Well, I finally quit talking and started forging. I had an old screw from a car that I forged the blade out of. It's not a cutlass but more like a backup weapon. The blade is 27 inches in length by 3/4 wide and just shy of 1/4 thick. It's a strait blade. I started on the profile after I annealed it. Still have a good bit to go there. I also forged a mild steel shell that will support a basket style guard. I think it must be a pretty high carbon blade. I forged a handle stub, quenched it, turned it around, heated the other side up, hit it, and the handle broke off.
No crack, it just broke at the first hit. Anyway I'll weld a bolt on for the handle.