Picking a Good Fencing Blade

The majority of fencing blades are either sold on assembled weapons or through mail order and Internet orders, so you don’t have much of a chance to touch them yourself. If you have the opportunity to purchase some new blades at a fencing tournament, use these tips to help find the best blade for you.

You can’t tell from looking at a blade how long it will last, but you can pick out a blade that has the weight, balance, and flex that you prefer.

To help you in choosing a blade that will tend to last longer, follow these easy tips (culled from the minds of several top level armorers at the Fencing Discussion Board:

8. Once you have the blade, put the “cant” in the blade and the curve that you like. If they break during these operations, the blade is most likely defective and any reputable vendor will replace the blade or give you a refund.

If you don’t have the opportunity to pick out your own blades, then it’s usually best to either rely on a club member or coach, or to call a trusted fencing equipment supplier and note what kind of characteristics you want the blade to have. (Most put notes like “extra stiff” or “good for flick ripostes” in their orders. A good supplier will be able to pull out the blades that match your fencing style.)

Follow these quick and easy tips and you are likely to pick more long lasting blades.