Using unwired electric foil blade for visual practice?

[ChrisR]

Does anyone have an opinion on this? I'm considering using an unwired
(or perhaps still wired) maraging electric foil blade rather than the
standard visual foil blade because of durability issues. Forever
fussing over the nasty bends occuring during a bout is getting me down.
What I'm not sure about is...

1. Can a maraging electric blade be had which is as light is a (say
Leon Paul) visual blade?
2. Can the switch/button and barrel at the end of the electric blade be
removed and a rubber button put on, or is the point of the electric foil
sufficiently different that this is not possible or safe or even allowed?


Thanks for any tips.


P.S, I have been looking at the LP Golubitsky Pro and Flickmaster
(stiffer) as options. Any opinions on these?**

[Mark C. Orton]

On Sun, 27 Apr 2003 17:45:37 +1200, ChrisR <kris@nospameforme.com>
wrote:

> 2. Can the switch/button and barrel at the end of the electric blade be
> removed and a rubber button put on, or is the point of the electric foil
> sufficiently different that this is not possible or safe or even allowed?

I don't recommend it. The tip of an electric foil blade is
sufficiently sharp to pierce a rubber button. I'd say use an old
electric tip. For your purpose it doesn't matter if it passes the
weight test or even works at all.

-Mark-

[Richard Garner]

You can buy dummy tips that will screw onto the tip of unwired blades. I
use unwired blades with these dummy tips for practice because it gives the
weight and feel of the electric without the problem of damaging the tips on
the electric weapons, saving them for actual tournament competing.

"Mark C. Orton" <ortonmc+rsf@erols.com> wrote in message
news:3eabf83f.339531@news.verizon.net...
> On Sun, 27 Apr 2003 17:45:37 +1200, ChrisR <kris@nospameforme.com>
> wrote:
>
> > 2. Can the switch/button and barrel at the end of the electric blade be
> > removed and a rubber button put on, or is the point of the electric foil
> > sufficiently different that this is not possible or safe or even
allowed?
>
> I don't recommend it. The tip of an electric foil blade is
> sufficiently sharp to pierce a rubber button. I'd say use an old
> electric tip. For your purpose it doesn't matter if it passes the
> weight test or even works at all.
>
> -Mark-

[EdHutson]

In article <b8fqmv$rcp$1@lust.ihug.co.nz>, ChrisR <kris@nospameforme.com>
writes:

>1. Can a maraging electric blade be had which is as light is a (say
>Leon Paul) visual blade?

I have used an unwired electric blade as a practice weapon for years. Why? I
found that the feel and balance of an electric blade is noticably different
from a "dry" blade.

>2. Can the switch/button and barrel at the end of the electric blade be
>removed and a rubber button put on, or is the point of the electric foil
>sufficiently different that this is not possible or safe or even allowed?
>
False points are available for electric blades, replacing both the barrel and
the tip while providing something approximating the mass. Check your vendor's
catalog. They should be listed on the same page as the other electric foil
parts.

Alternately, you could just go ahead and use a barrel and point on an unwired
blade. Then you will be able to feel and hear when you have successfully
landed a touch.

I would NOT recommend using a rubber tip, as an electric blade is not flattened
at the end to retain a rubber tip. Note: this also means that an electric
blade would more easily and quickly pierce a rubber tip, should you attempt
it...a definite safety hazard for your opponent/partner!

Good luck!

Ed

[David Neevel]

The problem with the solid metal dummy tips is that they have absolutely no give

(unlike the spring of an electric point or a rubber tip), and so can be
unpleasant to get
hit with. I'd recommend using an old electric point instead-- if a new fencer
doesn't
yet have some beaten-up, retired electric points sitting around, a clubmate
almost
certainly will.

-Dave

Richard Garner wrote:

> You can buy dummy tips that will screw onto the tip of unwired blades. I
> use unwired blades with these dummy tips for practice because it gives the
> weight and feel of the electric without the problem of damaging the tips on
> the electric weapons, saving them for actual tournament competing.
>
> "Mark C. Orton" <ortonmc+rsf@erols.com> wrote in message
> news:3eabf83f.339531@news.verizon.net...
> > On Sun, 27 Apr 2003 17:45:37 +1200, ChrisR <kris@nospameforme.com>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > 2. Can the switch/button and barrel at the end of the electric blade be
> > > removed and a rubber button put on, or is the point of the electric foil
> > > sufficiently different that this is not possible or safe or even
> allowed?
> >
> > I don't recommend it. The tip of an electric foil blade is
> > sufficiently sharp to pierce a rubber button. I'd say use an old
> > electric tip. For your purpose it doesn't matter if it passes the
> > weight test or even works at all.
> >
> > -Mark-

[James Russell]

A tip's like $1.

I wouldn't care.

