Leon Paul tape

[Stormblade]

Sorry to intrude on your lives with another question (this one probably the dumbest yet ) but I just finished off a roll of absolute tip tape and I need to buy some more. So, I looked on Leon Paul, and they have two different kinds of tape. Which one should I get? What are the differences? Are there pros and cons?

[CvilleFencer]

LP uses gaffers/racket tape like pretty much everyone else on the planet and then they use electrical/PVC tape on the barrels. They have their reasons for this and I sort of understand, but I absofreakinlutely hate electrical tape on foils. In the south and the summer time the stuff is a pain to get off and the adhesive is very, very messy.

The only time it might be needed is if the event is using some of the old brass weights that have a very tiny opening. For those, the LP and German Next Gen points can't have much tape or the weights won't fit on properly. Course those old weights should be thrown out anyway, so it is pretty much a wash as far as arguments go.

As for tape, just order a roll or two of Pro Gaff in your favorite color, 1 1/2 inch width. It will last the average fencer a year or more and cost less than one tiny roll from many vendors.

[Stormblade]

Thank you so much for mentioning that, because I've tried racquet tape and electrical tape and I hate them both!

Is there a specific place you would recommend getting Pro Gaff? For instance, right now I'm looking at the prices here: http://www.thetapeworks.com/progaff.htm

[brtech]

One and a half inches?

Nah. Most tape is 19 mm (3/4"). Some folks like 1".

Gaff is good. Gamma racket tape is good. Swordmasters sells a nice big roll of tape in a good color range at a reasonable price.

[CvilleFencer]

1 inch is fine. I sort of like the wider tape when I can find it so I can go around the blade twice. The 1 inch pro gaff is what we use at the club since over a year ago I got a three pack and we have yet to run through it. That's the entire club by the way, not just club weapons. A good sized role shouldn't be more than 6-7 dollars.

[Beloit Fencer of Old]

I just paid a visit to the Tape-O factory in Dover, NH to see what they could offer. They looked at one of my foils, then the roll of Gamma tape I brought along, and came out with a 60 foot roll of a cloth tape they make there. I'm going to try it out and see how well it works. The kicker: a 60 foot roll would go for about $2 wholesale. If it works well, this may be a good solution.

[Rockstar44]

I just paid a visit to the Tape-O factory in Dover, NH to see what they could offer. They looked at one of my foils, then the roll of Gamma tape I brought along, and came out with a 60 foot roll of a cloth tape they make there. I'm going to try it out and see how well it works. The kicker: a 60 foot roll would go for about $2 wholesale. If it works well, this may be a good solution.

Keep us posted....

[Beloit Fencer of Old]

I just paid a visit to the Tape-O factory in Dover, NH to see what they could offer. They looked at one of my foils, then the roll of Gamma tape I brought along, and came out with a 60 foot roll of a cloth tape they make there. I'm going to try it out and see how well it works. The kicker: a 60 foot roll would go for about $2 wholesale. If it works well, this may be a good solution.

Wow...the tape held up really well. I did not know if it would, because it's lighter and more flexible than Gamma tape. My first clue came when I went to hand-rip the tape, and discovered that it didn't want to. So, I grabbed my super-duper Stanley utility knife and cut it the proper way. This is good tape. I will continue to monitor its performance.

Do you think any of the fencing vendors will be interested in it? I mean, 60 feet for about $2...and I'm sure they could get it for less...

[Rockstar44]

Website, perhaps?

[Beloit Fencer of Old]

http://www.tape-o.com/

They don't sell individual rolls, but they will send samples to vendors who would consider stocking it for sale. The kind I got is black 3/4", but they have many widths and colors (read: club colors). They can also do special packaging (private-label).

[fencerbill]

For me, the ideal is 3/4 inch for the blade and 1 inch for the barrel. If you use 3/4 inch, you have to run the tape up on the barrel a little for some points.

[Stormblade]

I ordered some Gaff tape, so we'll see how that works. I was desperate the other day, and used some athletic tape I had in my bag. Heh. Didn't go well.

[monitorlizerd]

Whatever LP uses, it's not gaffers tape, the residue it leaves is horrible, and doesn't come off, not even with acetone.
I tried Googling "1 inch gaffers tape" and got a bunch of good websites
Good luck

Susie in Houston

[Stormblade]

Well, got my tape the other day but have yet to try it. I was shocked what a massive roll it was. It's 6 1/2 inches in diameter! It barely even fits in my armory case...and I have one of those big art bin things.

[Robert Smith]

Folks around these hyar parts use 1" hockey tape. It's a cloth tape, readily available from any sporting goods store, and comes in a variety of colours from basic black to shocking pink, even camouflage (so your opponent won't see your point coming, I guess. Don't see it working too well on piste or on ice, personally).

I prefer it to anything else because it's fairly long lasting, hand-tearable and leaves little or no residue. When it's time to replace, I just run a knife down one edge and peel it off, just like skinning a rabbit.

Ebay vendors have it in team and national colours - well, US and Canada, at least. There's one that's offering 24 rolls of 25 yards - 600 yards altogether - in assorted colours for $40 US. That's enough for taping roughly 3,000 foils, or our entire club for the next five years, I suspect.