Arrived and I like it very much, in fact I challenge any member to come up with another.  It is quite old with worm holes and worn dryish leather .  I have some very good leather cream which I have now applied, it does not darken the leather.  As suspected the distal end is weighted with iron rings also some iron ring at the butt end.  Perhaps I am sane after all
 
Looks like the slave caste had to do the nasty face to face fighting.