which is the best weapon? foil, epee, or sabre?

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Permalink Reply by Catherine Sutthoff Slaton on March 25, 2009 at 10:25pm

And now Sabre is back on the table. Obviously the best of the three weapons, combining speed, precision and athleticism. Epee only uses precision. (Ouch.)

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Permalink Reply by Russel Redding on March 29, 2009 at 8:22pm

I've competed in, and taught all three. The best weapon is the one you have in your hand when you win. You can have a favorite, but that doesn't make it the "best" from someone else's point of view. A better question might be: Who's weirder, those fencers that favor Foil, Epee, or Sabre? (or those crazy enough to fence more than one weapon.) I lean towards Epee fencers because of their twisty minds, and dislike of simple straight-forward attacks.

We'll leave broadswords, small swords, great swords, and katanas off the table. Ha, now I've offended the SCA and who knows who all else!

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Permalink Reply by Marshall Hibnes on March 30, 2009 at 11:39am

I've competed in all three, as well. Russ is right, the best weapon is the one you're holding when you win. I can also safely say that all fencers are crazy. They just happen to by my kind of crazy!

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Permalink Reply by Pam Guntrum on April 5, 2009 at 3:48pm

Ah ha, now I absolute validation of my insanity! I've fenced both epee and foil, primarily foil, dabbled in saber and the best weapon for me is probably epee, but I'm crazy so I gravitate to foil and I only tolerate saber because I like the saber people!

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Permalink Reply by Katherine Williams on April 28, 2009 at 9:49pm

Impressions from a Newbie:

Sabreists--English Bull Terrier: Gregarious, friendly until challenged, quick, tenacious and not to keen on waiting for things to happen.
Epeeists--Standard Poodle: Bouncy, patient, reserved but nice once you get to know them, sneaky and wee bit manipulative when it comes to getting you to react the way they want you to.
Foilists--Border Collie: Intense, quick, loyal if you earn it, will invite you to do what they want, if you don’t you will not be happy.

I've mostly done foil and really enjoy all aspects of it. Our Sat class team tournaments have been epee and I can see the attraction though I've been told I've got a wee issue with learning to be patient enough for epee (so what's wrong with a 45 second 5 point bout?). I've only done some drilling with a sabre and never actually "fenced" with one. (We got to try one Saturday but my partner passed-out ....okay he hadn't eaten enough and his blood sugar dropped enough to make his knees pretty wobbly but that doesn't sound nearly as impressive as fencing so well I brought him to his knees....sigh)
K

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Permalink Reply by Jonathan Brace on May 6, 2009 at 4:44pm

I'm not used to having this discussion while a) completely sober and b) not inside a pub with a bunch of fencers.
However. I agree with everyone, while secretly believing sabres (sic) are best. Then again, anyone who has seen me fence knows I fence all three weapons like sabre anyway, so what do I know!

(By the way I'm English (no dog jokes please))

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Permalink Reply by Donna Read on June 4, 2010 at 5:24pm

I like a straight forward street brawl compared to something with rules about who gets touches on who! I mean really, who would be crazy enough to fence a weapon where you have to have permission to skewer??? (I see several hands up out there and I totally agree ;p) Of course then there is the obvious reason..I have never trained nor fenced anything other than epee. I'm only rabid, not insane ;D or is it the other way around? Hmmm.

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