My own personal experience with it is that it is indeed flexible. I can snap a 1/4 inch scale with finger pressure. Meaningless when it's attached to a tang. I've smacked some hard with a hammer and yeah it did crack aabut so would a lot of materials we use. It's very easy to grind; Reminds me of the alternate ivory and polyester pearl I've tried. Seems to be sturdy enough for everyday use, but it's not something I'd use on a survival/combat style knife; at least not the scales. Haven't tried the blocks.