Aikuchi Tantou

A 3D mockup of a tantou (Japanese short-sword) I am making as a present for someone and an excuse to buy new tools and learn several new fabrication techniques.

I plan on eventually building a forge and making the blade in the traditional manner myself. Before I do so I was advised to make it in wood, then aluminium, then plate steel before attempting to forge it from scratch.

The blade part (including tang) tend to be 1 tsuba (about 30cm or 12") long and about 2.5cm 1" wide and 8mm 1/3" t