Fencer's Magazine

Follow-up: "What the hell is 'craping'..."

Christoph Amberger — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 23:41:31 +0000

Reblogged from The Secret History of the Sword:

Oh, the humanity!

You'd think our April Fool's joke—selling the title and teaching privilege of "Mister of Fencing" and membership in MoFO—was such a blatantly obvious and lame joke, only a sloth would've missed it. But apparently, MoFO and the prerequisites of owning a foil and never having earned a competitive ranking were still too subtle...

Masters of the Sword: MD Company to Claim Monopoly on Historical Fencing Accreditation

Christoph Amberger — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 18:13:08 +0000

Reblogged from The Secret History of the Sword:

You've heard it here first:

SHotS is teaming up with Towson-based Secret Archives Press LLC to provide the historical fencing community with ultimate credentials.

Weapons: The Subtlety of the Modern Sports Sabers

Christoph Amberger — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 16:31:03 +0000

Reblogged from The Secret History of the Sword:

Collectors of modern sports weapons face a bit of a dilemma. It's almost impossible to tell a piece of recent scrap metal found in the back of the club armory from a weapon with at least budding historical value.

Luckily, some old fencing equipment catalogs provide a clue at dating and contextual placement. Like the 1938 catalog of Vince Fencing Equipment, Inc., which provides some clues to early sports sabers...

In Memoriam: William Gaugler

Christoph Amberger — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 15:05:07 +0000

Reblogged from The Secret History of the Sword:

FencingClassics bids a fond farewell to an old mentor, friend, and adviser:

On December 10, 2011, one of the great fencing masters, scholars, and authors of the 20th century, Maestro William M. Gaugler, died of cancer in Sunnyvale, California.

We appreciate what you've done for us...

Free Resources: Leboucher's 1843 La Canne Manual

Christoph Amberger — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:38:22 +0000

Reblogged from The Secret History of the Sword:

Yes, we know. We really shouldn't. We're spoiling you rotten.

But heck, you just might learn something! Today, we're giving away your free access to Rouen, France-based master of the stick, staff, kicking boot and fist Leboucher's 1843 manual.

We can afford such generosity because someone else's already paid for putting it online...

Massed Assault: The Choreography of Group Instruction

Christoph Amberger — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:30:11 +0000

Reblogged from The Secret History of the Sword:

Group class vs. individual lesson?

The armed and police forces of the world had their choices made for them by virtue of the very number of recruits needing instruction.

But how did they get them to look good from a distance...

High Art of Fencing: Breslau’s Fencer’s Fountain…

Christoph Amberger — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 14:31:46 +0000

He managed to escape being turned into shell casings in World War I. Melted down for war reparations during the Weimar Republic. He dodged the Nazi leveling of Breslau in 1945, and the Red Army’s knocking over what was left.

And since he ended up behind the Iron Curtain, in a different country, he even escaped the politically correct B.S. that imprints modern Germany…

Fencing Fashions: Can’t wait to see those at Nationals

Christoph Amberger — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:42:12 +0000

We don’t assume they’re serious: Fasion designer Moncler Gamme is introducing a new line of quilted jackets.

And yes, they’ve got something for the aspiring fencionista as well…

As far as news goes, this item’s a bit long in the tooth. But Milaono-based fashion designer Moncler Gamme’s Spring-Summer 2012 “Bleu” Collection should be making it into stores right now. And as their June 2011 fashion show indicated, saber fencers are in for a special treat.

Part morph suit, part Kleagle cadre, part grandma Moncler’s nippy tea party, the outfit seems a bit on the impractical side.

Then again, who would’nt want to wear a cozy white vest over their FIE saber lamé?

We say throw in a Michael Jackson-style glittery fencing glove and you’re all set for Nationals.

(In case you want to order on-line, don’t bother checking their site: It’s so slow-loading and antiquated that it makes this outfit look good!)

Fencing in the News: Health benefits for older fencers

Christoph Amberger — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 18:06:36 +0000

You’ve always known it: Fencing is Good For You! Turns out it may be even better for you than you thought.

Especially if you’re a geezer like us: “Older fencers did better than their non-athletic peers on measures of attention and processing…”

Plus, researchers confirmed that older fencers are 100% better looking than their non-fencing peers!

Alright, we made up the last part. But the rest’s pure science:

“Researchers focused on young and old fencers to see if the activity was effective in counteracting some cognitive deterioration that happens to people as they age. Fencing was chosen because it’s considered an open-skill sport, one in which players have to adapt their movements due to a changing environment — in this case, a constantly moving opponent…”

Read on..

WTF: Does it get any more stupid than “Fency”?

Christoph Amberger — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 02:32:46 +0000

What gives?

There you gou go, working out for months, drilling, bouting, breaking blades, just to look good for the spectators.

And the organizers? Create a mongrel hybrid of prickly pear and Sponge-Bob Squarepants as the mascot of the 2011 Catania World Championships…

by J. Christoph Amberger, editor, Fencer’s Magazine

Baltimore, MD—Sometimes you wonder. How stupid can functionaries be? Who the hell is in charge of making actual decisions? What the fudge were they thinking?

What the hell were they thinking?

All these questions came flooding when I saw the stupid, stupid mascot for the 2011 Catania World Championships? “Fency” (does it get any more stupid?) is the projected image of fencing in 2011… a shapeless blob that looks like the bastard son of SpongeBob Squarepants, spawned during a night of mesquite-induced extasy with a tushy loofah.

One starts to ponder the Big Questions of life in the sights of such cretinism. Like, do fencing functionaries have to check their brains in at the coat room before entering the bedraggled conference rooms of the Ramada Inn, where the decisions to have fencing be represented by a prickly pear are made? Is the secretary general sleeping with the receptionist of the third-rate graphics design firm who cooked up this shit?

We’re looking forward to fencers making up for the idiocy of functionaries in October!