Foil (metal) Foil (metal) A foil is a very thin sheet of metal, usually made by hammering or rolling. Foils are most easily made with malleable metals, such as aluminium, copper, tin, and gold. Foils usually bend under their own weight and can be torn easily. The more malleable a metal, the thinner foil can be made with it. For example, aluminium foil is usually about 1/1000 inch (0.03 mm), whereas gold (more malleable than aluminium) can be made into foil only a few atoms thick, called gold leaf. Extremely thin foil is called metal leaf. Leaf tears very easily and must
Foil (fencing) Olympics, although some organizations still fence competitively with non-electric swords. Foil have standardized, tapered, quadrangular (rectangular) blades that are made of tempered and annealed, low-carbon steel—or maraging steel as required for international competitions—and are designed to bend upon striking an opponent in order to prevent both injuries and breakage of the blade. The foil blade is no more than 90 cm in length with a blunted (or "foiled") tip, the maximum length of the assembled weapon is 110 cm, and the maximum weight is 500g; however, most competition foil are lighter, closer to 350g. The blade itself is subdivided into