Apex FIE Sabre Blade

After the Tokyo Olympics, the FIE require that fencers use blades made from the higher specification Maraging steel. This is to improve safety and bring sabre in line with Foil and Epee. After a full year of design and development, we have created the Apex blade. We consulted with fencers from Russia, France, Italy, the UK and more to produce a blade that lasts longer, is safer and performs better and more consistently than any existing blade.

To make this happen, we have gone back to first principles and started by analysing the blades top fencers prefer to use, and then 3d modelling them to analyse what made them so good. We have then developed a complete new production line with two new forges, and custom made computer controlled mills to make the finished product possible.

From real-world testing and feedback and 3D computer modelling, we found that two key areas had the most effect on the performance of the blade:

The Midsection, where the blade transitions from a Y section to rectangular, is critical as this is what determines the accuracy of the point. The key here was to make it as light and stiff as possible to give you the best in terms of both speed and precision.

The Tang, which may seem unimportant is actually critical. Sabre has a long handle and involves fast, aggressive cutting actions, so leverage comes into play much more than in Foil and Epee. The tang flexes within the handle during acceleration and deceleration, which leads to significant point lag. The solution was to develop a unique, super hard, radially forged tang that reduces flex in the handle to almost zero. This gives you the mechanical advantage and significantly improves the control of the blade. The radial forging technique provides the tang with a lovely hammered finish which is reminiscent of the best Japanese kitchen knives.

To get the level of consistency we wanted, we moved away from the grinding process that all other manufacturers used, and decided to mill the blades. Milling involves ultra high precision tools and computer control systems to cut metal away. We can get down to a level of accuracy never before seen in sabre blades and the variation between each Apex blade is less than 0.1mm across the profile. The result of this is that you can be confident that all the blades will feel the same, putting an end to the need to handpick your blade from a batch.

There is a misconception that Maraging blades are more expensive to use than cheaper carbon steel blades. Maraging blades are safer because they last on average five times longer than a carbon blade; the reduction in breakages means that they are five times less likely to cause serious injury. The increase in lifespan means that the blades cost about half the cost per hit of a standard blade.