For an under 10 dollar knife, these "assassin daggers" are 5-star. I bought 2 of them to go along with a renaissance-type costume, and they are perfect for it. But even though these are fantasy knives (ie, display knives), they still have a very real, factory-sharpened stainless steel blade. They are not razor sharp, but they are certainly sharp enough to cause real damage. Of course you can always hone the edges further, yourself, but you shouldn't need to because the real design of this type of dagger was for stabbing & thrusting. The point needed to be sharp, but it wasn't necessary for the edges to be razor sharp since they were meant to simply cause a hole that would cause profuse bleeding, rather than a slice or a cut.
The sheath is ABS black plastic (which is pretty rugged) with a starburst design, and ornate cast metal on both ends. It gives the little knife some weight. The dagger's V-shaped hand guard matches right up against the sheath top, which has a little chain attached, I guess to hook it onto your belt or something. But the chain is weak, I wouldn't really trust them for actual wear, so I replaced them with black cord in order to tie them to my belt securely. If you're just using the knife for display, the chain is better, visually. The blade stays snugly in the sheath because there's foam inside, which also prevents scratching the blade or having it rattling around. With cheaper fantasy knives, it seems that something is usually loose & rattling, but happily that is not the case with these. The blade is brushed stainless steel with a blood groove down the center on one side. The handles are made with the same ABS black plastic, with cast metal rings around it. On the pommel of the handle there is a punch-spike (to which I have customized further by attaching a tassel :). I couldn't tell you how far the blade tang goes into the handle but they seem awfully sturdy. If you attempt to use this dagger as a throwing knife, it will absolutely ruin it (they're not even designed or balanced for throwing) but aside from that even though they're display knives, they have the potential to be quite functional. Fortunately both sides of the dagger & sheath are the same, which is nice because sometimes with fantasy knives, only one side has all the designs on it.
Well that about covers it! For the price, 5 stars, you can't go wrong. They're cheap, made with lower-end materials, but they're not cheaply made...and I've seen my share of crappy fantasy knives. They are great on display & great for cosplay, and I imagine they would also be great for self-defense if ever the situation arises & you happen to have one of these strapped to your leg or something. They are sturdy enough that as long as you don't abuse them, they should hold together for quite some time.
| Brand | Ace Martial Arts Supply |
|---|---|
| Age Range (Description) | Adult |
| Handle Material | Stainless,Metal,Steel |
| Color | black, silver |
| Blade Material | Stainless Steel |
| Style | Japanese |
| Blade Length | 11 Inches |
| Product Care Instructions | Hand Wash Only |
| Hand Orientation | Ambidextrous |
| Item Weight | 9.13 Ounces |
| Blade Shape | Spear Point |
| Blade Edge | Compound Bevel |
| Item Length | 11 Inches |
| Item Package Dimensions L x W x H | 11.89 x 3.7 x 1.14 inches |
| Package Weight | 0.26 Kilograms |
| Brand Name | Ace Martial Arts Supply |
| Manufacturer | Ace Martial Arts Supply |
| Part Number | MC-RG6002 |
| Size | 11" |
