Y10 foils

[DHCJr]

Originally Posted by KD5MDK

For that matter, aren't blade stamps (in particular, S2000 for sabres and 0 or 2 for youth events) the only markings a USFA armorer would have any need to check? There's no requirement for masks, lames, uniforms or body cords to have any marking on them at all, and none for senior eligable foil or epee events either.

Since Weapons (Blades) are not checked at Weapons Control, the Armorers never look at the blade markings. You are right that the Armorer does not look for any other marks, but they are supposed to.

If you look at the end of M.25 on page 55 you will see a note. We are supposed to check that the bib is resistant to 700 Newtons. This is of course a typo and should be fixed by the next rule book and changed to 350 Newton, which is the minimum for CE-1 requirements. So if a masked is marked CE then it is legal for USFA competition.

Of course considering the wonderful experience with USFA communication, the only ones who know about this rule are those who get obsesive about knowing the rule book.

[twisterfencing]

Originally Posted by passata_sotto

My question is:What is the best foil in a size 2?

Passata_Sotto

To put it bluntly, there is a very, very small market for the manufactures to make a high end blade for y10 or y12's. You are diffrent in the light of most parents complain about a $45 wired #2 foil. With no known knowledge of a child wanting to continue to fence after age 12, most parents look to get the cheapest/least expensive equiptment they can get away with in regards to weapons.

Take my hat off to you for looking, yet very little out there.

Here is a web site that carries better quality blades in a #2

http://triplette.com/catalog/index.php

Click on Blades; click on TCA (which are BF's), click on wired or non wired maraging; pick size 30 or 32; pick white, blue or gold, and your set for a super high end blade for foil or epee.

Gary Spruill

[KD5MDK]

Originally Posted by DHCJr

Since Weapons (Blades) are not checked at Weapons Control, the Armorers never look at the blade markings. You are right that the Armorer does not look for any other marks, but they are supposed to.

If you look at the end of M.25 on page 55 you will see a note. We are supposed to check that the bib is resistant to 700 Newtons. This is of course a typo and should be fixed by the next rule book and changed to 350 Newton, which is the minimum for CE-1 requirements. So if a masked is marked CE then it is legal for USFA competition.

Of course considering the wonderful experience with USFA communication, the only ones who know about this rule are those who get obsesive about knowing the rule book.

When will we see that be enforced?

[Joe biebel]

Originally Posted by twisterfencing

Passata_Sotto

To put it bluntly, there is a very, very small market for the manufactures to make a high end blade for y10 or y12's. You are diffrent in the light of most parents complain about a $45 wired #2 foil. With no known knowledge of a child wanting to continue to fence after age 12, most parents look to get the cheapest/least expensive equiptment they can get away with in regards to weapons.

Take my hat off to you for looking, yet very little out there.

Here is a web site that carries better quality blades in a #2

http://triplette.com/catalog/index.php

Click on Blades; click on TCA (which are BF's), click on wired or non wired maraging; pick size 30 or 32; pick white, blue or gold, and your set for a super high end blade for foil or epee.

Gary Spruill

Wow!, if they really have those it would be great. I can't see buying this quality for kids individually that will outgrow them in a short while. But for a youth program maybe married with Paul GT tips you would have a very low maintenance weapon. Those blades would probably last a good number of years with a minimum of maintenenace costs.

[Craig]

I think they need to look at the options. The product page says "$25" but then when you go to buy you have to choose white, blue, or gold. Each option adds $7 to the price. I guess the invisible blade is $25.

(Someone just messed up on cut and paste I bet - been there myself.)

Craig

[Joe biebel]

Originally Posted by Craig

I think they need to look at the options. The product page says "$25" but then when you go to buy you have to choose white, blue, or gold. Each option adds $7 to the price. I guess the invisible blade is $25.

(Someone just messed up on cut and paste I bet - been there myself.)

