Another lame thread (pun unintentional)

[Holly E. Ordway]

OK, I didn't realize how the subject header would look until I typed
it. Honest.

Anyway... I'm looking for some discussion on the pros and cons of
different brands and styles of foil lames.

I'm giving my current foil lame no more than 50-50 odds that it will
pass inspection at Nationals. It's an inexpensive BG one that I've had
for about 3 years, and while it doesn't suffer from any corrosion
problems, it has started getting holes in it, from the impact of
points hitting it. I did an emergency fixit job, stitching up a couple
of holes with ordinary thread, but it's soon going to be fit only for
practice and local competitions.

So... I will probably be on the lookout for a new lame at Nationals.

I don't want to pay through the nose here - I coughed up a large sum
for my sabre lame, but hey, that's SABRE; this is "silly foil" ;-) and
I don't need the "best of the best". On the other hand, I appreciate
the merit of buying a $100 lame that lasts 5 years instead of a $50
lame that lasts 2 years.

Ideally, I'm looking for something durable - that won't develop those
irritating holes like my current one. I'm not all that concerned with
the material being particularly breathable or cool - after wearing a
sabre lame, *any* foil lame feels fresh and cool, what with no long
sleeves! Of course, it would be a plus if it weren't a mini-sauna.

Comments? Suggestions? Thanks!

--Holly

[PAN CYAN]

WItHOUT QUESTION, the best saber lame is Jeff Salmon's INFINITY, It is light,
breathable, and durable.It is easily hand washed. It is also not subject to the
oxidation and loss of conductivity that the metal lames are prone to

[William Marshal]

"Holly E. Ordway" <OUTordwayWITHTHIS@comcast.net> wrote

> I don't want to pay through the nose here - I coughed up a large sum
> for my sabre lame, but hey, that's SABRE; this is "silly foil" ;-) and
> I don't need the "best of the best". On the other hand, I appreciate
> the merit of buying a $100 lame that lasts 5 years instead of a $50
> lame that lasts 2 years.


Cut the sleeves off a denim shirt and velcro them over the arms of
your sabre lame. Voila! A foil lame! And so inexpensive...

[Simon Summerfield]

William Marshal wrote:
>
> "Holly E. Ordway" <OUTordwayWITHTHIS@comcast.net> wrote
>
> > I don't want to pay through the nose here - I coughed up a large sum
> > for my sabre lame, but hey, that's SABRE; this is "silly foil" ;-) and
> > I don't need the "best of the best". On the other hand, I appreciate
> > the merit of buying a $100 lame that lasts 5 years instead of a $50
> > lame that lasts 2 years.
>
> Cut the sleeves off a denim shirt and velcro them over the arms of
> your sabre lame. Voila! A foil lame! And so inexpensive...

....but lacks the targat area in the lower region.

Oh well. You'd make a fashion statement at least, although
I'm not sure it would be a good one :-)
Simon.

[Fencerbill]

In article <Xns938F67DADE45B5439754hjkgfdjio5408@216.166.71.2 39>, "Holly E.
Ordway" <OUTordwayWITHTHIS@comcast.net> writes:

>So... I will probably be on the lookout for a new lame at Nationals.
>

I recommend the Triplette Stainless. I have used it for years to rebib Sabre
masks.

Bill Hall

[Fencerbill]

In article <dc7987e.0306031645.2adcde60@posting.google.com> ,
trebuchet30303@yahoo.com (William Marshal) writes:

>Cut the sleeves off a denim shirt and velcro them over the arms of
>your sabre lame. Voila! A foil lame! And so inexpensive...

You also need to add lame below the waist. But you could do both with zippers.

The botton of Sabre and Foil lames are specified differently. A Foil Lame has
conductive material in a straight line from the hipbones to the groin. A Sabre
lame extends down to the upper part of the creases formed by the thighs when
the fencer is on guard.

Bill Hall

[Fencerbill]

In article <20030603200938.27337.00000702@mb-m03.aol.com>, pancyan@aol.com (PAN
CYAN) writes:

> It is also not subject to the
>oxidation and loss of conductivity that the metal lames are prone to

I have an Infinity sabre lame and I will buy another when it dies.

