I found a new website

[ScorpionDevil]

Hey purple fencer, this is turning to be your advertisement place
<img src="graemlins/evild.gif" border="0" alt="[Evil]" /> <img src="graemlins/evil3.gif" border="0" alt="[Evil 2]" />

[weapon7]

What makes me think Stan is a criminal? He took my money under the pretence of selling me quality fencing equipment. What I got was junk which was useless inside of six months. When I called Blade to try and straighten it out I had the displeasure of talking to Stan himself. He was rude yelled at me and told me his Blade brand equipment was not meant to last more than six months. He also said if I wanted my equipment to last, buy good equipment. I now do. From someone else. My story is not a isolated incident I have heard many like it.


So is Stan a criminal? Maybe con-artist is a better discription.

Again sorry for sounding so negative I would just like to keep someone from making the same mistake I did.

[MHS Fencer]

Stan's not the nicest guy and orders often get messed up in the shop, but at tournements Blade's service is as good as any, particularly because Stan is however many hundred miles away.

[ScorpionDevil]

Wow, I never know Blade fencing is that bad. I did think about buying stuff from them. So am I lucky that i didnt? hehe <img src="graemlins/evild.gif" border="0" alt="[Evil]" />

[Purple Fencer]

[quote]Originally posted by ScorpionDevil:
<strong>Hey purple fencer, this is turning to be your advertisement place
<img src="graemlins/evild.gif" border="0" alt="[Evil]" /> <img src="graemlins/evil3.gif" border="0" alt="[Evil 2]" /> </strong><hr></blockquote>

No complaints here!

If you wanna hear about MY dealings with Stan, email me. I don't want to air them in public due to possible business repercusisons. I'm probablt just being paranoid, tho'

[damianip]

A couple of items:

First of all, Triplette is NOT in NJ, unless they moved recently.

The vendors in NJ that I've dealt with:

FenceSmart (yes Stan owns it).
Physical Chess (run by his son).
Blue Gauntlet.
Santelli.

I've had my ups and downs with all of them but while Stan can be "surly" at times, I never got the impression that he is a criminal. He's been helpful to me and our club. Orders have gone wrong with absolutely every single vendor I've ever used except Allstar US which, incidentally, is another "Stan" company.

You buy cheap equipment, you get cheap equipment. The only vendor which pushes the envelope for value in the cheaper equipment is Triplette. Their cheap stuff is better than the others.

Companies I've used, just so you get an idea of what I've seen:

American Fencers Supply, CA
Allstar USA, NYC
Blue Gauntlet, NJ
Santelli, NJ
Triplette, NC
Physical Chess, NJ
Blade, NYC
FenceSmart, NJ
Zivkovic, MA
Negrini, Italy
Soudet, France
Prieur (store run by Soudet), France
Swordmasters, LA (that's Louisiana, y'all)

I can tell you good and bad things about each but they all must be committed to the sport as I'm sure no one is getting fabulously rich off fencers.

Paolo

[D'Artagnan1673]

Opps, Paulo, you are right, they are in Elkin, NC. I guess I got my NC's and NJ's mixed up.

I wouldn't call Stan a criminal, but I will acknowlege that the stuff he sells is cheap. Perhaps the only problem is that the advertisement tries to make the stuff out to be a lot better than it is. I bought their "deluxe" starter set about 2 years ago. I quickly realised that I had wasted 175 dollars. They sent me a novice bag that wouldn't hold a single foil without bending it to get in. They ended up giving me the money back because they didn't have the right bag in stock. The mask was padded significantly, but the padding was thick and uncormforatble. The jacket was also uncormfortable and difficult to get in and out of. The foil broke after 2 1/2 months of use. The glove lasted a month longer. The only thing I kept using was my Starfighter low tops, I only replaced them 3 weeks ago for Adidas Assymetricals.

All together, TCA does the best on pushing the cheap stuff as Paulo said. Their blades are as good as Allstar/Uhlmann but 20 dollars cheaper.

[damianip]

And I have to add that the bottom of the line stuff from BG and Santelli leaves a lot to be desired, also. So, it's not just Stan.

Again, Triplette's strongest suit is supplying excellent value for the money in their beginner equipment. I think the Dinamo blades they sell are the only "cheap" blades that remain useful as a fencer's ability grows.

