Epee w/ Italian Grip

[Tai Wilson]

Does anyone know where I could buy an Epee that has an Italian grip? I know The Fencing Post has been selling them for a while, but they're only selling electric ones right now, and I'm looking for a Standard.

Thanks

[HDG]

Does anyone know where I could buy an Epee that has an Italian grip? I know The Fencing Post has been selling them for a while, but they're only selling electric ones right now, and I'm looking for a Standard.

Thanks

Negrini will sell you one (as long as you're not a snob about false ricassi), but it's gonna set you back a lot of euros.

[Inquartata]

http://amfence.com/html/classical.html

Also false ricassos, also not cheap...

[MUHSfencing]

The various parts AmFence sells made by Tom Rockwell are quite good.

Italian weapons are gonna be expensive no matter what. You have a choice though between using a true ricasso unwired electric blade vs a false ricasso + standard blade.

Also, Dennis Graves makes some very very nice false ricasso italian foils & epees which are considerably more expensive but from the ones I've seen its worth it...

http://www.noquarterarms.com/

According to yer profile, you're a lefty so make sure you get a lefty weapon.

[HDG]

According to yer profile, you're a lefty so make sure you get a lefty weapon.

How low an opinion of the average f.Net reader does one need to have to feel the need to tell a lefty to purchase lefty?

[Tai Wilson]

How low an opinion of the average f.Net reader does one need to have to feel the need to tell a lefty to purchase lefty?

It was worded oddly, but yeah, I agree. I know to buy a lefty. Hehe.

Anyway, thanks everyone for the suggestions.

[MUHSfencing]

How low an opinion of the average f.Net reader does one need to have to feel the need to tell a lefty to purchase lefty?

Capn Obvious thats me

Dont mean to be insulting but the italian grip may seem ambidextrous b/c of its symmetry but it isnt really...

[cl00bie]

According to yer profile, you're a lefty so make sure you get a lefty weapon.

I'm pretty new, but I was under the assumption that Italian grips are ambidextrous. (I have heard that the foil guards have an elongated slot that can be adjusted for a lefty -- which I am).

[jfarmer]

I'm pretty new, but I was under the assumption that Italian grips are ambidextrous. (I have heard that the foil guards have an elongated slot that can be adjusted for a lefty -- which I am).

That is correct. A true Italian grip is usable by either a right-handed or left-handed fencer.

I have seen some that the fencer has canted the tang a bit to fit their hand a bit better, but classic Italian style fencing assumes that the tang through the grip is straight with the axis of the blade.

As to where purchase a true Italian epee & grip, I would talk to some of the classical fencing groups. Try http://swordforum.com/. While most fencers do use the "false" ricasso grip (and it works), there are weapons available with true ricasso grips.. Just be prepared to spend some cash. They can make FIE blades look cheap...

John Farmer
Coach, Oak Ridge Fencers Club

[DangerMouse]

That is correct. A true Italian grip is usable by either a right-handed or left-handed fencer.

But most Italian epee guards are offset. If the crossbars are not fixed to the guard, they are ambidextrous, but if they are fixed to the guard then the guard can't be rotated to be ambidextrous.

[MUHSfencing]

But most Italian epee guards are offset. If the crossbars are not fixed to the guard, they are ambidextrous, but if they are fixed to the guard then the guard can't be rotated to be ambidextrous.

Exactly.

Actually I've also seen some Italian epees constructed with the same gavigliano as the foil - just with a larger guard...

Indicative of the close relationship between the foil & epee for classical Italian fencers, or so I'd imagine...

An Italian foil would (theoretically) be ambidextrous. The way some people customize their individual weapons sometimes might make that particular weapon hand specific though.

Hope that wasn't more confusing!