grip, guard, french/german point?

[ouik]

are there good brands for grip and guard?
and are there difference between (wired with)french and germant point?
thanks.

[AngelaHKG]

For grip,only depends on personal feeling,many people say Negrini Pistol Grip is the best,i also do think so.
For Guard,LP guard use aircraft material,which provide lightweight and more long lasting.But the Uhlmann/Negrini/Allstar also provide good guard.
Sorry I only heard about British point and German Point.

[erooMynohtnA]

Uhlmann medium Visconti if you are male. Uhlmann small Visconti if you are female.

Vniti guards are the best.

German points are far superior.

[KADao007]

I've been compiling, for fun, a list of "Things I have learned about fencing, the hard way," and one of the list item is as follows: "For the love of God, Allah, Buddha, stay away from French points for they are utter s#*%!"

[Purple Fencer]

Uhlmann medium Visconti if you are male. Uhlmann small Visconti if you are female.

Unless you prefer a Belgian or even a Russian.

Vniti guards are the best.

Agreed...they're tanks

German points are far superior.

Agreed again...but let's be more specific...he wants the FWF Xtra thick barrel....not the thinner models.

To the OP, it's important to understand WHY some of these choices are being presented, as people have their own preferences that may not suit you.

For example...I dislike the Visconti grips...I keep losing the blade when I use one. The Belgian, however, stays in my hand just fine. What you need to do is try different grips on a blade with a glove on...find the one that feels the most secure to you and that you feel you can control the best with, and then get THAT grip. Keep in mind that different makers have differing versions of the same grip...an Uhlmann visconti size 1 is a little different from a Negrini visconti size 1, and that difference might make the Uhlmann not feel correct if you decided on a Negrini.

The Vniti guards are very very durable. I've rarely seen one beat up the way other guards are. Plus, they're one-piece, so you won't have to deal with a strengthener coming lose. They're pricey, but worth it in the long run.

The German point you want is the FWF NextGen...sometimes called the Xtra thick. The barrel's twice as thick as prior german style barrels, which both hides and protects the screw and resists denting that can jam other tips.

Once you decide on a point...make sure ALL of your weapons have the same brand and model...unlike epee points, differing brands of foil points often don't play well with each other...and you can't combine French and German foil point parts anyway, as the designs are different.

[SJCFU#2]

The German point you want is the FWF NextGen...sometimes called the Xtra thick. The barrel's twice as thick as prior german style barrels, which both hides and protects the screw and resists denting that can jam other tips.

Once you decide on a point...make sure ALL of your weapons have the same brand and model...unlike epee points, differing brands of foil points often don't play well with each other...and you can't combine French and German foil point parts anyway, as the designs are different.

Repeated for emphasis.

[migopod]

Since the OP was non-specific about what weapon was being discussed...

French handles with a good, meaty pommel (either SS or the Absolute Heavy). Vniti | Allstar | Ulhman 1 piece guard (the three are virtually indistinguishable except for brand markings) and FWF barrels and tips (or FWF barrels and ZipTips). FWF sockets with German body cords or LP sockets with LP body cords.

[vivoescrimare]

Uhlmann medium Visconti if you are male. Uhlmann small Visconti if you are female.

Vniti guards are the best.

German points are far superior.

I mostly agree with this. Several top-tier men I know also use small grips - and FwF grips are on the rise in popularity. (I use FwF small visconti - as do the members of my club on the points list...) Personally can't abide anything larger than a medium. Belgian and russian grips are terrifying. Can't recall the last decent fencer I saw using either. Obviously, ymmv.

[DangerMouse]

I mostly agree with this. Several top-tier men I know also use small grips - and FwF grips are on the rise in popularity. (I use FwF small visconti - as do the members of my club on the points list...) Personally can't abide anything larger than a medium. Belgian and russian grips are terrifying. Can't recall the last decent fencer I saw using either. Obviously, ymmv.

I saw both Jean-Francois Di Martino and Remy Delhomme using belgian grips a couple weeks ago. I think they both qualify as decent fencers since between them they have a silver olympic medal and four world championship medals.

[piste off]

I saw both Jean-Francois Di Martino and Remy Delhomme using belgian grips a couple weeks ago. I think they both qualify as decent fencers since between them they have a silver olympic medal and four world championship medals.

From what I understand, a lot off the top junior French fencers (epee) who use pistol grips use Belgians. Makes sense to me, as that grip is great for changing lines; less so for flicks.

