After reading some of the reviews, I was a little skeptical about the quality and completeness of the sword and its accessories, but having just received it I can say that this item is an unbelievable deal.The hand-guard was beginning to punch thru the inner packing carton, but the outer shipping carton kept it well protected. It came with all the advertised pieces and the blade was well oiled. The craftsmanship is of very good quality, but I cannot rank it as excellent as one of the ornamental metal decorations on the sheath was loose... possibly due to being rattled around during shipping. However, although I cannot claim to be an expert in blades, this sword is amazingly comfortable and well balanced -- so well balanced that it feels like it is an extension of your arm!I must also agree with all the posts regarding its value, as it very well could have been sold for two- to three-hundred dollars to the average Joe. I received a 2-piece tourist-friendly sword set from a friend when he visited Japan and he paid over $100 US dollars for the set -- for swords that would have no functionality whatsoever besides being decorative.