HMS Authentic Katana Training Sword - Handmade Aluminum Alloy Unsharpened Blade, Functional Japanese Iaido Practice Sword for Martial Arts, Cosplay, Gifts & Collectors

As advertised the fittings are secure and accurate to the specs of an actual katana. The blade is dulled and safe for practice; flexible enough to provide proper resistance when swinging yet sturdy enough to be forgiving if one were to drop or hit against an unintended target. The Hi is much appreciated as it provides instant auditory feedback when practicing striking form. A glancing blow will be fine, intentional striking is not advised. Aesthetically the sword and scabbard are elegant and humble. Overall this blade can easily be considered an asset to the fledgling practitioner of the katana.

I sent this back immediately. The blade was crooked. It hooked a good 10 degrees to the right when I held it. Very disappointed.

This is a pretty good iaito for this price. The ito is tightly wrapped around the tsuka. The menuki, kashira, fuchi, tsuba, and all other fittings are solid, nothing rattles. The samegawa appears to be real rayskin. The sword feels light and balanced. The blade isn't fully polished to a mirror finish but that's to be expected for an iaito in this price point. The lacquer on the saya is even and smooth. The saya is a little tight and seems to bind the blade but that might only be an issue with the one I got and it's noticeable but doesn't really interfere much with drawing or sheathing of the blade. Overall a good aluminum sword for practicing iaido or for cosplay for the price, especially when your only other option for aluminum iaito is to order one from Japan for 3x or 4x the price of this one.