Too stiff epee blade... advice?

[Hauptman]

Hi all,

I picked up a lovely BF epee blade, but can't seem to get it to break in at all. It is as stiff as can be and just isn't fun to fence with.

I've tried bending it in place on my bookshelf.....I even left it for weeks at a time, but it is still stiff and straight as a board. Any advice?

I'm open to other blade recommendations too. Any good FIE blades that are still light and flexible?

Thanks!

[chase]

some of my clubmates like those blades because they are stiff. try returning or trading it for a leon paul blade. or fence saber

[yearsofwisdom]

NOOO get a vniti. those epee blades are notoriously known to be tanks AND they are fairly soft so they do bend and you can flick with them

[erooMynohtnA]

For breaking it in, holding it in a bent state is useless. Unless you bend it to an angle that achieves a plastic deformation of the steel, you're not really doing anything. So basically, it's not the time that matters, you just need to bend it further.

What I'd do is just repeatedly run it under my foot at a greater and greater angle to try to get a uniform curve throughout (a little bigger than you'd like to fence with). Once you're happy with that, bend it back to the angle you'd like for fencing. It will hold the shape a little better that way. Then just do a lot of target practice on a wall with it to wear it out a little.

[Hauptman]

For breaking it in, holding it in a bent state is useless. Unless you bend it to an angle that achieves a plastic deformation of the steel, you're not really doing anything. So basically, it's not the time that matters, you just need to bend it further.

What I'd do is just repeatedly run it under my foot at a greater and greater angle to try to get a uniform curve throughout (a little bigger than you'd like to fence with). Once you're happy with that, bend it back to the angle you'd like for fencing. It will hold the shape a little better that way. Then just do a lot of target practice on a wall with it to wear it out a little.

Thanks for the info; metallurgy is definitely not my area.

I think I'll pick up a Vniti too. Thanks!

[chase]

vnitis are REALLY heavy. i thought you wanted light blades?

[erooMynohtnA]

Chase makes a good point. Vnitis are one of the, if not the, heaviest blades availabe. I missed the request for light flexible FIE blades.

Not all BF blades are the same. Chances are that you'll be able to find one you like if you look through them in person. That is probably your best bet.

However, there are light FIE blades out there with more flex:
Chevalier D'Auverne (But they break)
LP non-FIE is super durable
LP FIE is about the same but a lot more money
There's the LP K-Pro, too (still available?)

[telkanuru]

Vnitis really aren't noticeably heavier than any other blade. They do flex in a way that is strange, though. If you have the problem where you extend up rather than out, you will lose touches. I prefer them for use with a french grip, but would not suggest them to pistol grip users.

[Hauptman]

Chase makes a good point. Vnitis are one of the, if not the, heaviest blades availabe. I missed the request for light flexible FIE blades.

Not all BF blades are the same. Chances are that you'll be able to find one you like if you look through them in person. That is probably your best bet.

However, there are light FIE blades out there with more flex:
Chevalier D'Auverne (But they break)
LP non-FIE is super durable
LP FIE is about the same but a lot more money
There's the LP K-Pro, too (still available?)

When I lived in NY or SF trying out blades in person was definitely the way to go, but that was many years ago and miles away.

Now I just take my chances with mail order blades; that's why I appreciate the advice.

[K O'N]

Hi all,

I picked up a lovely BF epee blade, but can't seem to get it to break in at all. It is as stiff as can be and just isn't fun to fence with.

I've tried bending it in place on my bookshelf.....I even left it for weeks at a time, but it is still stiff and straight as a board. Any advice?

Trade it to someone who likes it.

I'm open to other blade recommendations too. Any good FIE blades that are still light and flexible?

Thanks!

The StM FIEs I've seen are pretty light and pretty stiff, not a telephone pole but not floppy. The LP is very light, of course, and you can flick with it if you get used to it. And they're clones, they're all exactly alike, at least as far as I've seen.

K O'N

[counterattack]

In my experience (about 25 StM FIE blades broken to date) the StM FIE starts stiff. Feels almost as good as a BF White. Then they slowly get floppy from there. They never get whippy, but they'll keep a bend. They last longer than the BFs but after the first week they don't feel as stiff (because they aren't anymore). This may be exactly what you are looking for. I don't like them, but they are what I use since for the amount I can afford they are the best combo of stiff+durable when fresh. But like I said, you'll just like them after they get flexible, which for me is a week or two. But I am hard on blades, so maybe it would take you longer to get them soft. I'll tell you what. You send me your brand new BF FIE blades and I'll send you my old floppy STM FIEs Everybody wins?

-ph

[AdamH]

I'm open to other blade recommendations too. Any good FIE blades that are still light and flexible?

Thanks!

LP non-FIE blade is light and will become controllably flexible.

StM non-FIE is light and will go from medium-stiff to plastic more quickly.

The StM doesn't have the lifespan of controlled flex the LP does. StM blade breaks generally sooner.

Lighter blades are a bit harder to land shots over guard or to back with (compared to 'momentous' broken in vniti) but you can ninja with them.