Here's a custom sword we did for a customer who provided specs for an early kilij. It's a pretty interesting sword with a lot of aspects of later kilij like the prominent yelman and the crossguard while still retaining some of the more common features of earlier horseback sabers.
Definetely turn out some beautiful blades...this one looks like it would be a ferocious cutter-love to try it on some tatami mats. I like the Middle Eastern notes in the cross guard and the hilt is gorgeous.
Depends. Sometimes there's a bit of difficulty involved, since you need to do it the old clay and quench way for differentially hardened swords like katana, which is harder still.
This is nice work by the way. Your making functional sculptures
But really, in my eyes everything with a blade on it has its merits ... ^^