Fencing.Net - Your Guide to Fencing & Fencing Equipment

Queen_Maleah · 02-01-2008, 09:07 PM

Well, I am on a tight budget and I have been looking into the STM sowrd like my coach reccmended it. I am a beginner and I do not wish to spend a fortune on a sword. I need one that would be reliable for practice twice a week and to go to local tournaments. And it seems an STM fits into my budget more. Are they really as good as leon paul or is it better to just wait until there is more money for a leon paul? Can anyone explain the difference between a Loen Paul and a STM???

here are the 2 i have been thinking about:
http://shop.fencing.net/product_p/fdn-31101.htm
http://shop.fencing.net/product_p/fdn-31001.htm

Now here is the leon paul i have been thinking about:
http://shop.fencing.net/product_p/fdn-31003.htm

Neinteen · 02-01-2008, 09:14 PM

I have foil StMs and they're good, Can't say the same for their epees because I don't know about them, but they are generally a trustworthy brand to go with.

erooMynohtnA · 02-01-2008, 09:20 PM

This is the LP you should be thinking about: http://shop.fencing.net/product_p/fdn-31103.htm

Anyway, the LP has an odd styled blade that's much lighter and more flexible than an StM.

The Leon Paul blade will last a lot longer than the StM, so it's definitely the more cost effective epee. If you're only talking about durability, the LP blade is the one to get.

However, a lot of people don't like the LP blade's balance, weight, and flex, so from a standpoint of performance, there's no right or wrong choice for the money. It's whatever feels right.

brtech · 02-01-2008, 09:26 PM

Consensus is that StM is the best choice for a low cost blade that lasts.

The LP is a better blade, and there are blades that are better than that LP blade.

So, its really an issue of how much money you spend.

I think the StM is a wise choice, and I'd put extra money in a better mask before I'd put it in a blade. If you have a good mask, decent whites and decent shoes, then maybe after that start upgrading your blades (when they break). I'm not sure what the difference in the blades between the two StM choices you listed. I thought StM makes only one non FIE blade, although there are color options.

Some fencers are rough on blades, and they break inexpensive blades quickly. If that happens to you, you may need to move up to an FIE blade. StM makes a good FIE blade, and there are several better FIE blades, some made by LP, also.

Villadsen · 02-01-2008, 09:47 PM

My experience with both these blades is that non-FIE STM are garbage but the non-lp's are very nice and last much longer. I've upgraded to both the FIE versions now and just the feel of the LP blade makes me want to parry and the STM to attack. Not sure why, but for weights sake, LP is lighter and lasts longer.

gatsby · 02-01-2008, 11:15 PM

Since you say your kind of a beginner, I'd go the the StM. The LP is definitely gonna last longer and is lighter, but its weight and balance are unlike any other blades. The StM, however, feels pretty standard, which is what makes it such a good starting weapon. Cuz once you start on LP, you may never want to experiment with other blades because they'll feel "weird" in comparison.

Phantom5588 · 02-02-2008, 12:24 AM

I'm a beginner as well and I have an StM sabre and it is more than satisfactory for people starting out in the sport. It is good quality and moderate cost. fencewithfun.com has good stuff, but your best bet would be f.net.

veeco · 02-02-2008, 12:45 AM

They're not swords, but weapons, foils, sabres, or epees.

Swords are used to play in the backyard when you're a kid :-)

samster · 02-02-2008, 12:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by veeco

They're not swords, but weapons, foils, sabres, or epees.

Swords are used to play in the backyard when you're a kid :-)

+1. that said, stm blades are heavier but long lasting. like vnity.

brtech · 02-02-2008, 10:38 AM

I think consensus is that Vnity blades last longer than StM blades. YMMV of course, but that is my experience. StM is still a very good choice for a starter blade.

***Craig*** · 02-02-2008, 11:14 AM

A lot of the choice depends on your fencing style. The Leon Paul blade is lighter and will last longer than the StM, but the feedback that I've received is that the LP blade is more suited to the fencer that plays more of an absense of blade game.

That said, you should be able to make parries/beats/takes with the LP blade, the balance for the actions just feels a little different.

For the beginners locally, I've sold primarily StM and then they upgrade to Leon Paul or to an FIE blade (StM, Vniti, BF) later.

Craig

fatfencer · 02-03-2008, 03:08 AM

that sells Vniti FIE blades for cheaper than any cost such that it would make sense to buy a cheap non FIE blade.

