Maraging blade "SM" (FIE)

I don't like fencing with these personnaly. They are to stiff and heavy.

Mine have felt alot like fencing with rebarb, but they all seem to live a pretty long life....

The Bends are hard to fix and they kink at the tip.

In other Words...

Stiff, Kinky, Cheap, and Long Life... But if your like me You'll keep praying it breaks.

These blades are great for people who want a non-pricey, durable FIE blade. StMs are not going to last years, and they will not remain the same over its lifespan (they bend and stay). My primary blade is a Vniti, and it is so for a reason. Whereas the Vniti blades are heavy, they have incredible balance, and tip control is not much of an issue. The StM, or SMs, or whatever you want, are weighted like shiny gold bricks. They are tip heavy and point heavy, and the whole thing feels very non-responsive. I guess some like this uniform weight distribution, but...... They are flexible enough to land a flick (with a stronger wrist), but bending how you want it to is not its forte. I'm not saying this blade is without any merit. Its price is nice, and it won't die within the first six months. It does have a tendency to bends, but although they can be straightened out, a curve will always remain. If you don't mind a slightly heavier blade (some StMs are actually heavier) buy a Vniti. They will last longer, and feel more like an extension of your hand, not a peice of rebar. But they are very pretty blades, and the finish lasts well for at least a few months. It does tend to get scratched and dinged easily , but this does not really affect performance.

Have been using the 'Golds' for quite awhile and have only broken 2 out of the 6 that I've own; I fence 3-4x a-week.



Offers a nice compromise betwixt point control and the dreaded flick, as the flexibility is not terribly whippy but my blades tend to be weighted toward the tip.



When they break, they break: mine have never bent out of shape, they just give up and break. But again, this has only happen twice to me.



For me, they were a step up from my Vniti's which are now my backup. Best-of-luck!

The SM blades sold by Uhlmann/Allstar are some of my favorite blades around. I am a big fan of the colored blades both for their distinctive looks and the fact that they resist rust and corrosion.



The coloring does not seem to affect anything but the aesthetics of the blade but their are three colors available from different manufacturers. The most common seems to be a multi-color rainbow effect similar to an oil slick on water. There is also a brilliant gold finish (my favorite) and a bright blue finish that reminds me of some brands of paintball guns.



The blades flex well and a have a good snap to them. They are fairly strong but will ding up quicker than the Blaise Feres blades in my experience. One draw back to the blades besides price is that they do tend to get a little soft after months of hard use.



Once you move up to the FIE Maraging blades I would say they compare well with the Vniti blades in most respects. They are lighter and flick better than the Vniti, but will not last as long or keep their shape as well.



Overall you will probably not be disappointed in this blade, and if money is tight but you still want a name brand blade, this is the way to go.