BF Ultra FIE Blue Maraging Epee

this blade has good point control and good balance, though the weight and flexability seem to very a bit by batch. though these blades seem a bit expensive they are worth every penny.

In my opinion, this blade is excellent. It has great control and its point does not wander everywhere like a Vniti. I think The only downside is that its expensive.

I don't own one of these blades, I use a Leon Paul maraging blade that I'm very happy with, but two guys in my club use them. One is stiff just like described by the previous poster and is extremely painful to be hit by. The second is as flexible as you would want any blade to be. From what I hear these blades come in batches of varying quality and flexibility so you really should test out before you buy if at all possible.

This blade is the single stiffest blade I have ever used. It is impossible to get a curve into the blade. It flicks horribly and is extremely weak. They break too easily. I heard from one guy that he had one for three weeks with minimal use and it broke. The tip of the blade is amazing though. It always makes the touch, but forget about control with the finger tips. This thing will not bend. I have never seen a blade before that is so stiff you cannot flick with it. I have golf clubs that bend more than this thing.

Haven't tried them all, but BF Fie Blue is the best of those that I have used (Leon Paul, Hostin, Blue Gauntlet generic). Used to vary very little from blade to blade. Found last year's (middle 2002 to early 2003)batches to range from medium flex, to the typical very stiff. The cut for the wire where the barrel threads on is much wider than in the past & looks weak, but I have yet to bend or brake a blade at that spot. Minimum corrosion, no strange "S" shaped bends after hard hits. Worth the money if the blades are used a lot.



March '05 Update - Recently purchases 2 new BF Blue blades (Mfgr date stamped as 08-04). Consistent machining/taper, smooth curve when bent, point goes where it is aimed, yet flexible enough to flick. All the ones I looked at with the 08-04 date were pretty close to identical in feel. Much better that previous batches were the stiffness would vary considerably from blade to blade.

Still worth the money.

This is an excellent blade. It is fairly light (my whole weapon is around 500 g), has a medium flex, and very corrosion resistant. I have had mine for over a year used 2-3 times a week, has not broke or corroded yet. Still going strong. The only draw back to this blade that I can see is the price.

The BF epee blades are regarded as the best in the world for good reason. They do everything well and have no glaring weakness. The only thing I ever disliked about them in fact was that they were somewhat prone to tarnishing.



With the blue finished blades, all is right with the world. The finish is durable and attractive without being loud or gaudy as some of the SM blades can be.



The blade is very light and buoyant, with the weight more towards the hand for very fast tip movement. The blade flexes about mid-way down making it idea for flicks to the wrist and arm. The durability is great and I fully expect a BF Ultra FIE blade to last at least a year under hard use.



If there is a down side it is that the flexibility of these blades seems to vary a great deal from one batch to the next. Most of mine have been about medium but a friend just bought one that is more like a club than an epee! The moral of this story is that it is best to try one before you buy it, or specify to the company that you would like "this" type of blade when you order it.



This is the premier competition blade in the world for a very good reason.