But, they do wear out and they do, eventually, lose conductivity.

The biggest imperfection of Infinity lames is poor construction of the seams. I
immediately sewed down all the seams on my brand new lame.

Also, don't get it too tight. Unnecessary pull on the seams will hasten
wearout.

The areas that get handled most lose conductivity soonest; the top part of the
lame zipper, for example.

Bill Hall

[Holly E. Ordway]

pancyan@aol.com (PAN CYAN) wrote in
news:20030603200938.27337.00000702@mb-m03.aol.com:

> WItHOUT QUESTION, the best saber lame is Jeff Salmon's INFINITY, It
> is light, breathable, and durable.It is easily hand washed. It is
> also not subject to the oxidation and loss of conductivity that the
> metal lames are prone to

How does it handle tearing? I've seen Infinity sabre lames, and one
thing I've noticed is that with the large weave of the lame, it seems
vulnerable to tearing with a point hit. Rare in sabre, but obviously not
so in foil.

--Holly

[Holly E. Ordway]

fencerbill@aol.com (Fencerbill) wrote in
news:20030603224808.28806.00000540@mb-m02.aol.com:

> I recommend the Triplette Stainless. I have used it for years to
> rebib Sabre masks.

Is that their "regular" one? I've noticed that they've come out with
"ultra light" and "stretch" lames (or maybe those are the same thing) as
well.

--Holly

[William Marshal]

Simon Summerfield <simonrs@unimelb.edu.au> wrote

> ...but lacks the targat area in the lower region.


Sigh...we comedians face such enormous obstacles from relentlessly
rational individuals like you...

[William Marshal]

fencerbill@aol.com (Fencerbill)

>
> You also need to add lame below the waist.

> The botton of Sabre and Foil lames are specified differently. A Foil Lame has
> conductive material in a straight line from the hipbones to the groin. A Sabre
> lame extends down to the upper part of the creases formed by the thighs when
> the fencer is on guard.
>
> Bill Hall

Et tu, Bill?

More proof that "Dying is easy, comedy is hard"...

[Simon Summerfield]

William Marshal wrote:
>
> Simon Summerfield <simonrs@unimelb.edu.au> wrote
>
> > ...but lacks the targat area in the lower region.
>
> Sigh...we comedians face such enormous obstacles from relentlessly
> rational individuals like you...


....just as you missed the subtlety of my humour...
Simon.

[Amy & Joseph Kormann]

Simon Summerfield wrote:

>...but lacks the targat area in the lower region.
>

Get some spare fabric and make an electricied cod-piece.

Perfect conversation topic. "Nice cod-piece." "Thanks, made it myself."

--
Amy and Joseph Kormann

[Carol]

"Holly E. Ordway" wrote:

> Is that their "regular" one? I've noticed that they've come out with
> "ultra light" and "stretch" lames (or maybe those are the same thing) as
> well.

Yes, Bill is talking about the regular stainless material -- not the
ultra-light material. Both the ultra light and the stretch use the same
material; the only difference in the construction of the lame is that the
stretch has a stretchable panel sewn in -- so as to not stress the seams
on the back of the shoulder on the weapon arm.

[PAN CYAN]

wear it a few days down st marks place and you will start a fashion trend

[Thom Cate]

pancyan@aol.com (PAN CYAN) wrote in message news:

> WItHOUT QUESTION, the best saber lame is Jeff Salmon's INFINITY, It is light,
> breathable, and durable.It is easily hand washed. It is also not subject to the
> oxidation and loss of conductivity that the metal lames are prone to

I have but one caveat for the INFINITY lame: the lining is very, VERY,
porous--I have witnessed numerous occasions--and even been awarded a
point myself--when the point of the blade passes INSIDE the lame, and
makes a valid touch against the OUTER layer, by passing through the
inner layer.

(I attemped to decline the point; the ref overruled me.)

Cheers,

TC


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