Good sharp cutting katana for around $50?

You get what you pay for and you're going to get display junk.

The problem with those cheap swords available on Amazon is there is little quality assurance. So you may get something that meets your needs, or one of the defective ones.

You can probably find a sharp blade, but it won't hold an edge for long (Due to the quality of the metal)

Sturdiness and balance aren't often the forgers intention as they mass produce the blades.

My advice is to save up a little bit more and buy a quality entrance level cutting piece.

Hanwei is known for making good blades, and have quality assurance. Their popularity means they are widely stocked, so if you can find a store that sells them near you, you should be able to order one in that suits your specifications.

You can often find them online too on the auction sites, the down side is getting a defective one and not being able to return or deny purchase.

This is the, "Practical Katana", and is one I recommend for its price.

http://www.cashanwei.com/product/practical-katana/...

Price will vary depending on the sellers outside Hanwei, but the lowest will be around $300

I often buy one of these for practice to save wearing down the edge of my good blades, they can take a lot of heavy cutting over time.

Objects like boxes don't make good cutting material since most are designed to withstand impact (Polystyrene is no good either)

Fruits and other plant materials can be fun, but the juices and liquids contained within can have extremely detrimental effects to the metal if not removed through cleaning.

The most affordable cutting materials are plastic bottles/drums filled with water.

Just remember you will need to clean the blade after each session, and to never return the blade to its sheath until you have (to avoid liquid or debris getting inside)

Wipe it as dry as humanly possible, then apply a non scented low chemical baby powder or talcum powder to soak up the remaining water particles.

Remove all the powder and apply a sword safe oil (plenty around).

Do that and it will last you years

I suppose you would have to get what you can take for that money, swords are extremely difficult to make well at that range, even the 200-300$ range can be disappointing, but at fifty bucks what do you have to lose?

You can get one by bidding, I got one for $50 and it cuts through metal an inch thick. It is made of high grade steel. look for 1060 carbon, and handles that have Mekugi pins in them, that will ensure it is full tang and strong.