Craig

If their site is accurate, maraging blades are available in 30, 32 34 35 lengths. The $25.00 is the base price and options such as color (invisible or clear blades are not offered) add $7.00 (obviously in the BF maraging, they only offer colored blades) and a bare maraging adds $68.81 So a bare maraging blade (BF in white, blue, or gold) costs $100.81, without shipping. My questions would be: Do they actually have them? And are they manufactured short or are are they "Cut down". I am actually interested in these blades and will try to find out from TCI is this is a "Typo" or they actually have them

[Joe biebel]

Oops, I think your right Craig. Even when you choose the practice blade the color is still charged for. When you go to checkout it is added to the price and comes up as $32.00 even for a practice blabe.

[DHCJr]

Originally Posted by KD5MDK

When will we see that be enforced?

When will we see the light or white single color on the torso (tie-die lame)? When will we enforce the rule for strap for the mask? When will the Addidas stripes not be passed?

There are two problems. Armorers like Dan, never look at the USFA rule book, they only look at the FIE. They feel the USFA should not make up their own rules. The problem is there are some rules that could not work for USFA. An example is O.12. Suppose you had 11 people show up for a competition. How could you run it, when all pools must be 6 or 7?

The second is communication. When was the last time you saw a report from the Armorer's Committee? Communication is non-existant to the Armorers. A regular group e-mail should be sent out on a regular basis. This is not difficult. Alex Latsco, a very good Armorer, who does not Armor any more for the USFA, set up one, so we could communicate among ourselves, but the Armorer administration did not make use of it.

So let us say, unless things change dramatically, never.

[KD5MDK]

When will we enforce the rule for strap for the mask?

At the Reno NAC, and every tournament I've been to since then.

[DHCJr]

In the west, I know we have been very stringent about the strap, but I have heard at some tournaments they haven't been.

The problem is there is no consistancy in the application of the rules for 2 reasons, communication and the absolute fighting against any sort of certification unless there is grandfathering based on number of years.

It reminds me of a joke, where a second grader thought they were the best second grader, since they had been in second grade for 5 years.

[twisterfencing]

Originally Posted by Joe biebel

If their site is accurate, maraging blades are available in 30, 32 34 35 lengths. The $25.00 is the base price and options such as color (invisible or clear blades are not offered) add $7.00 (obviously in the BF maraging, they only offer colored blades) and a bare maraging adds $68.81 So a bare maraging blade (BF in white, blue, or gold) costs $100.81, without shipping. My questions would be: Do they actually have them? And are they manufactured short or are are they "Cut down". I am actually interested in these blades and will try to find out from TCI is this is a "Typo" or they actually have them

The pricing from TCA is: They have a base line for a blade, then from there it is alcarte; you pick what options you want. Oddly enough, yes they make them and TCA sells them (not a typo). I have been told that they sell a ton of them in Euro. to kids/parents. I have picked up a couple of them and they look just like a #5 BF. The stamping is perfect on them. I made the mistake once of picking one up, thought to myself "Wow, this is one super light weight blade" only to find out it was a darn #2 (felt so much like a dufus )

Give James at TCA a call.

Gary Spruill

[twisterfencing]

Originally Posted by DHCJr

The problem is there is no consistancy in the application of the rules for 2 reasons, communication and the absolute fighting against any sort of certification unless there is grandfathering based on number of years..

Donald:
Agree with you totally! There is so much mis-information out there coupled with little to no communication it drives inconsistency in the weirdest/wildest areas. Way too many examples to go into, yet I know you understand what I mean.

Grand fathering certification:

Well???? mixed emotions on this issue.
Had dinner with Dan D the other night in CA. Oddly enough, he himself is not certified yet. There is only 2 to 3 Armour’s in the US that could test him in my opinion. Kind of hard to do. Yet I have also met some Armourer’s that state 30+ years of experience and pass masks with a 4" hole in a saber bib???
In my opinion: Lets all go through the program, get certified, get recognized as a unified entity, and move on!

