about the ivory carving, I can do it, if you can provide the original and piece of ivory, it's totally in my abilities.
I carved the boxwood one when I was a teenage, using a simple paper cutter and some sand paper, it was at this time I started polishing swords and making japanese parts for my pleasure, then I get a job in cutlery, removing all the passion for bladed weapons, I left on 2004, and made other jobs, but if makes four years now since I get interest in prop replicas, and of course, the interest for japanese blades and for highlander came back, the reason why I get in the cutlery domain....
Just came back from the museum in my town (thiers, french cutlery city), there was a japanese sword exhibition, with some good things, it gave me a good feeling, becuse I could see some polishing and judge my actual level, not so good, but not so bad, far better than chinese 1095 finish, far lower than the good japanese level costing hundred dollar per inch...now I just have to continue, and increase the level.
I ordered a custom folded steel blade with straight hamon for my personnal kill bill sword project, re-shaped it entirely for better design and balance, polished one side to 1200 grit and starting other side to 2000 grit to make the horimono, and I started the horimono, I will continue it tomorrow.
I have 2 extra 1095 blades with wavy hamon, would be good for a highlander sword project, so I just need to make habaki(simulating marto shape but without the logo), saya, fuchi-"what-looks-like a-kashira-ring"handle and dragon head, and the tsuba of course.