Adjusting Grip Size

[LongPiper]

What do you use to adjust grip size? I just got a new French grip foil and the size seems way to small for my hand.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what to wrap the grip with to increase size?

Thanks in advance~~

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Mike Long
St. Louis, MO

[HilandDoug]

Mike-
Aldo Nadi wrote that the best grip was a french with cord handle, so you could wrap it with athletic tape and contour it to your specific grip. I have a buddy who swears by this, and customizes his grips religiously. It's also easy to tell his weapons from the rest when they're all in a pile, just from the grip.

Have you thought of changing to a pistol grip?

[LongPiper]

I have a leather grip that is easy to, well, 'grip' except for it being so small.

When you say 'athletic tape', do you mean the white cloth type or something plastic in nature, like hockey tape? I would think you would want a narrow tape to be able to make the grip more personalized.....

I'm going to be in a 'classical fencing' program where pistol grips are frowned upon. A previous post warned of just that. I checked into the club and, sure enough, no p-grips or flicks allowed.


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Mike Long
St. Louis, MO

[HilandDoug]

I mean the cloth athletic tape, easily tearable to any width you need for customizing. The great thing is that when it wears out, you peel the tape off and do it over, and Viola! New Grip! And I know what you mean when you say no pistol grips in CF. I've got a French grip epee for use when I mess with epee & dagger. If I were to compete with one, I'd want a pistol grip.

[flik]

You can pick up leather or rubber tennisgrip wrap at any decent sporting goods store. This stuff is usually well padded, coforms nicely to what ever shape you put it around, and provides a good surface to grip. You can get it in a vareity of widths.
I've redone my tennis racket's grip numerous times and am about to redo my sabre's grip with the same stuff. No complaints yet.

[damianip]

Try this:

Get some epoxy putty around the grip, put a thin layer of clear wrap over it and then grip the foil (with your glove on).

Depending on how "conformed" you want it, squeeze hard or not so hard. Let cure, peel off the clear stuff, touch up with a rasp, wrap with leather or tape if desired.

It worked nicely for my French grip épées. I wouldn't mold it too closely to the hand if your salle frowns on orthos.

Paolo

[HilandDoug]

Paolo and flik- those are both GREAT ideas! I've got some epoxy putty at home on the work bench, and plan to try it out when I get home.

[latenight]

TCA's corinthian wrapped french handle is thicker than most if you aren't allowed to do any modifying by your salle

[Christopher J Umbs]

Mike, I’m assuming by your location that you’ll be working with David Achilleus. Please say hello to him for me.

Chris

[cleghmor]

I have had great luck by cutting off about 2 inches off the french grip at the pommel end, and ended up with something resemblin' an Italian length weapon. Lovely action on the tip plus you can fick with it quite nicely.

Umbs.. No direspect but that achiellus guy is a loon. Saw his posts on RSF a while back and man does he come from a different planet or what?!

cleghmor