The three types of swords used in modern fencing are the foil, the épée and the sabre. All are modern versions of weapons once used for dueling or combat. The rules of competition and styles of fighting for each weapon reflect their specialized features and different valid target areas on opponents' bodies.
Foil
The foil used today in fencing is a modified version of a weapon called a court sword. Like the sabre, it was used when training for duels. Current rules of fencing with these weapons can be traced to this. The modern foil weighs slightly more than 1 lb. Its rectangular blade is around 35 inches long, and its tip is used to score points by contacting the torso of an opponent, according to Three Swords Fencing Club.
Foil Favoritism
The foil remains the most familiar weapon associated with fencing in the minds of many people. "Thirty or forty years ago," according to the Highams Park Fencing Club website, "the fencing masters were still reluctant to give sabre or épée lessons except to those about to participate in matches or competitions, of which there were then vastly fewer. For them, the foil reigned supreme - precise, formal and elegant."
Épée
The épée is a modern, sport version of a dueling sword or rapier. Its triangular blade is approximately 27 inches long and less flexible than the foil. Like the foil, the tip is the only part of the weapon capable of scoring a point. Unlike the foil, the épée's target area extends far beyond the torso; it includes any part of the body from the toes to the top of the head. Olympic athletes competing in the pentathlon compete with this weapon.
Sabre
The sabre approximates the foil in weight and length, and like the épée, it has a triangular blade. It is based on the cavalry sword. Modern fencing sabres are straight but, in earlier days of the sport, had a slight curve, a feature that might be traced to the Turkish scimitar from which this weapon evolved, according to Highams Park Fencing Club. Its valid target areas in modern fencing competitions reflect its origin as a weapon favored by cavalry soldiers. Points can be scored with its edge as well as with its tip. Targets are limited to the head, torso and arms but not the back of the hand holding the sabre.
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