Get the BF Blue FIE Epee Blade from Fencing.Net
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.
What do you think of the BF Blue epee blades? Discuss them in the forums.
James Faine is coach for the Charlottesville Fencing Alliance and a frequent writer of fencing product reviews.