[Purple Fencer]

From what I understand, a lot off the top junior French fencers (epee) who use pistol grips use Belgians. Makes sense to me, as that grip is great for changing lines; less so for flicks.

Depends on the fencer...when I tried flicks, I found the center prong on a Belgian actually allowed me to do the action better (not the I actually LANDED the flick, but the execution of the motion was easier)

[DangerMouse]

Depends on the fencer...when I tried flicks, I found the center prong on a Belgian actually allowed me to do the action better (not the I actually LANDED the flick, but the execution of the motion was easier)

So you preferred a belgian grip because it was easier to do it wrong?

[Purple Fencer]

So you preferred a belgian grip because it was easier to do it wrong?

No....but that was one effect of the design for when I DID try it....I prefer a Belgian because I have a far better grip then with a visconti.

I DO do somewhat of a flicking action sometimes if I'm against a leftie in epee and am going for the arm...works sometimes.

In the end...the "best" grip is the one that works best for the fencer involved.

[erooMynohtnA]

Or the one that doesn't work but the fencer prefers it, apparently.

[migopod]

Not to put words into mouths, but I interpreted PF's flick assessment as Belgians make executing a flick easier for him, but his ability to land flicks (or lack thereof) was the limiting factor in their success. Not that he was executing the flicks wrong, but just missing because of aim, distance or some other factor.

Like when I was pistol gripping epees I could flick pretty well, but I couldn't hit the broad side of an arm because my aim sucked.

[DangerMouse]

Not to put words into mouths, but I interpreted PF's flick assessment as Belgians make executing a flick easier for him, but his ability to land flicks (or lack thereof) was the limiting factor in their success. Not that he was executing the flicks wrong, but just missing because of aim, distance or some other factor.

Like when I was pistol gripping epees I could flick pretty well, but I couldn't hit the broad side of an arm because my aim sucked.

If it doesn't land regularly, then you're doing it wrong. I really don't understand how you can assess that you "could flick pretty well" without the feedback of the hit landing or not. Flicking entirely wrong and flicking perfectly are separated by a very small difference in the end position of the tip, but a very large difference in the preparation and mechanics of the action itself.

[migopod]

I guess I'd equate the result with any discrete fencing action in that it's possible to technically execute an action correctly at the wrong time, wrong distance or without decent aim. I could pretty reliably flick various targets, but not so much against a living body. With respect to a particular grip making it easier to flick but still being unsuccessful, in my case it was a visconti not a Belgian, and the problem wasn't that the grip made flicking unreliable for me but rather that my inability to land flicks on real people made flicking unreliable.

I'm suggesting (again putting words into mouths and whatnot) that the Belgian grip didn't make flicking wrong easier, but that the fencer's ability to land flicks made flicking wrong happen. Maybe I'm misunderstanding the replies, but the impression I got was that Belgians result in poor flicks, not that poor flickers result in poor flicks regardless of grip.

[Purple Fencer]

Or the one that doesn't work but the fencer prefers it, apparently.

Flicking was never much a part of my game to begin with, even before the timing changes....every so often I found myself trying it without thinking (typically against a left-hander after a counter 6 parry)....even landed a few somehow....but as I was more of a parry-riposter, I didn't flick regularly. The belgian did give me, I felt, better control overall compared to a visconti.

And Migopod's assessment is fairly accurate.

[DangerMouse]

I guess I'd equate the result with any discrete fencing action in that it's possible to technically execute an action correctly at the wrong time, wrong distance or without decent aim. I could pretty reliably flick various targets, but not so much against a living body. With respect to a particular grip making it easier to flick but still being unsuccessful, in my case it was a visconti not a Belgian, and the problem wasn't that the grip made flicking unreliable for me but rather that my inability to land flicks on real people made flicking unreliable.

I'm suggesting (again putting words into mouths and whatnot) that the Belgian grip didn't make flicking wrong easier, but that the fencer's ability to land flicks made flicking wrong happen. Maybe I'm misunderstanding the replies, but the impression I got was that Belgians result in poor flicks, not that poor flickers result in poor flicks regardless of grip.

What I really meant is that if you can't do an action properly in context, you really aren't in a position to comment on the effectiveness of using one grip over another for that action.

[vivoescrimare]

I saw both Jean-Francois Di Martino and Remy Delhomme using belgian grips a couple weeks ago. I think they both qualify as decent fencers since between them they have a silver olympic medal and four world championship medals.

I probably should've specified foil, as I don't catch a lot of epee. Regardless, your point is still valid and well-taken