Electric sabre mask for non-electric foil, electric epee

[Carnacki]

Hello!

I'm an ex-fencer just getting back into the sport, and having got rid of all my gear (and moved countries!), I'm making a shopping list of stuff to get.

I fence sabre and go to a weekly club for this. Although the club is non-electric sabre, I figured I may as well get electric gear to save having to buy everything twice over.

However, I also go to another club which is more just social fencing, and fence non-electric foil. They also do electric epee, which I may take part in once I get some breeches (club requirement).

My question is: if I were to buy a good electric sabre mask, is it wise to use this for non-electric foil and electric epee?

I'm not going to fence electric foil so I'm not worried about lame connection issues with the sabre mask's bib, but I'm more concerned that foil and epee hits to the sabre mask lame bib may damage it. I imagine that a sabre hit (electric or non-electric, no difference) to the mask bib would be much lighter than a stab from a foil or epee.

Would I be better off just getting a nice all-purpose standard mask instead?

As I said my sabre club doesn't do electric sabre anyway, but they do have the set-up for it and might get all the equipment out if any sabruers actually had any electric gear (none do at the moment, but it could be me and a friend who are the first to gear up).

Am I worrying unduly? I don't mind buying a general mask and a sabre mask if I have to (to avoid the sabre mask being damaged by foil/epee), but I'd prefer to avoid the extra cost.

Your advice appreciated!

[SJCFU#2]

You're probably better off with a general purpose mask. Electric saber masks tend to cost more and fail sooner (usually due to high resistance in the bib). Using an electric saber mask to fence foil and épée would probably just hasten its demise.

With electric épée there is also the potential for the mask (or more likely the bib) to form a short between the tip and the barrel of your opponent's épée. This may or may not prevent his touch from registering (depends on the scoring machine) however if it does then it certainly won't help your popularity among the épée fencers.

[Carnacki]

Ah thanks - that's pretty much what I thought, although I didn't realise they had high failure rates anyway due to bib resistance.

So I guess a standard mask for now, and then if I keep it up into next year I'll grab an electric mask when I need it.

Thanks!

[fencerbill]

I have worked on a lot of masks and have some comments.

I don't think fencing Foil and Epee will cause an electric Sabre mask to fail that much faster. Most of the deterioration of Lame fabric on Sabre masks comes from grazing Sabre cuts and from handling of the mask putting it on and taking it off. When electric Sabre masks have cuts, they are likely from broken Sabre blades or because the tips of many Sabre blades can still have sharp edges.

You say the Foil fencing you will do is non-electric, so an electric Sabre mask is not a disadvantage there. There is a small but finite probability that your opponent's Epee touches may not be recorded. That is not a problem for you but for them, if they don't mind or if you will acknowledge touches you think they may have lost, that can work.

But you can't fence electric Sabre without an electric Sabre mask. Based on your description, I would recommend you get an electric Sabre mask.

[Carnacki]

Ok, interesting, thanks fencerbill! Keep the opinions coming... I'm not buying a mask straight away as both clubs I go to have standard club-quality ones I use. But as I intend to keep fencing and may as well invest in decent gear, a decision will need to be reached sooner or later.

My first purchase this week is actually a jacket and breeches, as club ones are just awful! Who on earth decided the zip should go on the BACK? Hehheh - anyway, Leon Paul competition standard will do the trick for those for the moment.

[SJCFU#2]

As long as you're looking at Leon Paul you might also consider their X-Change saber mask. That way you can always swap out the electric bib with a non-conductive one for foil* and epee (I trust that either Alex or Barry will correct me if I'm wrong about this), and when the electric saber bib does fail it will be easy to replace.

*technically it still won't be legal for foil since the mesh won't be insulated but in your case that may not matter very much.

[wbowman]

If you can only afford one mask at present -- and if both the club where you fence epee and foil has non-electric club masks -- you might as well just buy the electric sabre mask and use the club masks for the other two weapons. The consensus that it won't hurt the sabre mask may be right, but there's no sense in taking a chance if you've got a club mask available.

[HDG]

Who on earth decided the zip should go on the BACK? Hehheh -

It's ambidextrous that way -- useful for clubs.

RH jackets cannot be worn by lefties in competition and vice-versa.

[KD5MDK]

As long as you're looking at Leon Paul you might also consider their X-Change saber mask. That way you can always swap out the electric bib with a non-conductive one for foil* and epee (I trust that either Alex or Barry will correct me if I'm wrong about this), and when the electric saber bib does fail it will be easy to replace.

*technically it still won't be legal for foil since the mesh won't be insulated but in your case that may not matter very much.

It won't matter for dry foil though, and won't matter for electric epee.
If you can afford an X-Change Sabre mask with a regular bib as well, you'll be in great shape.

[Carnacki]

It's ambidextrous that way -- useful for clubs.

RH jackets cannot be worn by lefties in competition and vice-versa.

Ah, of course, I didn't think of that!

Thanks for all the tips. I shall see what my bank balance looks like!