Many believe the balance point should be around the guard while, for swords, from the guard to 10 inches max. A hand-rubbed finish should be a continuous set of lines with no fuzzy brush marks. Machine satin-finish should be consistent over the entire surface. In no case should you be able to see grind marks underneath the finish. Perhaps I can explain this a little.
Many people see a knife-maker as just a guy who makes knives.
I found a book which left an indelible impression on me and let me succeed in learning to draw. With a well-designed knife these two aspects work in harmony to form the overall view of the knife. With some knives a technique I like to use is to hold the knife upside down. If this is true then the design has been well thought out and well executed. Check the blade grind thickness from side to side.