Red Dragon HEMA Synthetic Single Hand Blades are manufactured from their own special blend of plastic to provide strong and flexible sparring blade. They are designed to flex along the last 1/3 of their length towards the tip allowing for much safer thrusting than with conventional wooden wasters or shinai. The blade/tang joint (traditionally a weak point) is reinforced by a high tensile steel rod running along the full length of the handle. This also removes any flex in the handle traditionally associated with plastic training swords. The edges are left smooth to prevent friction burns but can be roughened with sandpaper for a better bind. Designed and Manufactured in the U.K.