Allstar Foil

[Martin Pisz]

Hi I am buying an Allstar "VM" FIE electric foil. Has anyone used this
blade before. It is know to last a long time, how stiff is it? What is
the difference between German and French tips that come with this blade?

[David Neevel]

I believe the Allstar "VM" blades are badge-engineered Vniti blades (i.e.,
Allstar buys them from Vniti and stamps their name on them). Vniti blades
are somewhat heavier than the Blaise blades that are Allstar's primary line,
are pretty much middle-of-the-range in terms of stiffness, and have a
smooth, even flexion. They're very durable, and are a good value for the
money (though you would've probably gotten a better price if you'd bought a
non-Allstar badged one, since there'd be one less middleman).

It can be tough to comment on the points without more knowledge, since
different vendors will use different points for the blades they sell, and
there are a variety of "german" and "french" points out there. I'll assume
that it's an Allstar point, instead of a german-style point from another
manufacturer. Generally, German points are made to more precise tolerances
than French points, which will give it a smoother action and make it more
likely to light on glancing touches. The cheif downside to German points (in
addition to the higher price) is that the screws (which thread into the
barrel itself and pinch against the collar of the tip) project out from the
sides of the barrel, and are thus vulnerable to getting damaged during
fencing. French points have the screws threading into the tip collar itself
and recessed into the sides of the barrel, so they're less likely to get
smashed, but the points are typically made to less precise tolerances. I
personally use German (Uhlmann), and I can tell you that when you armor for
an international team you can pretty much leave your French parts at home,
since top foilists almost invariably prefer Uhlmann/Allstar points.

Regardless of the manufacturer, points are invariably high-maintenance
items, and you should make sure to get some spare springs and screws from
the same vendor you got the point from (not all "French" or "German" points
are 100% compatible with others of the same type, so you should endeavor to
stick with one manufacturer). Regularly cleaning out the point with alchol
and q-tips will ensure it stays smooth. With German points, you should
routinely inspect the screws and replace them as soon as you see any sign of
damage, to prevent them from getting flattened into rivets. German barrels
have thinner walls that most French barrels, making them more vulneable to
getting dented or cracked. OTOH, German tips in my experience last longer
than French tips (especially Prieur tips, on which the soft copper
end-flange will start coming unpeened fairly rapidly).


-Dave

Martin Pisz wrote:

> Hi I am buying an Allstar "VM" FIE electric foil. Has anyone used this
> blade before. It is know to last a long time, how stiff is it? What is
> the difference between German and French tips that come with this blade?