difference between foil blades

[AdamH]

Just as a point of information, we have about 30ish loaner foils and about 10 loaner epees at my club. We only use Vniti FIE for our foils and Vniti and LP epees (with the exception of a couple that have been donated). The reason we use such expensive blades? We don't have to replace them. We have had one loaner break in 2.5 years, and they are used by all levels of fencers and used heavily as we are a decent sized club and we also run several HS and MS programs out of the facility. We also only use Next Gen German foil points, just FYI...

This is the sort of blanket move that makes me think, 'smart club' Definitely the best choices for quality fencing with an eye on blade endurance.

Vniti foils will work in for an individual. The biggest advantage for a beginner here is the consistency in the feel of actions. The foil will last a good, long while. You will become familiar with the timings for actions and so judge distances and all the little differences which make for the development of a good and simple, consistent game.

LP epee blades are pretty awesome, nothing like the spaghetti foils. Vniti epee blades are reliably tanky for slow-motion flicking, too.

[mach11]

I did have one last question on ordering a foil blade. Im going to be ordering a complete foil and last time i did they had already bent the blade (The angle at the gaurd not like the bend that works into the blade). I don't know what this bend is called but i heard you can specify what you want. Someone told me that the one they sent me had a really "deep" bend and that they prefer a "shallow" bend. I was just curious if i should just go with whatever they send me or should i specify a certain bend. Also, if i should specify one what would be a good bend for a beginner that doesnt have a preference.

[SJCFU#2]

I did have one last question on ordering a foil blade. Im going to be ordering a complete foil and last time i did they had already bent the blade (The angle at the gaurd not like the bend that works into the blade). I don't know what this bend is called but i heard you can specify what you want. Someone told me that the one they sent me had a really "deep" bend and that they prefer a "shallow" bend. I was just curious if i should just go with whatever they send me or should i specify a certain bend. Also, if i should specify one what would be a good bend for a beginner that doesnt have a preference.

I believe the "bend" you are asking about is more commonly referring to as "cant".

You can specify what sort of can you want when ordering a new blade - in fact it might not be a bad idea if you happen to be a leftie, if only to make sure that they don't set it for a rightie.

[erooMynohtnA]

It's called a cant. Since you don't know what you want, request a medium one. That way you'll know if that's good or you want more or less.

Also the whole discussion here about light, flicky, whippy, black, colored, heavy, maraging, shiny, rusty, bent, or balanced blades allowing you to do something like parry or flick is garbage. No blade does anything. You do. The sooner you realize that, the better you'll be.

[mach11]

Thanks. Yes the cant is what i was referring to i just couldn't think of the word at the time. Thank you though when i order i will request a medium one and the lefty thing wont be a problem as i am a righty. So when ordering i would just tell the vendor that i am right handed- it does ask- and that i would prefer a medium cant?

[Superscribe]

Fencing vendors are familiar with fencing. If you are ordering from a vendor, you might give them a call. They'll know what you mean when you say the blade is bent at the guard.

Further, if you are ordering from the same vendor as last time, you can use it as a reference point. You can say, "hey, this time, i want my blade canted a little less down and a little less to the right."

[AdamH]

It's called a cant. Since you don't know what you want, request a medium one. That way you'll know if that's good or you want more or less.

Also the whole discussion here about light, flicky, whippy, black, colored, heavy, maraging, shiny, rusty, bent, or balanced blades allowing you to do something like parry or flick is garbage. No blade does anything. You do. The sooner you realize that, the better you'll be.

Appreciate the sentiment that the fencer is key and not worrying about kit is healthy. Having reliable kit and understanding which actions a particular blade might facilitate is also going to help with putting the mind at rest.

Counter-attacking with a four year old LP Etoile or trying to land a deep flick with a brand new FIE StM bent upwards might give a fencer the wrong idea about things.

Therefore, liking the use of durable blades for reliability of 'feel' which enables the fencers to concentrate on the more important things like technique and timing.

[erooMynohtnA]

I agree that it is good for a fencer to know traits like durability, weight, balance, flex, and such. I, myself, am pretty picky.

However, I think it's a bigtime mistake to confuse preference with necessity. Only for the tippy top fencers does the blade allow certain actions or make others impossible. Some people learned to flick with a whippy blade, and can't do it without, for example. However, that's not a weakness of stiff blades, that's a weakness of the fencer. Another example is a fencer who says they don't have the strength to do pris de fer with a light blade. For 99% of fencers, every action is equally possible with every blade (excluding 4 year old etoiles).