Picking an FIE Blade

[LeftHanded]

I am thinking about getting an FIE blade. I am going through non-FIE's at a rapid rate (something like on StM non-FIE lasts about two to three months and then snaps). I like the stiffness of StM and they have an FIE from what I see for 65$ or something around there. Then I see the Viniti FIE's with the Leon Paul tips and I have heard great things about these. I just need some help on what to get.

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

Go for the vniti.

Its not that vniti is the best overall blade or whatnot, but you're not really at the point as a fencer where you need/can appreciate a BF white or STM.

The vniti are also very very durable.

[JEC]

Originally Posted by D+F+P=Hadouken!

... but you're not really at the point as a fencer where you need/can appreciate a BF white or STM.

Ouch... perhaps us - lesser mortals can't appreciate them but we use them.

FYI: I have right now about 12 BF whites, 1 BF blue, 1 STM gold (FIE), 3 STM rainbow (FIE) and few non-FIE blades (which don't typically last as long and may break more dangerously with sharper edges).

I believe we appreciate them; we, perhaps, do not wield them as well as Kolobkov, Jeannet, or ... you.

LeftHanded getting FIE blades is a matter of preference, but clearly needed at high levels of fencing. BFs tend to be stiffer than STM, but Vniti FIE are very good blades too. LP FIE are also less stiff, but more difficult to rewire.

[HDG]

Originally Posted by D+F+P=Hadouken!

Go for the vniti.

Its not that vniti is the best overall blade or whatnot, but you're not really at the point as a fencer where you need/can appreciate a BF white or STM.

The vniti are also very very durable.

Wow, these are Downunder levels of condescension.

[LeftHanded]

Originally Posted by HDG

Wow, these are Downunder levels of condescension.

Not really he has seen me fence before. The reason I am looking at FIE's because I am going through standard blades at a very quick rate. I tried my friends Viniti and it was like a wet noodle. If I go in the point just flopped around and it makes point accuracy a little difficult. D+F+P=Hadouken, you know that I don't flick that much which seem like something Viniti should be used for. My game consists of more parry repost and counter attacks. For this I prefer a regular StM but these get kinks and eventually break in a fairly short amount of time.

[wahrman]

I had the same problem with non FIE stm blades. The two non FIE STM blade
I had both broke within 6 months.

I've used a couple of vniti and hate hate hate them. As you said, it's like fencing
with a wet noodle. I love my BF blades but can't really justify the expense for
my level of fencing.

I've been using an LP FIE for about a year and love it. (Hate the LP points though).

The LP and Vniti seem to be the most durable but both of them have some features
that some may find odd. The Viniti is whippy (I've heard that all Vniti are not
this way). The LP is flexible but not as much as the Vniti.

All things considered, I'd get the FIE STM blades. I've got 6 of them in my rotation
of blades and only broken one. It was over a year old.

I am fairly gentle on blades though, your mileage may vary.

I've not used one of the FIE-N blades from STM so I can't vouch for them.

One thing I forgot to mention.....the last pair of STM blades I got seem to have
a more narrow base and both seem to have developed kinks near the tip very
similar to what their non FIE cousins did. I don't know if the narrow base is an
indication of a bad batch vs good or just a coincidence.....

[HDG]

Originally Posted by LeftHanded

Not really he has seen me fence before. The reason I am looking at FIE's because I am going through standard blades at a very quick rate. I tried my friends Viniti and it was like a wet noodle. If I go in the point just flopped around and it makes point accuracy a little difficult. D+F+P=Hadouken, you know that I don't flick that much which seem like something Viniti should be used for. My game consists of more parry repost and counter attacks. For this I prefer a regular StM but these get kinks and eventually break in a fairly short amount of time.

Then I cheerfully withdraw my character assassination.

[LeftHanded]

Originally Posted by wahrman

I had the same problem with non FIE stm blades. The two non FIE STM blade
I had both broke within 6 months.

I've used a couple of vniti and hate hate hate them. As you said, it's like fencing
with a wet noodle. I love my BF blades but can't really justify the expense for
my level of fencing.

I've been using an LP FIE for about a year and love it. (Hate the LP points though).

