Setting foil blade when using pistol grip?

I recently bought a large Visconti Grip, Golubitsky-Pro (Paul)
electric blade and the remaining bits and bobs and assembled an electric
foil. Should the blade be set in a similar manner to the French grip
foil (in and down for right hand)? Is more or less set required for the
pistol grip as a rule, or is this purely personal preference?

In addition, the Golubitsky is a very tough (and somewhat heavy) blade
and adding a gentle downward curve to the blade is proving much more
difficult than for my French PL visual blade. Are electric blades
generally used with the same degree of blade curvature found with visual
foils?

Thanks for any help!
Chris.

I just bought two Golubitski-Pro blades from Leon Paul. They came together
in one order, but were vastly different blades. One is very thin at the
foible and has a nice flick. The other is very thick at the foible and is
very stiff. When I wrote to LP they stated that this varience is normal and
that if I wanted consistency, I should order from the Flick Master series,
since these are tested and each blade is rated and numbered.

Based on the price and the name behind this blade, I would have expected a
better answer than this.

Tom
Elk Creek Fencing

"ChrisR" <kris@nospameforme.com> wrote in message
news:baht0n$he9$1@lust.ihug.co.nz...
> I recently bought a large Visconti Grip, Golubitsky-Pro (Paul)
> electric blade and the remaining bits and bobs and assembled an electric
> foil. Should the blade be set in a similar manner to the French grip
> foil (in and down for right hand)? Is more or less set required for the
> pistol grip as a rule, or is this purely personal preference?
>
> In addition, the Golubitsky is a very tough (and somewhat heavy) blade
> and adding a gentle downward curve to the blade is proving much more
> difficult than for my French PL visual blade. Are electric blades
> generally used with the same degree of blade curvature found with visual
> foils?
>
> Thanks for any help!
> Chris.
>

"ChrisR" <kris@nospameforme.com> wrote in message
news:baht0n$he9$1@lust.ihug.co.nz
> I recently bought a large Visconti Grip, Golubitsky-Pro (Paul)
> electric blade and the remaining bits and bobs and assembled an
> electric foil. Should the blade be set in a similar manner to the
> French grip foil (in and down for right hand)? Is more or less set
> required for the pistol grip as a rule, or is this purely personal
> preference?

Although blade-setting is a personal preference, I always set my
pistol-grip blades exactly as I'd set a French-handled one. I feel very
strongly that a proper set allows the blade to do a lot of work that my
hand would otherwise have to do. That said, the degree of set you put
in a blade depends on how you intend to use it. Too steep a set
interferes with beat attacks, I find. Also, if your foil game is
heavily based on flicks, you may want little or no set. That's
something of a guess on my part, though; I do far more thrusting than
flicking, and haven't found the set in my blades to interfere with the
little flicking I do.

> In addition, the Golubitsky is a very tough (and somewhat heavy) blade
> and adding a gentle downward curve to the blade is proving much more
> difficult than for my French PL visual blade. Are electric blades
> generally used with the same degree of blade curvature found with
> visual foils?

Generally, yes, but it depends on the blade. Some blades are stiffer
and straighter than others.

--

Dirk Goldgar

(to reply via e-mail, remove NOSPAM from address)

On Thu, 22 May 2003 12:20:16 GMT, "Thomas Buesing"
<t.buesing@worldnet.att.net> held forth:

>Based on the price and the name behind this blade, I would have expected a
>better answer than this.

There you are, you see, the customer is always wrong. Article number
13 in a series of many from "Britons couldn't display a proper service
ethic, even if their lives depended upon it", a popular publication
available from all good bookshops...

--
wreckferret ICQ#163264
UK-based Epéeist/Sabreur Make spammers pay... use CruelMail!

I wouldn't want much of a bend with the 2cm rule.

ChrisR wrote:

> I recently bought a large Visconti Grip, Golubitsky-Pro (Paul)
> electric blade and the remaining bits and bobs and assembled an electric
> foil. Should the blade be set in a similar manner to the French grip
> foil (in and down for right hand)? Is more or less set required for the
> pistol grip as a rule, or is this purely personal preference?
>
> In addition, the Golubitsky is a very tough (and somewhat heavy) blade
> and adding a gentle downward curve to the blade is proving much more
> difficult than for my French PL visual blade. Are electric blades
> generally used with the same degree of blade curvature found with visual
> foils?
>
> Thanks for any help!
> Chris.

Thanks Dirk! I set the blade exactly as I like my French grip foil and
it feels good so far....must go swing it some more.

