Fencing.Net - Your Guide to Fencing & Fencing Equipment

bousquet · 06-01-2006, 05:13 PM

I'm fairly new to fencing (I fence epee) and I'm confused about blade manufactures and blade markings.

I have two inexpensive non-FIE blades that I'm currently using. One is a Fleche blade that I bought from Blade. It's lasted over a year and I really like the feel of it, not too stiff, not too whippy. I know that Fleche is Blades' store brand name and not the mfg (which I think is Ukranian).

The other is a blade I bought from Zivkovich which is stiffer then the Fleche blade and kinks up easier. It is marked with a FE on the blade. I have no idea who makes this blade.

If someone would be so kind as to list the current blade makers and their markings and let me know who makes the Fleche blades for Blade, I'd really appreciate it. I did a search but found only bits and pieces of the info I'm looking for. Thanks

Zilverzmurfen · 06-01-2006, 05:30 PM

I'm fairly certain that the 'Fleche' blade is a Dynamo.

Here are some links that I think you might find interesting:

...and welcome to the sport.

the reluctant fencer · 06-01-2006, 07:05 PM

I'll upload a bunch of markings...shoud be 15 minutes...

the reluctant fencer · 06-01-2006, 07:09 PM

attached are some pics that I just took for you...

the reluctant fencer · 06-01-2006, 07:10 PM

the PBT logo is on the fleshe blade...fyi

the reluctant fencer · 06-01-2006, 07:12 PM

these are all blades that I have. Some are snapped...

first is a 2005 STM FIE blade...tried wiring it inbetween a pool and DE but messed up the wire.

second is a preiur blade

third is a LN FIE blade...don't know what that means...just had it sitting around.

fourth is a non-FIE blade from France Lames...it was really cheap.

fifth is the fleshe blade

sixth is the back of the fleshe blade showing it was sold by PBT

Last is the ubiquitous BF FIE blued...with manufacture date of September 01...hmm...

DHCJr · 06-01-2006, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the reluctant fencer

third is a LN FIE blade...don't know what that means...just had it sitting around.

fourth is a non-FIE blade from France Lames...it was really cheap.

Your third and your fourth blades are the same non-FIE blades from France Lames. There were 2 types of the LN blades. One had the regulation FIE logo, but instead of having LM they put in LN. When they were called on this, their excuse was these were there non-FIE blades, the N was for non.

The other had a Large FIE. On Epee blades the I was where the groove was. When called on this, their answer was that it wasn't FIE, but FLE for France Lames Equipment and the bottom of the L was cut off. When they were shown Sabre blades, they changed their story that it was a little l.

To make a long story short LN blades are non-FIE carbon blades made by France Lames.

the reluctant fencer · 06-01-2006, 07:41 PM

then why do teh F and E have the same lower curve as the FIE logo? that seems like schemeing to me...

Purple Fencer · 06-01-2006, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the reluctant fencer

then why do teh F and E have the same lower curve as the FIE logo? that seems like schemeing to me...

That't France Lames for you....

DHCJr · 06-01-2006, 08:06 PM

You must be joking! France Lame breaking the rules!

Those 2 are just the tip of the iceberg. Blades mark, exactly like there FIE blades with LM, but in fine print right next to the FIE is a -N.

Some Epee blades that were marked with a FIE mark from a manufacturer from the former Soviet Union were submitted at a World Championship. There were a few problems the blades were very rusty and the forge hammer marks did not look the same as other non rusty blades from the same manufacturer, but they did look like blades that were marked LM.

There are many more stories of France Lames that are very similar. The funny thing is they did not go under for fraud. They went under for creative accounting like Enron. The president was sentenced to jail time. Of course, he spent 0 days in jail.

KD5MDK · 06-01-2006, 08:14 PM

Anybody know where I could acquire one of their "FIE" blades?

bousquet · 06-02-2006, 12:12 AM

Thanks all. The links and the photos were most helpful. My Fleche blade is a Dinamo. But still don't know who's the maker of the FE marked blade. I haven't seen anything yet that resembles the markings on my blade.

the reluctant fencer · 06-02-2006, 12:21 AM

post a pic of your markings! I would like to see these mystery markings. I have never owned a "dinamo" but have owned the fleche versions...my current one has lasted longer than I thought it would with the way I abuse weapons. I plan on getting one of the dinamo FIE blades to replace my next weapon that dies...they seem very well weighted and more flexible than a BF FIE...
you probably don't need any super fancy weapons ust yet. I did not use a FIE blade until about 3 years after I started fencing...Now I can't use a non-FIE blade or it will snap in 2 months of competitive use. I used to have BF FIE blades last 7 months before they died. I now fence much less so I don't fly through blades like I used to.

Zilverzmurfen · 06-02-2006, 03:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the reluctant fencer

I have never owned a "dinamo" but have owned the fleche versions...

I thought you said the photos you posted were of your own blades? The fifth one (in your first photo-post) is a Dynamo blade.

Interesting also to see the PBT stamp on your 'fleche' blade. PBT is a vendor, so it would be more interesting to find out who manufactured the blade.

rory · 06-02-2006, 04:58 AM

I believe PBT do actually manufacture some of their own blades, though I might be wrong.
They also rebadge BFs for sale, same as everyone else, of course.

Zilverzmurfen · 06-02-2006, 05:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rory

I believe PBT do actually manufacture some of their own blades, though I might be wrong.

I find this hard to believe, but of course, you could be right.

the reluctant fencer · 06-02-2006, 08:15 AM

yeah...a dinamo with a fleche stamp...I know it ia forged by dinamo but I call it what it is marked...Doesn't dinamo have a different stamp from fleche? like Ford and Lincoln...a Lincoln is made by ford but you don't call it a Ford...you call it a Lincoln...
and the PBT stamp is on the fleche/dinamo blade...
I have never seen a PBT forged blade...I know they sell a lot of BF FIE white blades...

Zilverzmurfen · 06-02-2006, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the reluctant fencer

Don't dinamo have a different stamp from fleche?

They do, you posted it yourself.

As for US car industry I can't really comment. Being from 'Steeland USA' I trust you know more about cars than I do.

the reluctant fencer · 06-02-2006, 09:22 AM

that is what I am saying...if it has a fleche insignia then it is fleche...
and I know a lot about cars...I have an old car and have reworked nearly every system on the car...hugely upgraded suspension with coilovers and adjustable struts without any "suspension kit" lol, disassembled and repaired the transmission, some eletrical, some body work, and other stuff...

keropie · 06-02-2006, 11:11 AM

In the world of fencing, we tend to care simply who made the blade, and in this case it's dinamo (dynamo, whichever you prefer) and not fleche. It would be the moral equivalent (and this does happen occasionally) of taking, say, a Mitsubishi 3000GT, changing the spoiler, and putting some Dodge branding on it and calling it a Stealth. The big difference, of course, is that cars tend to require (potentially specialized) repair, and taking them to a Ford/Mitsu/VW/whomever dealer does sometime get you better results, and if you bought it new from one of those dealers, you may even hae some enhanced rights. Broken fencing blades tend to be good for trash.