The LP and Vniti seem to be the most durable but both of them have some features
that some may find odd. The Viniti is whippy (I've heard that all Vniti are not
this way). The LP is flexible but not as much as the Vniti.

All things considered, I'd get the FIE STM blades. I've got 6 of them in my rotation
of blades and only broken one. It was over a year old.

I am fairly gentle on blades though, your mileage may vary.

I've not used one of the FIE-N blades from STM so I can't vouch for them.

One thing I forgot to mention.....the last pair of STM blades I got seem to have
a more narrow base and both seem to have developed kinks near the tip very
similar to what their non FIE cousins did. I don't know if the narrow base is an
indication of a bad batch vs good or just a coincidence.....

I wish I could say that I am gentle on my blades but that just isn't true. Anyone that knows me can agree. I get really bad bends in mine. 120 degree bends are not unusual. I just need something that can bend and be bent back without breaking. One time I snapped a blade when I was fencing and my opponent fleched as I lunged into his shoulder. Now I don't expect that to be the usual treatment. I just need something that will last me longer than five tournaments. I bought a gold non-FIE at a NAC in March and I feel that it is going to snap sometime soon. That's three months!!!!! I don't have the money to buy myself a new blade every three to four months.

[wahrman]

Well, in that case, I'd have to agree with D+F+P=Hadouken! unless you just
can't stand the Vniti.

You try to track down the "stiffer" variety of Vniti if it really exists. ???

[LeftHanded]

Even thought the StM is FIE will it break easily?

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

Originally Posted by JEC

Ouch... perhaps us - lesser mortals can't appreciate them but we use them.

FYI: I have right now about 12 BF whites, 1 BF blue, 1 STM gold (FIE), 3 STM rainbow (FIE) and few non-FIE blades (which don't typically last as long and may break more dangerously with sharper edges).

I believe we appreciate them; we, perhaps, do not wield them as well as Kolobkov, Jeannet, or ... you.

LeftHanded getting FIE blades is a matter of preference, but clearly needed at high levels of fencing. BFs tend to be stiffer than STM, but Vniti FIE are very good blades too. LP FIE are also less stiff, but more difficult to rewire.

Its nothing personal. It just takes a while to appreciate BF whites enough to make them worth the $125 they cost. I don't think LeftHanded would be getting his moneys worth.

Originally Posted by LeftHanded

Not really he has seen me fence before. The reason I am looking at FIE's because I am going through standard blades at a very quick rate. I tried my friends Viniti and it was like a wet noodle. If I go in the point just flopped around and it makes point accuracy a little difficult. D+F+P=Hadouken, you know that I don't flick that much which seem like something Viniti should be used for. My game consists of more parry repost and counter attacks. For this I prefer a regular StM but these get kinks and eventually break in a fairly short amount of time.

Even though vniti are very flexible blades, I've found that they suck for flicks. Its not that they don't get much bend, but that they bend the wrong way. Besides that, a vniti will teach you to use your fingers better, because if you don't, it'll be like shootin pool with a rope.

[LeftHanded]

I am thinking about going with the Viniti. Because it lasts a long time and I can use a blade that will be that will always be there and I'll always have a blade. I normally get German points but because I am shelling out 100+ dollars I am slow to go and spend the extra. How are the standard Leon Paul tips that come standard. Are these French tips or Leon Paul's own special tips like the ones that come with it. The last French point I had was breaking and malfunctioning constantly.

[LeftHanded]

Well, just bought it. Ouch! sorry, the pain of loosing 124$ just hit me. I will post a review once I use it a little. I got a tourny this weekend and will really break it in.

[DangerMouse]

Originally Posted by LeftHanded

I get really bad bends in mine. 120 degree bends are not unusual.

This really sounds like you need to work on relaxing your hand and shoulder more than an issue with the blades.

[airathanas]

Originally Posted by LeftHanded

Well, just bought it. Ouch! sorry, the pain of loosing 124$ just hit me. I will post a review once I use it a little. I got a tourny this weekend and will really break it in.

yeah let me know how it turns out (since I'm the one who assembled it for you)

[CvilleFencer]

Originally Posted by DangerMouse

This really sounds like you need to work on relaxing your hand and shoulder more than an issue with the blades.

