RE: AXE BLADES
I not a big fan of plastic blades. They're heavier than comparable wood blades. Their weight in part adds to the heli's stability which is good, but this also adds mass to the rotorhead. That means more force on impact, and because plastic blades are generally pretty tough that force is transferred down the line to other components.
Everything is a compromise with helis. It's a never ending weight vs. durability issue.