The flashy look is the most dependable feature of this Samurai Sword from Trademark Global, but you could get a sword good enough for light cutting. This forged and handmade katana would be a safer bet on display.
This imported sword with an unknown history holds many of the possibilities and dangers bargain hunters love. A hand-forged blade of carbon steel -- not stainless steel -- could mean a few hours of honing would turn this into a razor-sharp sword good enough for the usual practice targets in the back yard. Carbon steel has many grades and without a solid reputation behind it, only a test will tell. Individual blades vary considerably if standards aren't firmly set, and a sword could be handmade by a master smith or by someone who wishes they had a different job.
Details of the sword would place it more comfortably in the display category. The stylish but breakable tsuba is an odd mixture of zinc and aluminum and not very strong. The cover of the hardwood handle laid over the full tang is imitation fish skin, according to Trademark Global -- I'd give the maker the benefit of the doubt and call it imitation ray skin, to be fair. The orange lacquer of the hardwood scabbard is definitely an attention-getter, and the sword would fit easily into a collection of fantasy katana built to represent video game weapons.
The real draw here, however, is still the carbon steel and the possibility that it may have been done right. An owner who decides to find out will be either very happy or terribly disappointed.
If you're interested in a more trustworthy katana with real cutting ability, see the Practical Pro Functional Katana from Hanwei Forge.
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