Visconti Grip sizing

[EdGardner]

So I just "graduated" to pistol style grips from french, and have a shiny new STM bladed foil, been using it about a week, and realized I was getting alot more hand fatigue than I was expecting. It seems that the pistol part of the grip is about an 1/8th of an inch shorter so my pinky was struggling for a position while I was fencing which made my hand really tired.

We compared the grip (the "generic Visconti Medium from FdN) to some grips the club had, one medium Uhlmann grip later, and the fatigue was all but gone. It seems that there are minor (maybe 1/8 and inch) differences in the sizing of the pistol part of the grip.

So, obviously all grips are not created equally. Are there similarly sized grips to the Uhlmann? I can probably use a large, but this medium felt pretty perfect once we swapped it onto the foil. About to get a second foil, want to know my options

[Nolano]

I personally am a big fan of the Leon Paul viscontis. I had the same issue you do, where the rest of the grip was big enough, but it seemed like the grip for the rest of my fingers just wasnt long enough, so I had to go a size up. Since I got the Leon Paul, I've actuallly been thinking about moving back to a medium.

[Pescados666]

Amputate. I use a Chinese grip from BG and it fits my hand nicer than the viscounti that was on my foil originally. A Russian grip also fits my hand nicely.

[EdGardner]

I like the feel of the Visconti, I had poked at several of the other types before settling on this. The fatigue was the surprise. I'll check into the LP.

[noodle]

what size glove?

[AdamH]

I fenced french for a year, medium visconti (allstar) for a year, small visconti (allstar, switching to LP halfway) for a year, then extra-small visconti (allstar) for 4 months, now back with small visconti (LP) for the past few months. I wear a snug size 9 (LP) glove.

I went back to the small visconti for the same reason as you want to to have your club's grip. There is at least one top 5 fencer in the UK who fences with a 'too small' pistol so their pinky is bitten into by the bottom corner of their grip. Horses for courses?

It depends what you want, really. There are fencers who cut down the thumb area of their grip to have their fingers/thumb closer to the bell without resorting to a too small grip, particularly their pinky. Maybe an option if you have chunky hands and are used to using your pinky, but don't want the 'wafty' feeling of a too-long thumb area?

If you like your club's pistol grip, maybe ask to do a swap? Exchange your brand new, shiny grip for their nasty old, used grip Offer them favours and whatnot. Just like blades, best to try before you buy.

[DangerMouse]

There are lots of visconti grips that are sized similarly to the Uhlmanns. The problem is there is very little consistency in manufacturing. I used to dig through bins of Uhlmann medium viscontis to find the one that was long enough for me. I use a different brand now, but the best bet is to buy them in person or know exactly what to ask for when you order.

On a side note, I now use the Schermasport viscontis and have no need to look for anything else.

[Craig]

Looking through our grips, the standard fencing.net grip is a little different than the FWF grips we have and also from the Leon Paul. Of the 3 Mediums, the LP is slightly larger/rounder in the protrusions.

Craig

[EdGardner]

the best bet is to buy them in person or know exactly what to ask for when you order

Hence me asking questions

Thanks for the advice folks.

Craig: What is that LP grip labelled as on the order form for a foil?

[counterattack]

Originally Posted by DangerMouse

The problem is there is very little consistency in manufacturing. I used to dig through bins of Uhlmann medium viscontis to find the one that was long enough for me.

I would to emphasize DM's comment here: even within the same size of the same grip Uhlmanns are NOT the same. I have a collection of 12 large viscontis from Uhlmann (or at least they are each labelled Uhlmann, though some look really sloppy). The actual angles the various parts of the grip take with each other vary slightly, and in aggregate the feel from one to the other can be really noticeable. One of my grips I just can't use, the upwards hooking piece curves too much thumbward and causes bruising. Others wear out various parts of my gloves differently. Sadly, though I can see that they aren't identical to each other, it is hard to visually see which one will feel the best. These days I use a hammer and a dremel and I either make them all feel good or destroy them trying.

[gatsby]

hmmm i've never noticed the uhlmann inconsistency. is this just the newer ones? i have 4 of them (got them all when i started fencing about 3 years ago) and of the 4, i can only find my favorite one by blind feeling, and that's because it is very slightly thinner in the front. the other 3 are practically identical.

[Craig]

Originally Posted by EdGardner

Hence me asking questions

Thanks for the advice folks.

Craig: What is that LP grip labelled as on the order form for a foil?

It's the Ultragrip.

Craig

[counterattack]

Originally Posted by gatsby

hmmm i've never noticed the uhlmann inconsistency. is this just the newer ones? i have 4 of them (got them all when i started fencing about 3 years ago) and of the 4, i can only find my favorite one by blind feeling, and that's because it is very slightly thinner in the front. the other 3 are practically identical.

Some of them are practically identical. Some are not. That is exactly the thing. You would hope that of 4 "identical" grips you couldn't pick out your favorite by feel. But you can. I can too. Not what you hope for in equipment.

[EdGardner]

It's the Ultragrip.

Excellent, thanks!

[Nmfencer]

I find that usually when I buy the uhlmann mediums, that they feel all pretty much the same. I haven't really had to buy new ones in a while... but still.

When I switch to foil for the night and have to borrow the club weapons, I also find that I can fence with pretty much everything so... maybe I just don't notice subtle differences in grips.

[EdGardner]

The foil with the LP grip just arrived, it seems to be about perfect.

Thanks!

[Pescados666]

Even though it seems to be fixed, you could try filling down the lower part of the grip where it doesn't fit your pinky.

[brtech]

Time for the standard admonishment about having a favorite grip.

By favorite, I mean one specific grip, not one manufacturer's model.

You don't want to have a weapon you favor above your other weapons for any reason, and especially because of the grip. If you have a weapon you always want when you compete, you are sure to have it fail at the worst possible moment, and you won't do as well with your replacement. You want to be able to pick up any of your weapons and fence the same. If one breaks, no problem, ANY of your others will do just as well.

It's okay if you "futz" with your weapons to get them to be what you want. If that means altering grips, okay, but get them so that they are all exactly the same.

[EdGardner]

I had to get them to a point where I could use them first

Both the Uhlmann and the LP seem to fit that criterion now