Uhlmann Foil Point V2A

after fencing foil for a number of years, i could tell just by holding it that this v2a was going to be better than any french point i ever wired my weapons with.



after assembly, the spring was strong, and the travel was by far smoother than any french point.



first complaint however was the grub screws that stick out. sure enough, after some heavy fencing, you could tell they were going to take a beating. and for awhile, i was ok with that.



my second complaint didn't come till about six or seven months of fencing with it. i'm not sure how, but the v2a has a reputation of being a tank and undentable. however i managed to put a serious serious dent in it, and rendered it useless.



unfortunately after i ordered over the phone a replacement, it wasn't until after i got it in the mail that i realized i ordered a regular german point, and not the v2a. it still has the same grub screw problems, but i haven't dented it yet.



so the v2a worth the upgrade over a regular german point? probably, i just wanted to point that they are not indusctructable because i dented one.



i have since however upgraded my other weapons to the lp gt point, and i am experimenting with the fwf next generation point. so far i think they both have taken care the problems in the v2a. no dents, no grub screws to be replaced constantly. we'll just have to see which one holds up better.



the v2a is good, but there's better options if you want to dish out the money.



note: 5/24/07

this weekend i went to a tournament, and my spring failed the weight test on the v2a. after the match and yellowcard, i tried to change the spring, but the grub screws were messed up so bad, i couldn't take them out w/ my screw driver or razorblades. essentially i got knocked out of the tournament after breaking my backup foil and fencing w/ my third back up which was so flicky it was useless. i've since thrown out the v2a and replaced it w/ the fwf german extra point.

On a splurge, I got some V2A tips on some Blaise Freres maragings. These things are like tanks, seemingly indestructable and very reliable. My confidence in these tips has helped my fencing. When I don't turn a light on with a hit, I don't think, "Aw, tip!" because I KNOW the tip depresses with a proper hit. I think, "Aw, me!" and then fix my technique.



I don't notice any weight difference with these tips, and the mashed-screw problem can be handled by diligently taping the barrel. Flicks land solidly, and strong point hits never fail (my experience with french tips is different). The machining is great and the travel on the tip is very smooth.

This is the best available foil point I know of. It works great right out of the box, far better than any other I have tried. But, the screws often get bashed so much they can't be removed. And the barrel is prone to denting so much the point stops working.



I absolutely believe it's worth the price, but I wish Uhlmann would improve it some.

I first heard about these tips a while ago, and the rumors were great. I had even heard the barrel and all internals were made from titanium!



What it actually is, in a most basic sense, is a standard German tip with a reinforced barrel. The barrel is a darker colored metal than the normal stainless, and seems to resist dents and crushing better that the normal German tips. Unfortunately Uhlmann is still using the same screws and internals so the overall effect is putting a Volkswagen engine in a Porsche.



My problem with the German tips has always been with the screw heads shredding and being chewed up under heavy fencing use. Once this happens you either have to tap or drill them out. The V2A tip does nothing to correct this inherent flaw except to make it less likely you will damage the barrel when you put the tip in your vice to start drilling!



In short, if you are expecting a more durable or longer lasting internals and screws you will be disappointed. If you are looking for a crush/deform resistant barrel and nothing else it is just the ticket for you.



Overall for most fencers I do not think they are worth the extra money... especially considering you can buy a punch to round out or straighten damaged barrels for less than the price of the tip!