Many good ideas. For the build up though use the ideas that Granifar gave.
Cars work for heating the blade but are unpredictable.
Unless you made a frame. I once saw a scimitar, but it was mainly straight. I've built some Katanas and Nodachis that are just straight. I'd love ti figure out how to curve the cores for them. There are essentially two ways I have found that work for making weapons with curvature.