Richard Garner wrote:

> You can buy dummy tips that will screw onto the tip of unwired blades. I
> use unwired blades with these dummy tips for practice because it gives the
> weight and feel of the electric without the problem of damaging the tips on
> the electric weapons, saving them for actual tournament competing.
>
> "Mark C. Orton" <ortonmc+rsf@erols.com> wrote in message
> news:3eabf83f.339531@news.verizon.net...
> > On Sun, 27 Apr 2003 17:45:37 +1200, ChrisR <kris@nospameforme.com>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > 2. Can the switch/button and barrel at the end of the electric blade be
> > > removed and a rubber button put on, or is the point of the electric foil
> > > sufficiently different that this is not possible or safe or even
> allowed?
> >
> > I don't recommend it. The tip of an electric foil blade is
> > sufficiently sharp to pierce a rubber button. I'd say use an old
> > electric tip. For your purpose it doesn't matter if it passes the
> > weight test or even works at all.
> >
> > -Mark-

[ChrisR]

Thanks for the info guys. I think I will look at getting a screw on
button in addition to a regular point as they only cost a few $.

No word on how the LP Golubitsky Pro and Flickmaster are as foil
blades? I can find next to no information on these two....must be
pretty new products ??

[Chris Hagen]

In article <b8h3s801o1o@enews2.newsguy.com>, "Richard Garner"
<rgarner@vidnet.net> writes:

>Subject: Re: Using unwired electric foil blade for visual practice?
>From: "Richard Garner" <rgarner@vidnet.net>
>Date: Sun, 27 Apr 2003 12:26:08 -0500
>
>You can buy dummy tips that will screw onto the tip of unwired blades. I
>use unwired blades with these dummy tips for practice because it gives the
>weight and feel of the electric without the problem of damaging the tips on
>the electric weapons, saving them for actual tournament competing.

It's my experiance that they don't give away those dummy tips, either!
;-)

Personally, I have never like 'dummy electric' points - I think they feel
heavier to use, and hurt a bit when hit with them, besides, they cost extra:
Santelli lists them at $3.60, so I imagine you can get them somewhere else (I
just happened to have their price list on my desk...) for about $2.50-$3.00,
still, that is probably more than a new electric tip, w/ screws (not barrel),
which (despite the deal that Jim in New Z. seems to have lined up) costs about
$3.00 in the U.S., and (I presume) you'd have to bother taking off old,
putting on new.

(If you are competing) Practicing with the same sort of blade you are going to
use is a good idea; even if this isn't the exact sort of blade you will use,
it's probably closer.

However, since you probably have numerous old barrels and points, and it
doesn't matter how well it works, I'd just go with that. If you don't have old
tips and barrels, just ask arounnd to your clubmate who haved competed for a
few years: even us cheapskates wind up with a box of stuff we can't use in
competition anymore.
;-)

Have a nice day!

[Chris Hagen]

In article <b8h3s801o1o@enews2.newsguy.com>, "Richard Garner"
<rgarner@vidnet.net> writes:

>Subject: Re: Using unwired electric foil blade for visual practice?
>From: "Richard Garner" <rgarner@vidnet.net>
>Date: Sun, 27 Apr 2003 12:26:08 -0500
>
>You can buy dummy tips that will screw onto the tip of unwired blades. I
>use unwired blades with these dummy tips for practice because it gives the
>weight and feel of the electric without the problem of damaging the tips on
>the electric weapons, saving them for actual tournament competing.

It's my experiance that they don't give away those dummy tips, either!
;-)

Personally, I have never like 'dummy electric' points - I think they feel
heavier to use, and hurt a bit when hit with them, besides, they cost extra:
Santelli lists them at $3.60, so I imagine you can get them somewhere else (I
just happened to have their price list on my desk...) for about $2.50-$3.00,
still, that is probably more than a new electric tip, w/ screws (not barrel),
which (despite the deal that Jim in New Z. seems to have lined up) costs about
$3.00 in the U.S., and (I presume) you'd have to bother taking off old,
putting on new.

(If you are competing) Practicing with the same sort of blade you are going to
use is a good idea; even if this isn't the exact sort of blade you will use,
it's probably closer.

However, since you probably have numerous old barrels and points, and it
doesn't matter how well it works, I'd just go with that. If you don't have old
tips and barrels, just ask arounnd to your clubmate who haved competed for a
few years: even us cheapskates wind up with a box of stuff we can't use in
competition anymore.
;-)

Have a nice day!

[Carol]

No, they have been around for some time now. These are very stiff and
well balanced blades. I have the flickmaster for at least 3 years now,
and haven't gotten a Golubitsky Pro as of yet (haven't broken a blade to
be replaced <g>).

If you know how to flick properly (rather than rely on the whip of
spaghetti blade) and are a parry-riposter who always wants to know where
their point is, these are both excellent blades.

ChrisR wrote:

> No word on how the LP Golubitsky Pro and Flickmaster are as foil
> blades? I can find next to no information on these two....must be
> pretty new products ??

[ChrisR]

Thanks for that. You say both blades are stiff....even the most
flexible version of the flickmaster? I will admit I'm no expert when it
comes to flicks....

Carol wrote:

>No, they have been around for some time now. These are very stiff and
>well balanced blades. I have the flickmaster for at least 3 years now,
>and haven't gotten a Golubitsky Pro as of yet (haven't broken a blade to
>be replaced <g>).
>
>If you know how to flick properly (rather than rely on the whip of
>spaghetti blade) and are a parry-riposter who always wants to know where
>their point is, these are both excellent blades.
>
>ChrisR wrote:
>
>
>
>>No word on how the LP Golubitsky Pro and Flickmaster are as foil
>>blades? I can find next to no information on these two....must be
>>pretty new products ??
>>
>>
>
>
>