Fencers Unite!

[Orj]

However, the French, as a rule, disdain the flick and fence cleanly, and so mostly use, surprise surprise, french grips.

It would seem I'm French at heart.

This is bad. Someone get a stake and some firewood. Hurry! It might be contagious!

 

[Merentha]

Are there any disadvantages to the pistol grip? Like, say, being relatively unwieldy or something?

The only, only reason to use a French grip is in epee where you can post.  A proper pistol grip that actually fits your hand is going to encourage tip control, flick strength, and, well, pretty much everything. 

edit:  Epeeist, currently using a Hungarian grip and considering switching to Germans, once I set my blades at a slightly deeper angle. 
edit2:  I suppose the 1st guard is slightly easier if you have a French grip, as are some of the incredibly rare in-fighting moves that nobody should ever rely on or plan on using. 

 

[FrisianDude]

Fencing always seemed fun to me. Maybe I could try it someday.

 

[Pharaoh Llandy]

I am a dual-rapier-wielding kensai-mage!

 

[Cleaning agent]

Ooh, dual wielding! We once tried a dual wielding match session, until our instructor came and told us off. 

 

[FrisianDude]

Your instructor is a party pooper.

 

[Cleaning agent]

Yeah, he kinda wanted us to... y'know... learn to fence. We wanted to whack at each other with the point bits of metal for lulz.

Slight conflict of interests I guess. 

 

[Cymro]

I initially wanted to do fencing a while back, but found that there were no clubs nearby and took up archery instead.
Well, there is a fencing club in town, but, er, it builds fences

 

[Gculk]

Are there any disadvantages to the pistol grip? Like, say, being relatively unwieldy or something?

The only, only reason to use a French grip is in epee where you can post.  A proper pistol grip that actually fits your hand is going to encourage tip control, flick strength, and, well, pretty much everything. 

edit:  Epeeist, currently using a Hungarian grip and considering switching to Germans, once I set my blades at a slightly deeper angle. 
edit2:  I suppose the 1st guard is slightly easier if you have a French grip, as are some of the incredibly rare in-fighting moves that nobody should ever rely on or plan on using.

The extra range can be used to good effect in foil as well, and if the user dislikes flicks, then it is a matter of preference.

I initially wanted to do fencing a while back, but found that there were no clubs nearby and took up archery instead.
Well, there is a fencing club in town, but, er, it builds fences

Hehe, join them!  Corrupt them from the inside!

 

[Merentha]

The extra range can be used to good effect in foil as well, and if the user dislikes flicks, then it is a matter of preference.

True, but my understanding was that it was illegal to post in foil.  Also, I'd guess that the timing differences (its a lot harder to time someone out in foil than it is in epee) and fencing style (foil is much more aggressive and relies on very quick aggressive parries) make it so that a posted foil is much less competitive than a posted epee.

Are there any disadvantages to the pistol grip? Like, say, being relatively unwieldy or something?

The only, only reason to use a French grip is in epee where you can post.

What is that?

You know how the pommel of the French grip is a metal weight?  Posting is holding it down there rather than up near the bellguard. 

 

[Ruthven]

I initially wanted to do fencing a while back, but found that there were no clubs nearby and took up archery instead.
Well, there is a fencing club in town, but, er, it builds fences

Archery's better anyways, IMO.

 

[13 Spider Bloody Chain]

No, it's less fun, because it's not directly competitive.

I'd have to say, though, that if it were, it'd be a hell of a lot more awesome.

First to flinch loses! Headshots don't count.

 

[Gculk]

True, but my understanding was that it was illegal to post in foil.  Also, I'd guess that the timing differences (its a lot harder to time someone out in foil than it is in epee) and fencing style (foil is much more aggressive and relies on very quick aggressive parries) make it so that a posted foil is much less competitive than a posted epee.

Didn't know that rule.  Anyways, I only used French grip for foil for about 3 months while learning the ins and outs.  Got a Russian grip as soon as I could.  It's only now that I'm starting to fence competetively that I am getting better grips.

