IT WILL NOT HURT TO REMOVE THE HANDLE AND ETCH THE BLADE. THAT WILL ALLOW YOU TO BETTER ACESS WHAT YOU HAVE AND ACT ON ALL THE SUGGESTIONS ABOVE. I WOULD CONSIDER THIS A CUSTOM PIECE NOT A FANTASY PIECE SOMEONE FOR WHATEVER REASON PUT THIS TOGETHER LIKE IT IS AND I SERIOUSLY DOUBT THERE IS MORE THAN ONE LIKE IT.
YOU HAVE PICTURES AS IT NOW IS AND YOU AN KEEP THE HANDLE IF YOU DECIDE TO MAKE A NEW TRADITIONAL ONE FOR IT. THEN IN CASE YOU SEE AN OLD PICTURE IN THE FUTURE OF SOME FAMOUS PERSON WEARING THIS SWORD YOU WILL STILL HAVE THE PARTS AND PICTURES FOR PROVENANCE.
I AGREE IT WOULD LOOK MUCH BETTER FULLY RESTORED IN TRADITIONAL MORO FITTINGS IF YOU ARE WILLING TO SPEND THE MONEY AND FIND THE PERSON TO DO THE WORK.
AS BEFORE NO PRESSURE ITS YOUR BABY AND YOU CAN DO WHAT YOU FEEL BEST. WE LOOK FORWARD TO PICTURES OF A NICE PATTERNED BLADE AFTER THE ETCH.
