I have plans down the line specifically traditional katana, for iaido, been wanting a nice shinken with a traditional white hamon polish, i was either gonna change my current blade polish but since it was possibly pricey, i was also debating on whether to go that route or just buy a new shinken, been searching around online its super hard to import a nihonto so i might try to find a custom one with a juka-choji or midare/gumone-choji type hamon with nie in it, doesnt have to be tamahagane or anything as long as its durable and has the end result im searching for, just like custom 1911s, i seen a picture of a shinken with a hamon(temper pattern) that resembles fire, im just searching around till i find the right one, i have specs if anyone can build the blade with the choji hamon or give me a rough estimate on cost, if you know any smiths send me a link

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The folks in the local Japanese Sword Society might be able to give you some advice.  They usually have a table at the gun show.  The next show is March 19-20.

The folks in the local Japanese Sword Society might be able to give you some advice.  They usually have a table at the gun show.  The next show is March 19-20.

You might be able to call or email them. I know there are forums that people talk about Japanese swords on. Maybe one place you could try is bladeforums.com. I go there a lot.
 I don't know who makes custom ones but I am sure there are ones in America who will make them. I make knives but I don't make swords so I can't help you there.
There is a company from China or Taiwan that makes a lot of swords in good quality better than cold steel. For Japanese swords they have a few different series, ones that are more maybe $2,000 that have more ornate work and detail in them. I can't remember remember the name right now but I will try to see if I can find it. I think it was called hanwei.

I have two Hanwei katana, but topic creator sounds like he is looking for something a class up, which would fit in with what Lihikai suggested. I look at their swords each time I go to the gun show, but haven't bought anything from them.

You might also want to check out the Plaza Cutlery show at Waikiki that happens once a year.  A lot of expert knife makers there who might know a thing or two.

Here was a link about last year's show.
http://2ahawaii.com/index.php?topic=18881

You might also want to check out the Plaza Cutlery show at Waikiki that happens once a year.  A lot of expert knife makers there who might know a thing or two.

Here was a link about last year's show.
http://2ahawaii.com/index.php?topic=18881

I think it is every 2 years. I went this past year but didnt see anyine selling swords.

hanwei is great for battodo tameshigiri(test cutting tatami mats) as well, in terms of class up, aside from custom koshirae fittings, it would just be aesthetics and build mainly for iai practice, a solid build is always solid, even modern crafted steel is better than the steel they used back then in japan, even though fittings arent that great, at the price of some hanweis or even thaitsukis and kaneie i feel like itd be better to custom one from the ground up, currently the best value blade you can get imho would be a ronin elite, in the same price range with other higher end modern forged katanas, everything is handbuilt, they use a famous shoshu kitae (7-panel layer fold) lamination technique created by the famous masamune, i wanted another blade built to these specs with a so-hi(double fuller) and shinogi-zukuri (curve), chu-kissaki (tip), most blades out there use a simple hon-sanmai fold or just single steel thats folded and differentally hardened, cold steel is good for non practitioners though