For a $20 pair of tonfas, these are perfect for practicing your technique; but not for sparring or combat. (as the warning label states) Why? When selecting a quality pair of tonfas, you look for straight grain and absence of knots in the wood. The wood will likely crack or split during sparring if it isn't. The grain on my pair are somewhat straight with a medium sized knot on one of them. I suggest sanding the varnish off the handles with 220 fine-grit sandpaper to ease with spinning. Again, use only for practice!