Electric foil blade Flickmaster

I was enticed by the Flickmaster marketing as well as some positive reviews from this site. The idea of a light blade that still offered good point control was definitely something I had been on the lookout for. I did not find this in the Mr. Chen FIE which claims similar features at a fraction of the cost. While light, that blade was quite whippy. I also found appealing the idea that I could specify the exact flexibility of the Flickmaster. I specified 65. I was not as impressed as I'd hoped to be.

While it is not fair to characterize the blade I received as "whippy," I did find that it moved too much relative to the effort I was exerting with my fingers. I think I want to move the tip just a tad up and suddenly I'm aiming above the mask practically. Of course, I was able to adapt to this over time, but after returning to some of my other weapons, I found that I did not WANT to adjust to this kind of extra-sensitive point control. For others, this feeling may be ideal. While I like the idea of compact finger movements directing my point, I do prefer a closer proportion of finger effort to point movement. I like the point control feel of the Vniti. I use my Vniti when controlling an opponent's blade will give me an advantage and I do not want a radically different feeling of point control with a different weapon. I do acknowledge that some of the balance can be changed through playing with different grips and bellguards (choosing a heavier bellguard for example  improved the Flickmaster balance somewhat).

As far as durability of the Flickmaster, I expect that it would be about the same or less durable than a BF Blue. I used it for a little under one fencing season and it is still intact. On the plus side, while the blade did often bend on hard/close hits, it was pretty easy to get it back into an agreeable shape.

Considering the price of this bad boy, it does not sit well with me that the balance isn't what I prefer and I often have to re-bend it.  I do however, recognize that others might love the feel of the blade or be willing to make more adjustments than I was. It is also a plus that one could specify exactly the kind of flexibility for a backup weapon. 

3.5/5 Stars would be my rating if that was an option. 

In my fencing career (14 years total)
I've had many electric foils. Most them were stm blade's or the bf maraging.(or non fie blades in earlier times when they were not yet obliged for tournaments)

with all of these blades (exept for my blue bf)it was very difficult for me to do flick-hits. Since this is my favourite technique to score points, it has always been very hard for me to do so.

I just received my first flickmaster weapon yesterday and the first thing that I noticed was it's weight. It was amazingly light. After just looking at its structure and beauty I tried a couple moves and flicks. the weight and balance were just....perfect. The flex of the weapon is for me .... also perfect. It is very stable when doing thrust attacks and very...very flexible when you do a flick.

This is the first weapon that, I think, is truly worth all of it's money.

The best foil blade I have ever owned.



It is extremely light, well balanced, and durable.



On average the blade stays in good shape for about 2+ years for me, and that's a long time! The oldest FM I have is almost 4 years old; it's a somewhat crooked, but I would say it is still a better blade than many brand-new, cheaper blades.



Also, you could specify the exact flexibility of the blade when you order. Just make sure you reply to your order confirmation email and state the exact flexibility you want. And I find this to be a huge plus, because if you ever have to switch foil in the middle of an important bout, you probably don't want to spend a few touches to re-adjust your game because the flexibility of the blade is different.



I have tried 60, 65, and 75. I find 75 to be too whippy. 60 is somewhat stiff for me (but some might like it because it stays in shape; it is as straight today as it was the day I received it.) 65 is perfect.



The only down side is its price. At a whopping 122 US dollars per blade, it definitely is the most expensive blade out there. But I think it is worth it.

LP sells these with various degrees of flexibility. The rules state the blade deflection, measured as specified in the rulebook, must be between 55 and 95 mm. LP actually etches the test result in mm onto the base of the blade. So, one would think that a 55 would be a stiff-as-a-board blade, and a 95 would be whippy as heck. I requested the "most flexible" option and was sent a 70, a 72, and an 80. The 70 and 72 are actually pretty nice for the flick - I like my blades on the flexible side, and despite the number being closer to 55 than 95, they feel like whippy blades to me. The 80 is so flexible along its entire length that it's difficult to fence with. I keep taking parries with it and missing my riposte in 4 wide because the blade deflects several unexpected inches.

For each blade I was shipped, I had to cut the tang down a bit, hammer it into the proper orientation with respect to the blade, and file it down to get it to fit into my Allstar visconti grip. Also, as Darius mentioned, the LP tips royally stink. They seem to last about one bout before they get all gummed up and lose their smooth travel. Nothing I do after that seems to get them to work well again; I have to rewire the blade and put on an Uhlmann tip before I'm happy with it again.

So, in summary, the blade itself is good. It's light, well-balanced, and if you get the right flexibility, it bends in the places you want it to bend to land your flick consistently. Buy it bare, though, wire it yourself, and be prepared to do some work with mallets and files before it's ready for use.

This is the lightest maraging blade I have ever fenced with; it's lighter than both the Vniti and the France-Lames foil blades.



The Flickmaster is a nice compromise between a blade that will consistently and easily flex in the correct way to end a flick, and one that is good for straight-ahead point actions. It does not feel overly "whippy," but instead delivers a consistent bend from the foible when correctly flicked with.



The finishing work is hands-down superior to both of the other blades I have used; the wire groove is straight and deep, and the matte finish is attractive.



Time will tell whether or not these are more or less durable than the competition; I expect to go through a maraging blade every year.



I've also noticed that one of these blades is warping a little bit to the side. That may be due to overzealous barrel tightening on my part, a nasty counterattack, or part of the blade's design but I can't seem to get rid of it. It is minor enough to not create an adverse effect on my fencing, but your mileage may vary.



Unfortunately, the points that Leon Paul has put on these blades are inferior to the Uhlmann points. Buy them bare.



The true kicker is that these blades are EXPENSIVE, moreso than any other foil blade, and no domestic vendors stock them. That makes trying, and buying more, a difficult task.