epee blade set

[chiz]

Hi All,

I am new to epee fencing (about 4 months). What is the best method of determining the amount of set for an epee, without a lot of error and trial?

Chiz

[DHCJr]

If you are talking about the balance of the weapon, the best way is with just the blade. You bend the blade in (Left for Right-hander and Right for Left-hander) and down. What you are trying for is to make the blade feel as light as possible. What you are actually doing is getting the blade to pull on your bicep, which is the strongest of the arm muscles. Hold the blade and do thrust and lunges until it feels right. The first time you do it will be trial and error and a little bend can go a long way. But once you do it on the first one, when you do it next you will know approximately how much to bend. When you put the weapon together it should feel an extension of your arm.

[pkt]

DHC Jr,
I tried to send this to you via pm but your pm is full.

Can you help?

PK

DHC Jr,

I've misplaced the schematics and the explanation about the designations of the 3 wires of the body chord.

Can you send that info to me via PM?

Much appreciate it.

PK

[Jupiter]

that is a great explanation for the epee blade. what we'd really like to see is a slightly lighter blade altogether,. i read something that i consider to be a little absurd, but here goes and what do you think? the blade of the epee may be bent "up" or 'down'. Well I understand bending a blade downward a little, but what's with the upwards thing?

[DHCJr]

According to M16 the blade can only be bent in the vertical plane, up or down. Before we had the Oberg guage there was no easy way to test the curve of the blade, so some fencers would bend it up to catch the hand. For Armorers bending the blade up is not popular as with it bent up it is more likely to go up under the mask.

[pkt]

Thank you DHC Jr.
Got your PM.

A should be C and vice versa. So on the weapon-end of the body chord it is then 'A-B', not 'B-C'.
Just my humble opinion in an attempt to make it user-friendly.

Thank you yet once again.

You're a good person to have around.

PK

[Jupiter]

Thanks for the answer to the puzzling question of the year for me anyway. But, still, bending the blade upwards seems kind of a waste of time, not to mention the fact that you're announcing that you want the hand. Bending the blade downwards is sparring your weapon.

I think it's smarter for the epeeist to wait for the target. We're all so silly anyway, and it's sort of fun just watching what we do with our stuff. En garde/on guard and see you all around the piste.

[D'Artagnan1673]

PKT,

Love your signature, the bottom part that is. Oscar Wilde, for all his issues, still is quite witty.

[DHCJr]

Originally posted by pkt

A should be C and vice versa. So on the weapon-end of the body chord it is then 'A-B', not 'B-C'.
PK

First I didn't pick which line is A, B or C. Also you might want to consider, what came first Epee or Foil. I have a feeling that the A,B,C came then, which was over 20 years before Foil. In that case the weapon is A-B and the ground is C. Foil just followed.

[JEC]

Originally posted by DHCJr
... you might want to consider, what came first Epee or Foil. ... Foil just followed.

You could also have said:
"which weapon is more important" or "which weapon is more fun"

[Jupiter]

Which weapon is more fun? that is the proverbial question! there is no answer! I love both! if i fenced saber, I'd love that one too, but for me, i decided to do foil for 4 years, then added epee now for 2 years, will gradually mix in foil again. i really want to instill the principals of epee before i refence foil. for me the whole fencing experience is to ingrain something very difficult into my consciousness. so, many times i look like i'm waffling to others, but i've leaned not to be pursuaded by those folks.. you have to work out your own plans for yourself. it may have nothing whatsoever to do with 'elite' fencing.