Their prices for the BF stuff are excellent.

Paolo

[D'Artagnan1673]

[quote]And I have to add that the bottom of the line stuff from BG and Santelli leaves a lot to be desired, also. So, it's not just Stan. <hr></blockquote>

From what I've seen of Blue-Gauntlet's stuff, their bottum line stuff is better than Santelli. Of course, I may be mistaken and that gear may not have been BG's bottom line stuff. I wore the Santelli twill cotton jacket and knickers for a little over a year. They are very well made but do not stretch at all. That was about the only complaint I had agaisnt them.

In my opinion, the big names in fencing gear like Allstar/Uhlmann are the big names in fencing gear because they have the best stuff. I could be wrong, but that just makes sense to me. The cheaper stuff is good for beginners or people on tight budgets, but serious fencers ought and generally do buy from the big names.

[Xaaron Swiftblade]

i thought tca was based down south (north carolina maybe?) Blue gauntlet is from jersey though. Quick question, although I know you guys are all sport fencers, i was interested in buying the 1032-GT from these guys <a href="http://shop.store.yahoo.com/shoppingmatrix1/index.html" target="_blank">http://shop.store.yahoo.com/shoppingmatrix1/index.html</a> I've never heard of 'em before, so I don't know if they're reliable or not. But I've seen this sword on alot of sites for about $150, and they're offering it for $104! Any opinions?

[HilandDoug]

Xaaron, I've purchased several items from CAS Iberia over the years, and although I do not own this particular piece, I would be confident of it's quality. And it's a great price, so I just might buy one for the heck of it. I DO need a stage combat weapon or two...

[HilandDoug]

MAN, do they have good prices there! My basket hilted broad sword (1048-GT), that I paid $250 for, is only $159.10! You have to include shipping, but that's still a great deal. My 40th B'day is next month (4-22), so maybe I'll put a few of these babies on my wish list!

[D'Artagnan1673]

First let me say this, I've never used a stage rapier so I'm not sure what they should feel like. My main problem is that they do not give too many details as to the parts. What type of blade is it. If I were to guess, I would think it to be a TCA blade since it is referred to as a musketeer blade, they have one called that for SCA fightters.

[swordsen]

My late comment on Blade. some of the the stuff they sell is pretty good. Just stay away from the bottom of the line. I prefer to buy from them only when I can see the stuff before I pay for it. (i.e nationals or similar)
Now the company that will never get my money is PhysicalChess. There are only so many times I will put up with service like that. And my limit was reached a couple of years ago.

[oiuyt]

physical chess and blade are the same company.

-B

[D'Artagnan1673]

[quote]Originally posted by oiuyt:
<strong>physical chess and blade are the same company.

-B </strong><hr></blockquote>


HEHE! Different lable, same stuff. So, that means we all boycott fencesmart, blade, & PC right???

[fencernyc]

Well, I actually called Stan and asked him about fencesmart.com he told me that its not a big secret that its his company. they are actually made a new website and want to build chatroom for fencers. Again, I don't think fencesmart.com is the best looking website in the world but I like it better than blade-fencing.com I actually Stan in the New York store and got everything I needed from his store at good price. I guess next time I will risk to place an order on fencesmart.com but I am also going to buy something from other companies so at least I can form an honest opinion. But you were all very helpfull, I actually printed out everything for later reference.

[fencernyc]

I also called Phisical Chess it actually belongs to Stan's son. I guess their whole family is into fencing. by the way I heard that Stan was a very good fencer is it true?

[peircer]

[quote]I think the Dinamo blades they sell are the only "cheap" blades that remain useful as a fencer's ability grows. <hr></blockquote>

I actually like the the Fleche blades. Especially for foil.

[ScorpionDevil]

[quote]Originally posted by D'Artagnan1673:
<strong>


HEHE! Different lable, same stuff. So, that means we all boycott fencesmart, blade, & PC right???</strong><hr></blockquote>

After seeing all the post here, I don't think i will buy from fencesmart, blade or pc, besides, i just brought a foil from BG, i wonder how long it can last <img src="graemlins/evild.gif" border="0" alt="[Evil]" />