Finding some fragments that can be reused, with work. It's rather like forging Anduril from the shards of Narsil. You get something similar but totally new.LOL!--nice application of Tolkien to purposes of analogy :) BTW, this gives me an image of a Japanese smith forging a sword--that could be a scene in the story, too, describing the forging of the sword in Meiji times and what was done with the sword then, either as a prequel or as a flashback.
This reminds me, there is a writer named, I believe, Eric Van Lustbader who writes thrillers based on Ninjas and stuff. Ever read him?
I've heard of the guy but never read him.
Hmm, you know, I really have very little idea of how forging a sword works. Maybe I shall do some research. At least it would be a good excuse to use cool words in my story. But 'sakabatou' is not the right sort of sword, I shall make do with katanas or something.
('sakabatou' would be a sword with a blade on the side you don't hit with)