Maraging Foil Blades / Stiffness

[DWW]

I am new to the world of fencing and slightly confused about the stiffness of foil blades (Maraging):

Like, which blade is the stiffest and which one the most flexible,... and which blades are inbetween? Any kind of ranking?

All attempts to shed light on that matter are appreciated.
Thanks a lot.


--)--------
DWW

[noodle]

there's nothing written that defines which blades are definitely more stiff than the other blades. it also can vary from batch to batch. if you're looking for a certain flexibility or weight, you'd do best buying it in person so you can see if the blade is what you want.

that said, i'll rank blades based on what i know and have had experience with:

BF white - least flexible, holds shape the most, heavier than the blue

vniti - (i think) heavier than BF white, initially stiff but becomes very flexible over time and working the blade, heavy in the tip

BF blue - lightest, most flexible, more likely to become radically bent

i haven't had any experience with any of the LP maraging blades or the BF gold. off the top of my head i can't think of any other good maraging blades.

also, i have a quick question. i know allstar and uhlmann are the same company and all that. but i don't know if their blades are just the same ones with different stamps. are there any general differences between the two?

[JEC]

Although this is true, the rules provide limits about the flexibility of blades for FIE competitions. Look under material rules. IIRC is 200g at the tip can not deflect from the horizontal more than 5 cm (or something along that line).

[neevel]

BF blades are generally on the stiff side (the blues will soften up a bit more than the whites). Vniti, STM, & Lammet are somewhere in the middle. Prieur/FL blades get into the more flexible range (especially the new blue-finish ones sold by Blue Gauntlet), and the 'standard' Leon Paul FIE blades also are on the light and flexible side.

It's important to keep in mind that there is will be a certain amount of variation within a specific make and model. You could go through a vendor's stock of, say, BF white blades and find noticeable differences from one blade to another. That's why, once you've figured out what you like in a blade, the ideal way to purchase them is from a vendor's shop or tournament booth where you can actually handle and flex the blades.

Allstar and Uhlmann both sell blades from BF (their high-end line) and from various Russian & Ukranian forges like Vniti and STM (their budget lines). The blades are stamped with the appropriate name (Uhlmann or Allstar) in addition to the FIE stamp that was applied by the manufacturer. Donald Clinton has mentioned that Uhlmann purchased the old Scaroni forges, but don't think I've seen any Uhlmann-stamped blades from other than the above noted makers (have you heard anything more on this, Donald?).

-Dave

[DHCJr]

I had to go to the web site to check, but yes they are selling their own blades (Foil and Epee). The Scaroni Forge was assigned FS and Uhlmann kept the designation. To get approved another designation would have been too much of a bother.

They are the cheapest named blades they sell. Like you Dave, I have had no experience with them yet. If anyone gets any, let everyone know how they hold up.

[downunder]

i have never found a lighter blade than the LM blade.

pbt stock them afaik

[cowpaste]

What exactly is a BF white? It is just a normal BF maraging blade (ie *not* colored)? Is it a special tempering process like the blue/gold blades?

[JEC]

As it has been explained to me, all FIE BF blades were "white" at one point. The coating place to make them blue or rainbow requires at least a tempering cycle in the forge, which tends to make them softer.

[neevel]

Originally posted by JEC
As it has been explained to me, all FIE BF blades were "white" at one point. The coating place to make them blue or rainbow requires at least a tempering cycle in the forge, which tends to make them softer.

The color is a just a finish, to make the blades of different temper readily identifiable.

-Dave

[Marcos]

there is also the Leon Paul Budget Maraging blade

very light, very flexible

[rsy]

All Vniti blades have a number stamped into the tang. I have been told (and read in some supplier's literature) that the number is a code indicating stiffness; the higher the number, the more flexible the blade. Empirically I have not been able to see any correlation at all with the number.

[shango]

I would like to know if anyone here can rate the Priuer FIE Blue Maraging Foil Blades. I am considering to buy them and would like to know some info about them. Also, if anyone is familiar with the Napoleon Gum Sole Fencing shoes, that would be great too.

[CvilleFencer]

Take a look at my review in the product reviews section if you like. If you have any specific questions let me know as I have used it a bit more since I wrote this review.

http://www.fencing101.com/reviews/ce...ils&itemid=319

[TheArmourer]

Removed...

[Alex_Paul]

Rainbow is a chemical treatment.

The blue colour is unlikley to be caused by quenching although this process will make steel go blue or black it also tends to make it hard and brittle and is difficult to do. The blue colour is probably caused by polishing and then aging in an oven or hot sand but don't quote me on this!

[Insipiens]

All Vniti blades have a number stamped into the tang. I have been told (and read in some supplier's literature) that the number is a code indicating stiffness; the higher the number, the more flexible the blade. Empirically I have not been able to see any correlation at all with the number.

I understood that the lower the number the greater the flexibility.

I have had two Vniti blades that were completely different and the one with the lower number was much more flexible. The higher number one also seems a lot heavier (may be balance) and hardly likely to bend at all.

[foodle]

At one time Leon Paul would grade their blades' flexibility and hand etch a number based on some test. You could order a blade with a specified flexibility. Not sure if they are still doing this or not.