The moment two polished steel blades collide produces a strikingly clear metallic clang that reverberates through an air‑filled space, delivering a punchy hit that feels both intimate and grandiose.

“En garde, ready, fence!” says Mindy Parks, president of the Eugene Fencers Club’s board of directors, as she referees a match. As two fencers fight, their swords clash and buzzers beep inside the ...