This sword blade looks nice. You can see your reflection on it, but it is a little stiff. It weighs 3 lbs 3.75 oz (560 g) without the tassle and its balance point is about 4.5 inches (11.4 cm) from where the handle connects to the blade (closer is better). My instructor tells me that this is more suited for decoration than for tai chi competition. You should ask your instructor before buying this sword. The scabbard is made of plastic and the handle is made of rubber. The yin yang symbol on the handle was not glued on clean, but from a distance, it looks good.