Recommended Equipment

If you are interested in purchasing your own fencing equipment below are some of my recommendations.

For all the classes men should consider wearing an athletic cup. Women should also consider wearing chest protection, either the cups for the jackets or the plastron available from Triplette. Another option (especially for classes like Rapier, Small Sword, and Long Sword) would be to get a Hockey chest protector and remove the 2 upper shoulder pads.

Equipment for Foil Class
Equipment for Sabre Class

American Fencing
French leather, standard, part 2, $36.
or, Italian foil with false ricasso, stainless steel guard, part 10, $95.

Starter set, (not sure if this is with the leather grip or not) part 5004, around $142.

From www.triplette.com
 Choose the foil box, then go through to build your own TCA blade.  Make sure you get the French grip.
Or the Starter set, make sure to upgrade to the foil listed above.

  www.thefencingpost.com 
For the Italian class you will need to order item FF81 from.

Not sure whom to recommend anymore for Sabre's.  However where ever you get it from, make sure you get the S-2000 blade.

If you want to get a sabre with a little something special go to American Fencing. 

Fancy: pecoraro hilt, s-2000 blade, part 590S, $80
Radaellian hilt, s-2000 blade, part 591S, $195

 

 
Equipment for Epee Class
www.amfence.com 
Believe it or not this is where I started getting my equipment. I swung away from them for some reason but my favorite weapons always came from them. They list their practice epee as part #41 $52.00. Which is about the right price for an epee. 
Now if you really want to have some fun they are also listing under their "classical" section an Italian grip epee, pt #49 for $105. 

www.triplette.com 
Well they have a couple of choices once you figure out how to enter, then go to choose epee, then... build your own tca and build your own dinamo. In reverse order...dinamo UTTER CRAP!
Second the build your own epee is listed at $68.90, a little pricey. Also it says their blades are forged by Blaise Brothers Forge, which also does their foil. However several people got the their most recent foils here and I'm sorry to say the blades quality control is spiralling down. For this reason I therefore give triplette the thumbs down. 

www.thefencingpost.com 
Mixed results from them in the past. For a while they were the only source of Italian foils. However as many of us know the quality control of those hilts was for not. They list their standard epee at $40.50 but only have it available with the rubber grip. It seems they are concentrating more on the electrical blades for epee. Judgement therefore withheld. 

www.blue-gauntlet.com 
Mixed results from them as well. I know several people have gotten weapons from them in the past. In fact I think Lynnette's epee is a blue-gauntlet. It is a little light but it has held up okay. However, their complete weapon is now listed at $38.00 which is way low. It feels wrong and therefore I'm not recommending it. 

Weapons for Rapier Class
Weapons for Small Sword Class
From www.zenwarriorarmory.com Under Theatrical/SCA equipment
  • R8 Rapier with T02 Extra wide (musketeer) blade
  • R6 Rapier with T02 Extra wide (musketeer) blade
  • R9 Rapier with T02 Extra wide (musketeer) blade
From Popinjay's, specifically the smallsword page.
  • #1, #5, #7, #8, #9, #10, #13, #14.
  • I suggest you contact him for availability and also ask about recommendations for the size of your hand. (As you know we can't just go and pick them up to test the heft, sigh.)
From American Fencing Supply - www.amfence.com Under Armory and Rapiers
  • Italian Cup Hilt - Musqueteer Bladed
  • Lundholm 303 - Musqueteer Bladed
  • Marquis 34S - Musqueteer Bladed
  • Swept Hilt Double Ring 351S - Musqueteer Bladed
  • Spanish Cup Hilt - Musqueteer Bladed
 From American Fencing Supply's Armory section. (Note once you have it we may need to cut the blade down. Small Swords were between 29 and 31 inches.)
  • The Figure 8 #429T, with epee blade.
  • The Hollywood #435T, with epee blade.
  • Marquis 34S - Musqueteer Bladed
  • While you can upgrade to a leather wrapped grip, it is not necessary.
From Darkwood Armory Almost anything from the rapier collection, with the sword practice rapier bladed. Option 3 - make it yourself.
  • In a pinch you can use a broken foil blade. Use a dremel or file to smooth over the break. The blade length should be between 29 and 31 inches.
  • Better still use an epee blade.
  • Change out the foil (or epee blade) for a smaller guard, like Triplette's #504, or #G1, from their SCA catelog.
 
Weapons for Broad Sword Class
 Weapons for Long Sword Class

For Safety, I HIGHLY recommend going with the wooden weapons.

There are 2 main suppliers for the wooden weapons, Hollow Earth Sword Works and Purpleheart Armory.

Of the 2 you can actually see, feel, and pick up Hollow Earth at the St. Louis Renaissance Faire. If you want a long sword go with Purpleheart though.

For Safety, I HIGHLY recommend going with the wooden weapons.

There are 2 main suppliers for the wooden weapons, Hollow Earth Sword Works and Purpleheart Armory.

Of the 2 you can actually see, feel, and pick up Hollow Earth at the St. Louis Renaissance Faire. If you want a long sword go with Purpleheart though.

From Knights Edge you can get stage combat swords at a really reasonable price.
  • For the class you want the broadsword, #4402
  • For the barbarian in you, and I will allow it in class you can get the bigger sword, #4400.
 If you want to use a metal blade then I can't recommend Albion Swords enough.  Their weapons are the best on the market right now.  For long sword use either The Meyer or The Liechtenaur from their Maestro line.

Museum Replicas Limited also has some practice long swords...STEEL TWO HAND BATTLE SWORD  ID#:501008.