Dirk Goldgar wrote:

>"ChrisR" <kris@nospameforme.com> wrote in message
>news:baht0n$he9$1@lust.ihug.co.nz
>
>
>>I recently bought a large Visconti Grip, Golubitsky-Pro (Paul)
>>electric blade and the remaining bits and bobs and assembled an
>>electric foil. Should the blade be set in a similar manner to the
>>French grip foil (in and down for right hand)? Is more or less set
>>required for the pistol grip as a rule, or is this purely personal
>>preference?
>>
>>
>
>Although blade-setting is a personal preference, I always set my
>pistol-grip blades exactly as I'd set a French-handled one. I feel very
>strongly that a proper set allows the blade to do a lot of work that my
>hand would otherwise have to do. That said, the degree of set you put
>in a blade depends on how you intend to use it. Too steep a set
>interferes with beat attacks, I find. Also, if your foil game is
>heavily based on flicks, you may want little or no set. That's
>something of a guess on my part, though; I do far more thrusting than
>flicking, and haven't found the set in my blades to interfere with the
>little flicking I do.
>
>
>
>>In addition, the Golubitsky is a very tough (and somewhat heavy) blade
>>and adding a gentle downward curve to the blade is proving much more
>>difficult than for my French PL visual blade. Are electric blades
>>generally used with the same degree of blade curvature found with
>>visual foils?
>>
>>
>
>Generally, yes, but it depends on the blade. Some blades are stiffer
>and straighter than others.
>
>
>

its always dicey to buy unseen through mail order, as there is a great variance
in most of the brands of blades. in one batch I inspected some saber blades
were 40 gms heavier than the lightest ones from the same co.

wreckferret <ferret@cruelmail.com> wrote in message news:<0r1qcvgq71lpm6j82l635lueipg3l2qukh@4ax.com>. ..
> On Thu, 22 May 2003 12:20:16 GMT, "Thomas Buesing"
> <t.buesing@worldnet.att.net> held forth:
>
> >Based on the price and the name behind this blade, I would have expected a
> >better answer than this.

> There you are, you see, the customer is always wrong. Article number
> 13 in a series of many from "Britons couldn't display a proper service
> ethic, even if their lives depended upon it", a popular publication
> available from all good bookshops...

So I would've also and did before I actually spoke to several of the
Pauls in re a defective Golubitsky blade and a defective Flickmaster.
For the record the Pauls don't stand behind their products and I think
that they suck.

Barry Paul staked his reputation as an engineer and a former olympian
fencer that his blade wouldn't break thru normal usage at the forte
where the wire groove had less than a mm clearance from the blade
edge.

Well he was wrong. He wouldn't take his blade back from the colonies
and ship me a new one or put me in touch with a distributor here to
trade for more acceptable product. So I suppose I shouldn't hold my
breath for his diploma or his Olympic pins either.(I'm assuming the
F@@K didn't medal.)

I urge anyone considering blades to stay away from their product.

I can accept crappy service but both crappy service and product?


FIE Blades:
Personally I think that Blaise Freres(BF) StM or Vniti make the best
blades. BF tend to be a bit tinny and brittle so they get strange
bends in them. They are very hollow sounding though the FIE blades are
less so.

StM seem to have more nickel in them so they are more durable than the
BF but perhaps at the expense of sensitivity and increased weight
along the blade due to high nickel or (some other type of elasticizer
metal). Their gold maraging blades are great and can really take a
beating.

The Vniti blades are great in that they've a heavy forte and light but
durable foible...but they are heavy..but better balanced than the StM.

They all have one thing in common that the Pauls don't have. Quality
control and the ability to get the wire groove down the middle of
blade every time. BF blades in particular are laser cut.

Paul blades are extruded. The heat from the large dremel tool like
groove cutter causes the blades to warp and it happens so often that
they can't afford NOT to sell them. Good ol'Sheffield steel...makes
great hot dog skewers now.

Frankly, I hope Golubitsky was paid well for his endorsement; his
reputation has been besmirched..even if only a little.

My tuppence,

Phillip J. Inoy

PS: As for the set of the blade I tend to put a pretty severe left and
downward cant in my blades to ensure a comfortable and straight
hand/wrist position when parrying quarte and sixte. I turn my grips to
the right as far as I can to achieve a good balance.

I have to say that thus far the best pricing and service I've received
thus far is from Triplette. During tournaments its hard to beat the
Fencing Post.

Wow! thanks for the info. My Golubitsky blade seems ok, though its
quite heavy. In my order with Paul leon I asked for three visual
blades. Instead I received their electric counterparts. When I queried
them about this they and what they were prepared to do about it they
seemed to think that I didn't need to pay them extra and could keep the
blades ...! Hmmm, I wasn't that impressed as it was their mixup after
all.



Phillip Inoy wrote:

