Japanese Round Sai

I am not a Sai expert nor a master of any martial art. Yet I felt compelled to review this product. I am but a simple repair man that works with metal on a daily basis. The Sai is a beautiful tool. You do not need to be a master to appreciate the way this tool dances in your hand. Blunt side outward then inward, point side outward then inward. This tool has danced in better hands than ours for centuries. Many people prefer their Sais old school with the bare metal handle. Exposed handles exposes poor workmanship. I’ve included a picture of this Sai ($49.99) and a cheaper Sai ($28.95) from another seller. Two points of interest in this picture. The welding job at the base of these Sais are self-explanatory as is the welding at the arms of these Sais. Spend the extra $20 bucks and get this one.

Nice balance and construction. Wrapping started coming off immediately. Still using them.

This chrome sai is as pictured, beautiful and identical to the photo. The black sai we recieved was plain black with plain black handle, not like the photo. We got size 15" in both and they are excellent, my daughter uses them daily in karate class and the chrome seems to be holding up well. The black sai handle tape is already breaking off. Overall the product is good, but would be better if the photo was the actual product or the description stated it was not.

Immediate thought was "wow". After further inspecting the weapons, there are small indentations where the yoku and handle meet which could become a large crack later on. ***I know another review talks about the welding and craftsmanship, but there are still flaws.*** The measurements are spot on. The balance is off slightly and there is less weight toward the handle. The leather wrap is really nice and I don't see that coming off anytime soon. If you hit both Sai together they hold the same pitch so I liked that. These are very heavy, so training with them is a good choice. Overall, they are ok. The only concern to me is how may times you can afford to drop them on a hard surface before the yoku cracks from those craftsmanship indentations (where it was forged to the handle). If you have a matted surface to practice on, then these are worth it.

Very nice weight, balance, look and feel. But, unfortunately, they share the attribute that cheaper sai all seem to have. The wrapping around the handle comes loose, tin this case after maybe three training sessions! I bought these specifically in trying to find a decent pair of sai that WOULDN'T do that! Guess I'll have to bite the bullet and spring for the $250 Shureido sai!

Very nice finish, weight, and having a unique style of being completed round with no edges... very nice.

Excellent product. I use them almost daily for instructional purposes..

So far so good. The the tape job on the handles seems to be holding and still looks nice after 5 or so weeks.