Aluminium sticks

Hi,

I'm just asking about aluminium sticks as I'm curious.

I know they were banned because of the injuries they caused when they broke, but that's about it, as they were way before my time and I've never seen one.
What were they like the play with? Any advantages, and what are they like compared to modern composite sticks we have today? With modern technology would it be possible to improve them and make them safe to play with, or were you glad to see the back of them?