

Although I have never heard of this term per se, I think the above suggestions are quite probably correct, with one caveat:

a one-two is a compound attack against one lateral parry (comprised of a feint, usually by disengage, and an evasion of the lateral parry by a second disengage). - ex: A engages B in 6, B feints by disengage to the high inside, A parries 4, B evades by disengage and hits A in the high outside line.

A doublé is a compound attack against a circlualr parry (comprised of a feint, usually by disengage, and a deceive (circular evasion) of the circular parry). It gets its name from the double loop one makes making the initial feint by degage and the subsequent deceive.
ex: A engages B in 6, B feints by disengage tot he high inside, A circular parries 6, B deceives and hits A in the high inside line.

A one-two-three is similar to the one-two except that it evades two lateral parries.
ex: A engages B in 6, B feints by disengage to the high inside, A parries 4, B evades by disengage and feints a second time in the high outside line, A parries 6, B evades by disengage and hits in the high inside line.

Therefore, I would presume that the "triplette" must be an evasion of two circular parries - feint by disengage, deceive, deceive. A triple loop.
ex: A engages B in 6, B feints by disengage tot he high inside, A circular parries 6, B deceives and feints a second time in the high inside line, A circular parries 6 again, B deceives and hits A in the high inside line.

[keropie]

As terms of convenience:

1-2: Two consecutive disengages, the first being a feint, the second being either a feint or a hit. Made against at least one lateral parry
ex: Feint with disengage, disengage against lateral parry, hit. - 1-2
ex2: Feint with straight thrust, disengage against lateral parry, disengage against second lateral parry, hit. - Feint of straight thrust, 1-2

1-2-3...-x: X consecutive disengages.

Double: Two deceives of the blade made in the same direction (note: not disengages, but deceives). Classical version is disengage feint, counterdisengage against circular parry. Other examples can be feint of straight thrust-disengage-counterdisengage or feint of straight thrust-counterdisengage-counterdisengage (both named feint of straight thrust, double).

Triplette: I've never seen it listed as a term of convenience, merely as an equipment manufacturer. So no, I don't think it would be three deceives in the same direction.

[Eric Linder]

Thankyou all!

You have all been most helpful!

I am off to practice and will let you know how things pan out at training next!

Thanks again1

Eric

[Mr Epee]

I would pay good money to see how his practice turned out :-)

Hilarity ensues

[leapyear]

Being able to do three or four feints, all near the bell of the opponent's guard... ah, bliss.

The reason a fencer might parry in such a way that you can do all those feints is: in classical fencing you can't draw your arm back to riposte, or you lose ROW. You also can't do wide parries which take the point off-line, because the touch will go to the remise. So in order to ever get a riposte, you have to keep your parries restrained.

Now CF isn't any more "realistic" than sport fencing, and it's not necessarily "correct"- but all that fine bladework is lots and lots of fun. And that's why so many old-timers hate modern fencing- it's just no damn fun for them. Yes, they can adjust their technique; but why? The best part of the game that they know and love has been taken away.

Anyway, just some thoughts. I've done lots of CF and sport fencing (all sport right now), and they each have their advantages. But what the angry CF-hating sport fencers fail to realize is that many people do CF because IT IS LOTS OF FUN. (granted, most classical fencers fail to realize how much fun SF can be)