>wreckferret <ferret@cruelmail.com> wrote in message news:<0r1qcvgq71lpm6j82l635lueipg3l2qukh@4ax.com>. ..
>
>
>>On Thu, 22 May 2003 12:20:16 GMT, "Thomas Buesing"
>><t.buesing@worldnet.att.net> held forth:
>>
>>
>>
>>>Based on the price and the name behind this blade, I would have expected a
>>>better answer than this.
>>>
>>>
>
>
>
>>There you are, you see, the customer is always wrong. Article number
>>13 in a series of many from "Britons couldn't display a proper service
>>ethic, even if their lives depended upon it", a popular publication
>>available from all good bookshops...
>>
>>
>
>So I would've also and did before I actually spoke to several of the
>Pauls in re a defective Golubitsky blade and a defective Flickmaster.
>For the record the Pauls don't stand behind their products and I think
>that they suck.
>
>Barry Paul staked his reputation as an engineer and a former olympian
>fencer that his blade wouldn't break thru normal usage at the forte
>where the wire groove had less than a mm clearance from the blade
>edge.
>
>Well he was wrong. He wouldn't take his blade back from the colonies
>and ship me a new one or put me in touch with a distributor here to
>trade for more acceptable product. So I suppose I shouldn't hold my
>breath for his diploma or his Olympic pins either.(I'm assuming the
>F@@K didn't medal.)
>
>I urge anyone considering blades to stay away from their product.
>
>I can accept crappy service but both crappy service and product?
>
>
>FIE Blades:
>Personally I think that Blaise Freres(BF) StM or Vniti make the best
>blades. BF tend to be a bit tinny and brittle so they get strange
>bends in them. They are very hollow sounding though the FIE blades are
>less so.
>
>StM seem to have more nickel in them so they are more durable than the
>BF but perhaps at the expense of sensitivity and increased weight
>along the blade due to high nickel or (some other type of elasticizer
>metal). Their gold maraging blades are great and can really take a
>beating.
>
>The Vniti blades are great in that they've a heavy forte and light but
>durable foible...but they are heavy..but better balanced than the StM.
>
>They all have one thing in common that the Pauls don't have. Quality
>control and the ability to get the wire groove down the middle of
>blade every time. BF blades in particular are laser cut.
>
>Paul blades are extruded. The heat from the large dremel tool like
>groove cutter causes the blades to warp and it happens so often that
>they can't afford NOT to sell them. Good ol'Sheffield steel...makes
>great hot dog skewers now.
>
>Frankly, I hope Golubitsky was paid well for his endorsement; his
>reputation has been besmirched..even if only a little.
>
>My tuppence,
>
>Phillip J. Inoy
>
>PS: As for the set of the blade I tend to put a pretty severe left and
>downward cant in my blades to ensure a comfortable and straight
>hand/wrist position when parrying quarte and sixte. I turn my grips to
>the right as far as I can to achieve a good balance.
>
>I have to say that thus far the best pricing and service I've received
>thus far is from Triplette. During tournaments its hard to beat the
>Fencing Post.
>
>

Yes, I'm not too surprised. I simply have no other choice as there are
no vendors anywhere near where I live. The club vendor only sells Paul
Leon products so I have to go offshore (live in NZ) for things not PL.

PAN CYAN wrote:

>its always dicey to buy unseen through mail order, as there is a great variance
>in most of the brands of blades. in one batch I inspected some saber blades
>were 40 gms heavier than the lightest ones from the same co.
>
>

Hello,
I'm not am apologist for Leon Paul but did you push it that you
wanted non-electric? In general electric blades cost more and are
considered the better product. Could they have felt you were getting
a better product for a lower price? I've dealt with most of the
mail order houses at one time or another and found that they do screw
up but will generally try to make it right. Leon Paul is a special
problem for Yanks as their agreements with american distributors
seems to preclude their dealing direct with american customers. At
least that was my take when I visited their shop last fall and spoke
with them directly. But then their distributor complained that they
have a problem getting product as well. Go Figure.

J.

P.S. I do like the leon paul electric epee's especially the FIE versions
which tend to have a better quality control than the traditionally
forged weapons.

ChrisR wrote:
> Wow! thanks for the info. My Golubitsky blade seems ok, though its
> quite heavy. In my order with Paul leon I asked for three visual
> blades. Instead I received their electric counterparts. When I queried
> them about this they and what they were prepared to do about it they
> seemed to think that I didn't need to pay them extra and could keep the
> blades ...! Hmmm, I wasn't that impressed as it was their mixup after
> all.
>

I thought I made it clear that I was interested in the visual blades, as
I had ordered. However, I decided not to make a fuss out of it and just
leave it. The electric blades are likely to come in handy at some point.



Jonathan Jefferies wrote:

> Hello,
> I'm not am apologist for Leon Paul but did you push it that you
> wanted non-electric? In general electric blades cost more and are
> considered the better product. Could they have felt you were getting
> a better product for a lower price? I've dealt with most of the
> mail order houses at one time or another and found that they do screw
> up but will generally try to make it right. Leon Paul is a special
> problem for Yanks as their agreements with american distributors
> seems to preclude their dealing direct with american customers. At
> least that was my take when I visited their shop last fall and spoke
> with them directly. But then their distributor complained that they
> have a problem getting product as well. Go Figure.
>
> J.
>
> P.S. I do like the leon paul electric epee's especially the FIE versions
> which tend to have a better quality control than the traditionally
> forged weapons.
>
>

On Tue, 27 May 2003 10:03:12 -0700, dixit Jonathan Jefferies
<jonathanjefferies@alamedanet.net>:

>P.S. I do like the leon paul electric epee's especially the FIE versions
>which tend to have a better quality control than the traditionally
>forged weapons.

<nods>

Yeah, their v-form epee blades are the only sort I'll buy. More's the
pity.

--
wreckferret ICQ#163264
UK-based Epéeist/Sabreur Make spammers pay... use CruelMail!