Generally speaking Vniti/STM Fie blades are both very wear resistant and much more ductile than some other blades so at some point, if the foible is trained to bend correctly, you really get a sweet blade for the money. It probably will be a bit heavy though...

I really find that BF whites and blues are my fave but thats a price point getting harder and harder to justify.

The funny thing is is that blade branding makes very little difference. Whatever the stereotypes for blades that exist, there's so much inconsistency amongst batches of ANY blade manufacturer that it really just doesn't matter. If what I just said weren't true, I'd long since been ordering blades over the phone... and I NEVER do that. You can find a batch of BF whites that feel like any other blade you can think of...just the way it is...but I've never found the PERFECT blade for me outside of BF... a few of the early 90's France Lames were similar but just a tinge too brittle.

There's only TWO people I trust to pick blades out for me...otherwise I will touch every FIE blade in the venue.

FF

jjefferies · 02-04-2008, 03:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by veeco

They're not swords, but weapons, foils, sabres, or epees.

Swords are used to play in the backyard when you're a kid :-)

Veeco, According to "The Book of Swords", 1850, the foil is a sword. Epee - according to the french-english dictionary - is french for sword. IMO, The use of the word, weapon, while acceptable is of much later usage and primarily promoted by later day self proclaimed cognoscenti who disdain the martial antecedents of fencing.

gatsby · 02-04-2008, 05:20 AM

ehhh
in my experience, anyone who actually fences and still calls their weapon a sword is of the D&D persuasion.

Zilverzmurfen · 02-04-2008, 05:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gatsby

ehhh
in my experience, anyone who actually fences and still calls their weapon a sword is of the D&D persuasion.

...or just very new to the sport, like the original poster.

Robert Smith · 02-04-2008, 07:35 PM

Getting back to the original question...

I'm looking at buying foils for a group of freshly-baked beginners, all of around grade 7 / 8 (mostly ages 12 and 13), all of parents that don't mind spending a little extra to get improved durability. Because I've yet to break one - and I think I've broken at least one of everything else - I'm inclined to Vniti blades, with French grips to limit the ability to punch holes in each other. They're the usual mix of beginners, from diffident to steam-roller, and my one concern with Vniti blades is that they're a little stiff.

Some of the kids would last forever on a cheap blade, but as I'm the one who will have to maintain, one-size-fits-all seems a wise approach. I discounted the StM non-maraging blades out of hand; a false economy for anyone with any tendency to abuse blades. The cheaper Leon Pauls - the France and Etoile blades are nice enough to handle but not particularly long-lived. In FIE blades, Prieur don't impress; poorly finished, easily nicked because the edges are so sharp, take unpleasant bends with some ease; StM FIE are .. okay, I guess .. but Vniti so far have been outstanding.

So that's my plan. Pay twice the cost of a cheapo weapon, expect several times the longevity.

InFerrumVeritas · 02-04-2008, 10:59 PM

Eh, as much as Triplette is disliked, not a single person at my club has broken a TCA blade in the past five years. We've had some nasty hits, but they don't even kink badly. They are a bit stiffer than other brands, but as a first weapon, or non-FIE back-up, it's great. They are, according to the catalog and site, made by BF.

That being said, I am slowly up-grading my gear and definatly going with Vniti for my weapons.

erooMynohtnA · 02-05-2008, 01:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by InFerrumVeritas

Eh, as much as Triplette is disliked, not a single person at my club has broken a TCA blade in the past five years. We've had some nasty hits, but they don't even kink badly. They are a bit stiffer than other brands, but as a first weapon, or non-FIE back-up, it's great. They are, according to the catalog and site, made by BF.

That being said, I am slowly up-grading my gear and definatly going with Vniti for my weapons.

They were definitely Dinamo, the cheapo StM, last time I checked. I would certainly not put it past Triplette to lie about what type of blade they were retailing even though they have nothing to do with its production.

What's the forge mark on it?

forethought · 02-05-2008, 01:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by erooMynohtnA

They were definitely Dinamo, the cheapo StM, last time I checked. I would certainly not put it past Triplette to lie about what type of blade they were retailing even though they have nothing to do with its production.

What's the forge mark on it?

Um, they sell both.

davesaint · 02-05-2008, 11:29 AM

I have had great luck with the STM Epee and Foil blades. The have proven remarkably durable for me. I prefer them over the LP Epee blades, as I tend to get some vibration in the LP blade when I beat my opponents blade. I also tend to prefer a stiffer blade.

Dave