Gary Spruill

[Purple Fencer]

Originally Posted by twisterfencing

Donald:


Grand fathering certification:

Well???? mixed emotions on this issue.
Had dinner with Dan D the other night in CA. Oddly enough, he himself is not certified yet. There is only 2 to 3 Armour’s in the US that could test him in my opinion. Kind of hard to do. Yet I have also met some Armourer’s that state 30+ years of experience and pass masks with a 4" hole in a saber bib???
In my opinion: Lets all go through the program, get certified, get recognized as a unified entity, and move on!

Gary Spruill

Agreed there...and the 2 or 3 armorers that could test Dan are Joe Byrnes and Ted Li....then Joe could be tested by Dan and Ted, and Ted by Dan & Joe....

If every US Marine -- regardless of rank or position -- have to qualify as a rifleman every year, I see no reason why even established armorers should not at least take the test, if not go through the course just to cover theie bases.

Unfortunately, it may come down to the younger crop (in terms of experience, not age) like myself taking the reins in this regard as the older generation retires or dies off....and that's no way to maintain the intl. rep of the US armoring community,

[oiuyt]

Originally Posted by Purple Fencer

if not go through the course just to cover theie bases.

I think Dan's been present at the course once or twice... :)

-B

[twisterfencing]

Originally Posted by oiuyt

I think Dan's been present at the course once or twice...

-B

oiuyt:

My point was/is: Dan is at the highest level any armourer could ever dream to be in the world! Yet by our conversation (between Dan and myself) he told me he was not certified yet (meaning: he had not taken the very test he himself help write). After pondering this thougt with his and my conversation, I asked myself, who could test him???

Please note: Dan is very much like a father figure to me. He and I are close friends (I very much consider him one of my best friends) and would never say anything negative about him or his work in anyway for any reason at any time. I also hope others would follow the same.

Sorry if my comments came across wrong/incorrectly to you.


Gary Spruill

[oiuyt]

Mmmm, perhaps I should have included a smilie at the end of my post....

-B

[Purple Fencer]

Brad was being sarcastic, Gary.

When were you out in CA? I would've liked to put a face to that voice I hear on the phone every so often!

[twisterfencing]

Originally Posted by Purple Fencer

Brad was being sarcastic, Gary.

When were you out in CA? I would've liked to put a face to that voice I hear on the phone every so often!

Sam
Was there last week.
Flew into Ontario. Was there for two days. Stayed at the hotel (Hilton) at the airport.
Dan lives right down the street (3 miles) from the hotel. Got done with work one evening early, called Dan and went out to eat at some fish place. Poured a couple bottles of (he calles it beer, I call it oil) down his throat and went back to hotel for a 6 AM flight back home.

When I come out to the LA area, I 99% of time come in through Ontario. Hate John Wayne, LAX is a not happeing thing. I come out there about once a month. Next time I am there, you want to meet up? Get Dan out of the house and we three will have a dinner and swap some really cool stories. You in?

Gary Spruill

[twisterfencing]

Originally Posted by oiuyt

Mmmm, perhaps I should have included a smilie at the end of my post....

-B

Sorry Brad

Don't read sarcastic very well.

We good?

Gary Spruill

[Purple Fencer]

Originally Posted by twisterfencing

Sam
Was there last week.
Flew into Ontario. Was there for two days. Stayed at the hotel (Hilton) at the airport.
Dan lives right down the street (3 miles) from the hotel. Got done with work one evening early, called Dan and went out to eat at some fish place. Poured a couple bottles of (he calles it beer, I call it oil) down his throat and went back to hotel for a 6 AM flight back home.

When I come out to the LA area, I 99% of time come in through Ontario. Hate John Wayne, LAX is a not happeing thing. I come out there about once a month. Next time I am there, you want to meet up? Get Dan out of the house and we three will have a dinner and swap some really cool stories. You in?

Gary Spruill

Sure...dunno know 'bout dinner, th