Foil Lames

Care and Gear Recommendations

Foil lames though not as expensive as saber lames are still a expensive piece of kit. So let’s talk about them and their care so you aren’t throwing your money away. Foil lames are way simpler than saber lames. Without the sleeves you don’t have to worry about wear causing the armpits to lose conductivity. The biggest issue that causes foil lames to fail is loss of conductivity through corrosion. 

So how do we prevent corrosion? There are two answers. The first one is keeping your lame dry. After using your lame you should always hang it up in an open area to allow it to dry out. Never keep it in your bag, or locker. These enclosed spaces act like a humidor trapping in liquid and allowing your lame to corrode quicker. This is especially true for cheaper lames that are made of copper. If you have noticed your lame turning green this is because the copper has corroded.

On top of making sure they are dry you should also rinse out the sweat at least once a month. The easiest way to do this is take it in the shower and rinse the lame using the shower head. Make sure to hang dry it when you are done rinse it out. If your lame is getting stinky or very disgusting you can soak it in a bucket of warm water with either a little woolite or ammonia. Make sure to rinse it well after soaking and hang dry it. 

Another way to prevent corrosion is by having a corrosion resistant lame. This is where more expensive lames like stainless steel or nickel base lames come into play. Now you still want to take care of your lame as listed above but stainless steel and nickel lames will generally last longer than copper lames. There are several good lames in this category.

Allstar or Uhlmann stainless steel lames, Leon Paul classic lame, Negrini stainless steel lames. 

The softer stainless steel lames like the Absolute signature series II and PBT “Washable” Inox are also good but I feel they are a little less durable compared to your standard stainless steel lames for foil. 

Any lame will eventually wear out as the metal fibers in it break. A way to help reduce lame wear and tear is to have a tournament lame and a practice lame. When your tournament lame eventually fails it becomes your new practice lame. Make sure the rinse and hang dry your tournament lame before stowing it. I have seen tournament lames fail after a couple uses because they were stowed improperly. 

A note on “third party” or Chinese lame. There are a number of Chinese manufacturers that have started making lames in the last couple years. Often they fail at USA fencing tournaments. The most common reason for failure is what we call the bikini cut. If you look at the lame in the picture below you will see that the line between the hips and the groin is curved. The curve is not legal. Some of the major manufacturers will occasionally make this mistake too but it is the exception. There is nothing preventing their use in practice but do not be surprised if it fails at a tournament with equipment inspections. 

A note on lightweight lames. Lightweight lames can be great but they require more care. Since they are made out of chemically treated fabric they are not as durable as other lames. They will wear out quicker and are more susceptible to loss of conductivity when not taken care of correctly. I personally rinse my lightweight lames after every use and hang dry it. I have heard of lightweight lames lasting a long time but don’t generally recommend them to kids as they are more expensive and require more care. If you would like to use a lightweight lame I recommend Leon Paul or Allstar.

TDLR

Lames fail because they lose conductivity by either corrosion or wear. To reduce corrosion rinse your lame in the shower and hang it in an open space to dry it out. DON”T leave it in your bag or a locker. 

To reduce wear, consider having a tournament and practice lame. Make sure to rinse and hang dry your tournament lame after use before stowing it. 

Lame recommendations for Foil. Allstar or Uhlmann stainless steel lames, Leon Paul classic lame, Negrini stainless steel lames.

Lightweight lames can be good but require more care. I rinse them after every use and hang dry them. I recommend the Leon Paul or Alstar lightweight lames.  Generally don’t recommend them for kids as they don’t tend to take care of them and are expensive.