 

[Merentha]

True, but my understanding was that it was illegal to post in foil.  Also, I'd guess that the timing differences (its a lot harder to time someone out in foil than it is in epee) and fencing style (foil is much more aggressive and relies on very quick aggressive parries) make it so that a posted foil is much less competitive than a posted epee.

Didn't know that rule.  Anyways, I only used French grip for foil for about 3 months while learning the ins and outs.  Got a Russian grip as soon as I could.  It's only now that I'm starting to fence competetively that I am getting better grips.

*shiver*  Russian grips are absolutely atrocious.  Find one that fits your hand and go with that.  If you have to, go to a tournament and ask if you can try out others' grips.  There aren't many out there, in western Pennsylvania we pretty much only see Visconti and Belgian grips with a few Hungarian and German grips thrown in for flavor.  If someone is just plain weird, you'll see a Zivkovic grip out there.  Still, one of those grips should fit your hand.  I've only seen one person that wasn't able to find one, and he's got the freakish monkey-hands for effective epee posting, so there you go. 

 

[Gculk]

I love the Russian grip.    Fits me well enough.  I'm thinking of going Zivkovic/ probably Hungarian for Foil, and French/undecided for Epee.

 

[Cymro]

I'd have to say, though, that if it were, it'd be a hell of a lot more awesome.

First to flinch loses! Headshots don't count.

I did that with some friends and rubber tipped arrows.

It was very fun. The bruises were well worth it

 

[Gculk]

Well, I went shopping on Leon Paul today to pick my weapons.  For my Epees alone it will cost me 153 British Pounds, which will be over 300 bucks after shipping.  For my foils, it will be cheaper, about 100 bucks each.  So in total, I will be shelling out around 600 dollars for weapons alone.  ****. 

 

[Merentha]

Well, I went shopping on Leon Paul today to pick my weapons.  For my Epees alone it will cost me 153 British Pounds, which will be over 300 bucks after shipping.  For my foils, it will be cheaper, about 100 bucks each.  So in total, I will be shelling out around 600 dollars for weapons alone.  ****. 

Is there a reason you need Leon Paul blades?  I've never had a problem using 40 USD StM epee blades and the advantage gained from the weight is largely negligible.  I suppose if you're competing in FIE sanctioned events, you might have to, but other than that...waste of money, honestly. 

edit:  At only twice the price for a non-maraged LP blade...I suppose it might be worth the price.  What definitely is worth it if you're posting is the LP grip.  That beast is incredibly useful for anyone who wants to post competitively. 

 

[Gculk]

Well, I went shopping on Leon Paul today to pick my weapons.  For my Epees alone it will cost me 153 British Pounds, which will be over 300 bucks after shipping.  For my foils, it will be cheaper, about 100 bucks each.  So in total, I will be shelling out around 600 dollars for weapons alone.  ****. 

Is there a reason you need Leon Paul blades?  I've never had a problem using 40 USD StM epee blades and the advantage gained from the weight is largely negligible.  I suppose if you're competing in FIE sanctioned events, you might have to, but other than that...waste of money, honestly. 

edit:  At only twice the price for a non-maraged LP blade...I suppose it might be worth the price.  What definitely is worth it if you're posting is the LP grip.  That beast is incredibly useful for anyone who wants to post competitively.

Yeah, I'm going to be going away to competitions as much as I can afford to in the next few years, so I'm going to need quality gear.

 

[Gamemako]

Well, I went shopping on Leon Paul today to pick my weapons.  For my Epees alone it will cost me 153 British Pounds, which will be over 300 bucks after shipping.  For my foils, it will be cheaper, about 100 bucks each.  So in total, I will be shelling out around 600 dollars for weapons alone.  ****. 

I don't know about epee blades, but I absolutely cannot stand Leon Paul foil blades. Even worse are the heavy-as-hell, awkwardly-balanced Leon Paul blades mixed with the light fiberglass Leon Paul grips. I don't know what you're supposed to do with one. Use it as a bullwhip, maybe?