What types of swords are used in fencing?
The three primary weapon types are foil, epee, and sabre (or saber). A foil is long, narrow, and flexible mostly in the vertical direction, if you are holding it. Practice foils will have a rubber tip on the end, but competition (electric) foils will not – they will have a small spring-loaded metal tip that determines if you hit someone hard enough to score a touch. These tips are not sharp, and will not break the flesh. Foils are intended for stabbing, not slashing. An epee is similar to a foil, but it is less flexible. It is also a stabbing weapon. The sabre is a slashing weapon and can be easily identified by their larger bell guard that protects the fencer’s hand. Sabres are very flexible and can be whipped around quite easily.
