It works alright; problem for me was that the handle guard (or tsuba) was REALLY easy to crack; it broke tipping over and falling onto the floor. It can also very easily warp/bend if you leave it somewhere warm, like in direct sunlight or over a heating vent, so you do need to take particular care in how its stored.As for actual use for hitting things, it's blunt but still sturdy so it hurts. It's not a functional sparring weapon.

Very sturdy and I’m sure my son is going to love it, but neither sword came with a saya. I double checked the listing to make sure I didn’t misunderstand anything but the item details clearly state that there is a saya and the item photos show one too. A little disappointed about that.

Feels sturdy and looks great

Perfect for dueling and costume wear. Sturdy and durable material. Weighted well and sits nicely in hand. Well balanced.

For a polypropylene bokken, it is good. I remember when cold steel came out with theirs, I own one, and I say these are on par with theirs. Granted the blade and such in this case is more ornate for this one and more intended for Iaido, for those who want that bo-hi to better make the swish sound with their cuts but can't afford an Iaito. I would say contact with other bokken would be okay, being polyurethane I wouldn't doubt it would stand up, but it might bend after several bouts so it is best to practice contact lightly. Don't be swinging for the fence, you might damage your bokken or even theirs (even if theirs is wooden), but that's just general safety with bokken anyway. I bought their saya separately (for the shoto), I had one of e-bogu older katana plastic Saya for a wooden bokken. The shoto fits the new saya great, the daito the older saya is a bit lose, nothing horrible though, but I think the new saya from them fits these products better.I was afraid on how the ornate details on the handle would feel, I'm use to the smoothness of a wooden bokken or feeling of real ito. This, though has texture, isn't rough but smooth. I don't think my hands will be damaged after 1000 cuts.Weight wise it is lighter than my red oak bokken (my lightest), or at least feels that way.Honestly I think this is a good price for the set, even though it doesn't come with saya, (that is a set you can get but a little bit more, no more than buying the saya separately).Overall, I think this would be a good addition to my collection. I like the idea of polypropylene bokkens, they last for ever, are resistant to weathering (more so than wooden ones depending on finish) and are normally cheaper. It is a good idea for any beginner or for this one anyone who wants that iaido swish in their cuts but don't want to spend the money on a steel or alloy iaito (or on a wooden bokken with the bo-hi groove, which may compromise structure of the wooden bokken if used in contact practice). I would say this is geared perfectly for the teens who want to get into iaido for sure. Oh and it may work for any cosplayers out there too.

Okay look, i love swords and anything to do with swords, when i bought these i felt so powerful holding them, but there was one teensy problem. Upon closer inspection, it looked like it had molding problems on the very end of the hilt, around the area of the pommel. Then there were odd scratches, but sadly i arleady opened the package, i would recommend still, because i think mine was just a fluke, it doesn't look like the structural integrity is compromised, just aesthetics.

This daisho set is a great looking piece with only a few flaws that keep it from five stars. Still great value for the money, and compare favorably to light wooden bokken.PROS:+The blade is thick enough that it will hold up under stress, and only wobbles a little with impacts from the side. It's a little stiffer than spring steel so it's not going to do anything a real sword would not do, and it holds its shape well as long as you store it correctly. It's about as light as a white oak bokken so it's fairly easy to handle. The balance is just a few inches from the hilt, adding to ease of use.+ The blade is very nicely shaped, not overly clublike as most poly swords are, but thick enough that it does not bend or flex when swinging, so it approximates the geometry of a real sword more closely. I have bought other poly swords from this manufacturer that were too thin and bendy but this one seems to have corrected that issue. As many other reviews have stated, it does tend to get bent in transport, but a few minutes with a hairdryer will warm it up enough to bend back straight very easily. Just be gentle and go a little bit at a time and it will straighten itself out and stay that way.+The tsuba (guard) is nice looking and fits snugly, and the retaining ring does its job, though you may need to fix it between bouts if you are using it for contact (it's very easy to do).+If you already have an E-Bogu saya this bokken fits perfectly into it. I was very happy to see how snug the fit was, and it definitely makes battou techniques better than with a looser wooden bokken. I really hate the rattling of wood inside the saya, and without a tsuba to stop it from touching the bottom of the saya you have less handle to work with and more chance of damaging the saya. This bokken fits a lot better and I'm very happy with it.+The wakizashi is even sturdier due to its shorter length, and it's just as well made. Getting both swords for this price is a really great deal. These will last me a long time for sure.CONS:These are all minor complaints, but taken together they keep that fifth star off for me.-The ito texturing on it is very shallow and MUCH easier on the hands than Cold Steel's, but noticeable enough that you will find yourself adjusting your grip occasionally. I really wish companies would stop trying to mimic the cloth wrapping of a real katana because it just doesn't work with a hard medium like plastic. A standard rough textured grip would be much easier on the hands.-The tsuka is also molded in the older tachi style for some strange reason, and has a (barely) noticeable upward curve that has no reason to be there, as modern sword styles abandoned this type of hilt centuries ago. You can easily perform all your techniques without adjustment, but if you're accustomed to a completely straight hilt you will notice it.-The hilt is noticeably thicker than even a real katana would be with the wrapping, so if you have smaller hands like I do you may feel a little awkward holding it.-The fake hamon pattern kind of annoys me but at least I can sand this off if I want. It seems tasteless and chintzy if you plan to use this for serious practice. The difference in texture might be good for beginners to help them perform noto by touch, but it's just not for me.-Both blades have a pronounced point that, while not sharp enough to cause serious harm on most parts of the body, will DEFINITELY hurt. These should not be used for heavy contact/sparring without face and throat protection at bare minimum. You can round the points off with a judicious application of sandpaper (or saw them off completely) but that will take some work.-The wakizashi is shorter than I expected, almost approaching tanto length. Not really a big deal, still works fine.-Also, if you were hoping the bohi (groove) on the blade was functional, I am sorry to say it is mostly for show. The spineward side of the blade profile angles back so that air does not actually pass over the groove when you swing, so you will only hear that whistling swish noise if your edge alignment is off. Sad, because I was hoping to find a practice sword with a functional bohi to help correct my swings. The quest continues...Overall, an excellent bargain for a poly bokken set that you can use for serious practice and some light contact drills. If you're looking for a decent alternative to Cold Steel's overbalanced monstrosity this is a good pick.

Husband and I have two katanas about the same size as these. They work great for us to use as practice.