fun with sharp points

[slosher]

Had an eccentric epee fencer in my salle bring in a few point d'arrets. Oh wow, it hurt, but what a rush! anybody tried that stuff?

[Sildar]

Yep, they're great for getting into the "what if they were sharp" mentality; the added realism is great for classical training. Encourages a more cautious style, doesn't it? And people say dry epee is boring...

Not supposed to hurt though; you generally should be wearing a thick cotton jacket rather than thin stretch material when you use them. Also, waxed thread is generally wrapped around the points so that the tips are exposed just enough to grab the jacket.

I'm a big fan of them myself, and several classical schools still use them. They're rather hard to find nowadays unfortunately.

[Bebop and Rocksteady]

I guess determining touches would be a no-brainer....

[DamedEscrime]

Hmmm..into pain are we??

[Ben[PrFC]]

What is a point d'arret?

[neevel]

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Helvetica, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Helvetica, Arial">Originally posted by Ben[PrFC]:
<strong>What is a point d'arret?</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Helvetica, Arial">A piece of metal with three short, sharpish pins sticking out the front, which is affixed to the end of an epee blade. The pins would snag on a fencer's jacket, making it easier to discern a touch.

You will sometimes see the electric point referred to as point d'arret (since it was the functional successor to it)-- the tips on early electric epee points had a blunt, three-pronged shape patterned after the dry point d'arret.

-Dave

[HilandDoug]

I'm doing some stage combat for a show I'm in this summer, and I'm fencing with pointy rapiers. Although my point control is perfect (since I've not injured anyone), the young actors I'm working with are not so smooth. I've taken a thrust to the upper left thigh, the mid right thigh, and have just had the bruise fade around the scab from taking one in the front left "love handle" 2 weeks ago. I'm thinking of subscribing to tetnus shots! So the point d'arret would be a step down for me right now!

We have a few weeks more of rehearsal, and open the show on August 17 for an 8 week run. I'm hoping the cast practices their point control a bit more before then.

[D'Artagnan1673]

Anyone have a clue where you can get them? Sounds like a great way to train.

[Sildar]

I've heard there's one company (Negrini I think) who still makes them, but they aren't terribly good. If you can find someone who makes good custom historical weapons and has seen an old point d'arret, that's usually best.

Some folks I know are now making their own by filing down hex nuts and screwing them onto unwired electric blades. These don't last real long, but they are cheap and can be made easily.

[counter riposte]

Sounds like you might have some problems with the desire for pain and suffering, which may bring us to the origins of our white uniform, so as to tell if we are bleeding. Don't think I'd like that touch in particularly sentitive areas used for reproduction purposes, but that having been said,

THAT SOUNDS SOOO COOL.....

[Inquartata]

The white is not to show blood, but rather a spot of dye that was used to mark where a point landed. The point d'arret carried a bit of
dye-soaked cotton and worked sort of like a modern 'magic-marker'. Once the touch was awarded they swabbed the dye away with vinegar ( and you thought YOUR uniforms smelled bad! ).