Agreed. Think about your distance as well, and the way you are making hits. If the bends are happening on counters for example, you are probably countering deeper or are in closer distance than you need to be.

The LP points are the same basic design as the French and German epee points. As with comparing the German to the French, the main difference comes down to machining, tolerance and quality of the materials used. The GT LP epee point has a teflon coating on the barrel and the point that gives it a smooth travel and tightens up the tolerance a bit more. The barrels on the LP points are a hard, durable steel that does not crack or dent as easily as the German does.

The only reel downside to the LP point is that it can be a bit of a learning curve to figure out how to get the contact spring set so that it does not travel up or down its screw. I tend to cheat in that I use German springs in my GT points. I usually have to play with the pressure spring a bit (compressing/clipping) to get it right, but I am more confident that they will last at that setting longer than the LP springs. Also, I don't use LP wires. I will use a French or German wire as I have had very bad luck with the LP wires.

Of course, if you have having it prewired from a vendor that knows what they are doing (LP USA, F.net) then it is not an issue since all that will be set for you in advance.

IMHO the basic LP point is directly comparable to the German points and superior to the French points IMHO. I have yet to be convinced that the GT points are a measurable difference over a polished and carefully lubed/assembled German point, but if you don't want to mess with all that the LP is a bit soother on average. They both have about the same maintenance cycle, but the LP screws are superior and will need to be replaced or develop burrs that can impeed travel/smoothness of the tip. Course you can always just use LP screws in your German points from the start. I guess it really comes down to personal preference. I prefer the LP tips generally as they are smoother and a little bit more durable than the German. But then again I am a fanatic about such things. Chances are many other fencers would not notice the difference...

[Gav]

Originally Posted by D+F+P=Hadouken!

Go for the vniti.

Its not that vniti is the best overall blade or whatnot, but you're not really at the point as a fencer where you need/can appreciate a BF white or STM.

The vniti are also very very durable.

Though I agree with DFP's comments re the Vniti I don't agree with the rest of his comment.

Basically; if he can't appreciate a BF (or whatever) then he can't appreciate any other blades either. He's not sophisticated enough. I would actually recommend that he tries various blades... if cost is an issue then decide the budget first. Once you know how much you can spend the rest is easy.

There are tons of variables that affect how a blade will feel, its longevity and - truthfully - no one knows anything about this without a little experience.

Durablility is not something I've ever worried about when purchasing a blade. Sometimes blades just snap... sometimes they last forever.

If lefthanded is going through that many blades then I would suggest having a chat with a coach. Or perhaps getting some footage taken and review it. Chances are that there is a fundamental technique problem that is causing it. If that is the case you will end up going through FIE's at a fair rate as well.

[Gav]

Originally Posted by CvilleFencer

The LP points are ... Chances are many other fencers would not notice the difference...

Cville - don't get me wrong but - this is over-analysis. For Mr Lefthanded this will only muddy the waters.

[samh]

I train a lot and am fairly hard on blades. Being hard on blades does not neccessarily mean a flaw in your technique or distance but could just be a sign of a fencer who prefers to close the distance quickly for counter attacks or attacks (this is in defence of myself and lefthanded). The blades that feel the best for me are the BFs; however, my experience with them is that they tend to get bad, permanent kinks consistently 4/5 of the way down the blade towards the tip. After they get these kinks they are no longer as good to use and also are destined to break quickly. Because of this I now only use fie stm's because they feel good for longer, are cheaper, and do not break as quickly.

[piste off]

Originally Posted by samh

I train a lot and am fairly hard on blades. Being hard on blades does not neccessarily mean a flaw in your technique or distance but could just be a sign of a fencer who prefers to close the distance quickly for counter attacks or attacks (this is in defence of myself and lefthanded). The blades that feel the best for me are the BFs; however, my experience with them is that they tend to get bad, permanent kinks consistently 4/5 of the way down the blade towards the tip. After they get these kinks they are no longer as good to use and also are destined to break quickly. Because of this I now only use fie stm's because they feel good for longer, are cheaper, and do not break as quickly.

How do the FIE STMs compare with the BFs in terms of weight and flexibility? I am looking for a lightweight blade (like the BFs, or way south of the Vnitis) but with a little more flex.

Thanks,

Rick