Different Blades in Fencing

The sport of fencing developed from the necessary art of swordfighting; the skills that were once preparations for survival on the battlefield are now strategies in a competitive sport. Likewise, the weapons used by modern fencers descended directly from those used in the mortal combat and dueling matches of old. The foil, epee and sabre—the three types of fencing blades—posses significantly different physical characteristics, which are based on how they were used originally, as implements of battle.

  1. Foil

    • The foil is fencing's version of the practice dueling sword, which was used for training the nobility. It has a flexible blade of tempered steel that is rectangular in cross-section and about 35 inches long. Foils weigh less than a pound. In foil competitions, the target area is limited to the torso (from the waist to the neck, not including arms) and a hit is scored when one fencer makes contact with his opponent's torso using the tip of his foil. This small target area might seem restrictive, but foil fencers can make hits from angles that might not be otherwise possible, due to the flexibility of the blade.

    Epee

    • Like the foil, the epee is a descendant of dueling swords and, in a match, hits are scored with the tip of the blade, which hearkens back to the goal of a duel—running your opponent through. However, they are heavier than foils, weighing around 27 ounces, and have a stiffer blade with a triangular cross-section. They are also shorter than foils, forcing the fencers to move closer together during a bout in order to score a hit. In epee fencing, the target area covers the entire body, and any bodily contact scores the fencer a point.

    Sabre

    • Sabres are roughly as long and as heavy as foils, but because they are descended from cavalry blades, they are also very different from foils and epees. A sabre has a flat blade, which is used in both pointing and cutting motions; fencers can score with the point or with the edge of the blade. The target area in a sabre bout extends from the hips to the top of the head; these guidelines are derived from cavalry swordfights, which were fought by seated horsemen. Another unique quality of the sabre is the hand guard. It has a distinctive scoop shape that curves under hand for protection.