Leon Paul Evolution Pistol Grip
Love the look of the new product! Looking forward to using it, such a great use of a product (love the fact that Sugru was invented by and Irishwoman).
Try to pre order mine but no indication on the site that I can "buy" it, just which hand I can get.
Sorry to LP if I have jumped the gun!
There are 10 types of people - those who understand binary and those who don't.
I'm also glad of the move into more customisable kit, I've been using sugru on a few of my grips for a while now and I think that it's great.
I've used Sugru for a couple of years - oddly *never* thought to use it in this way.
Fan-flippin' tastic. I'll be posting this to the local geek communities, they'll love it to.
LP/Sugru Evolution Pistol Grip
I haven't posted for a while, but surprised nobody is talking about this on here yet so thought I'd get things going.
I am quite intrigued about this product. For those that haven't heard about the concept: Sugru "is a new self-setting rubber designed for fixing, modifying and improving your stuff." Leon Paul have made a pistol grip that is specially designed to be customised with Sugru.
A few things spring to mind:
1) The handle looks more comfortable than the standard Leon Paul ones even without the addition of the Sugru (sorry, couldn't resist)!
2) Is it really worth getting the whole package from Leon Paul (it's slightly pricey) or might I just as well buy a few packets of Sugru and stick it to my existing handles? And related to that, the sugru sold with the handle apparently comes with softener so it can be as hard or rubbery as you like. Will sugru be selling this separately? Only time will tell, I guess.
3) Once you get one set up how you like it, how much faff will it be to reproduce the result so that all 2/3/4/5 [delete as appropriate] of your competition weapons feel exactly the same (if that's your thing)?
Those things come across sounding quite critical, but I do think this is quite a positive idea. No doubt they will sell lots. I might even buy one to play with after I have seen them out and about. Handles are probably the most personal/personalisable thing in fencing already and this only makes that process easier.
Also, fantastic marketing!
People are talking about it. It was the second from top thread in the folder before you posted this...
"The goal is to win, but it is the goal that is important, not the winning"
Yes, I realised that shortly after I did it! Have messaged Gav, expect he will combine the threads when he has time. Even still, there seems to be surprisingly little chatter about this subject. Maybe it'll pick up when people have had a chance to get their hands on the product.Originally Posted by Bongo
The base handle is very comfortable!
Standard sugru is quite hard and has a (hard to describe) slightly oily feel when it sets. When you feel standard sugru with a glove on it is definitely a bit slippy. The softener not only softens it, it also gets rid of the slippy feeling and makes a big difference to the overall handle.
It is possible to replicate handles after you have made one "perfect" handle but it takes a few stabs (no pun intended) at getting it perfect. We are finding that people like to tinker over time!
I gave a long time customer a development kit on thursday to test and he texted me over the weekend:
"The sugru handle is amazing. Just coaching with it for the moment but I feel like Superman!"
Legailty of Griip
Quick question - and I'm front of the tablet and not the PC, so checking is a little tricky.
Do users of this product have to conform to certain conventions while creating their formed grip to be compliant with the rules? At a guess, a 10cm straight vertical spike would be considered at least unsportsmanlike, but what other conventions do users have to hold to?
A spike that large would project beyond the guard, and thus be illegal.
I'd be more concerned with use in epee....you could hide a switch under the thumb of a pistol grip easily.
You do need to respect the rules when making your handle in terms of size and wether it provides additional protection.
You really couldn't hide a switch without a lot of work, certainly not easily. There is bare metal at the front of the handle so you would be looking at hollowing out the handle somehow to get inside it and hiding the connections. Pistol grip Epee handles with tape all over them are used all the time at FIE events and exactly the same could be done with them.
In fact the gold medal winner of the London Olympics Limardo had tape on his grip and the FIE didn't mind http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m8...i2do4_1280.jpg
I think the switch hiding thing is a non issue but I have written to the SEMI for clarification.
Considering the US attitudes to other equipment regs their obsession with this point is... amazing.
"Evil does not wear a bonnet!"
"Thanks Ants ... Thants.
It is forbidden to dream again;
We maim our joys or hide them;
Considering it WAS done (although I think Boris used a French grip), it's a valid concern.
I WILL say, however, that the amount of switched I saw at the pentathlon world cup I worked a couple of years back was staggering. fully 25% of the weapons on the 2nd day of control had switches...typically a long bit of expose wire hanging off the socket....like they thought I wouldn't see that...or that I'd ignore it???
I'll be working the same event in February (same armory crew, in fact)...we'll see if they try to slide it past us again.
I held one of these at the weekend. The sugru felt quite nice even though it was molded to the shape of someone else's hand. I think I am too curious about this product not to give it a go.
One thing I would like to see is lots of photos of what people have done with the sugru and a little something explaining why they did it like that - ideas basically! Perhaps on the LP Facebook page...? I guess this might come when it has been out on general release for a couple of months. In the same vein, a video of a handle actually being customised from scratch?
Do we know if/when Evolution Handles/Sugru will be FIE approved yet?
I don't know the answer to the above question, but reminded me to say I have got one of these handles now and it is very nice to fence with. Still in the intermediate stage, more Sugru will be applied in a week or so. Not sure it is wonderful enough at that price to justify replacing all my old handles, though...
I got one for Christmas. Very nice to fence with. Clear advice as to how to make up and put on the Sugru.
I would have liked a different colour to yellow and the presentation box was a little unnecessary even though it was for Christmas.
Gruph
Once more into the Breeches Dear friends.
Garuph - you mean you don't take the grip off after you've fenced with it and put it in that shiny velvet lined box... tsk
Risk a lot and wear glasses
Disagree - I think LP made the right move in putting some effort into the packaging of this premium product.
I can't see why they'd need approval, passing weapons control will be the proof, and that will depend on your modifications.
That said, I believe that James Davis used his at the Olympics, if it can pass there then it should pass anywhere
Only anarchists are trustworthy
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