I am learning how to use Blender and this is the sum of my effort so far. Just wanted to get some critiques/advice. I want to say up front that my artistic skills are almost non exsistent. I am a programmer, not an artist but like to dabble. Anyway, some of the things I have thought about trying to add would be some deformations along the blade, runes, and jewels. Any suggestions are welcome. The model was done with Wings3d.

I must agree with Trap.. it looks more like a dagger but you can easily modify it if you got to this stage.
You should also pay attention to the textures you are using (fo example you could use some wrapped leather map for that handle).
Anyway, it's a great start!

Well, if it's a first effort, well done, that looks certainly better than a chrome sphere on water at sunset :)

I have to agree with the others that it _does_ look like a dagger, first because of the proportional length of the blade to the hilt, and also (but I feel this is more a matter of taste), because of the shape of the blade (it's very pointy, like one of those main-gauche, or coup-de-grace dagger/knives)
The blade itself looks a bit too round, as if you had extruded your blade from a circle, varying it's radius to get the large base and pointy head, then flattened it on its axis to get the thin look.
I get this feeling because of the smoothness of the chrome texture. Great metal textures, by the way !
I also wouldn't have the sides of the hilt so pointy, it's supposed to be a hilt, unless you plan to use the hilt ends as some sort of spikes ? :-P
Again, I get the feeling that you flattened two cones one against the other and compressed it on the blade's axis.

Anyway, it's a good start, I am just pointing out what I see, hopefully this gives you some help ?

I would second the suggestion to look at a photo (at least) of a real sword to help you. Not because you can't imagine swords, I am sure you can, but because it would give you something to focus on, a target if you will, so that you then try to discover the functionalities in the software you are using, that will allow you to get this result.
Because I have a feeling that you discovered one tool or two you felt comfy with, and just worked your designed around thow tools.

Remember, the tools are there to help you create, not to restrict and narrow your imagination ! (Of course as a programmer, I realise you are not used to that, but no worries, we all fall for it at some point)

Now let's see what you come up with :)

Thanks for the replies. After looking at it I guess the proportions do lend themselves more to a dagger. Was going for a short sword but I guess the blade should have been a bit longer. As for the shape of the blade I used a cube and resized it corner to corner. With a few extrusions I did a smooth on the blade. I guess it rounded it a bit too much. I'll see else I can come up with thanks to your critiques. Again thanks.

Ok, been a while but here is my second attempt. I think I got the proportions right this time for a sword. Critiques appreciated.

very well done!

definitely more sword-like.

Are you rendering that in Wings3D? If so, stop right now, the Wings3D renderer is borked.

Port it over to Blender, which now has a wonderful renderer, and built in Yafray support.

Oh yah, they both look good for a beginner by the way. Good job.

Ive never used blender, but while learning 3D Studio Max, Ill often set the background of one of my viewports to the image Im trying to reproduce. That helps ALOT in keeping proportion and stuff. You can move the model, so its directly over the image, and you can easily see what needs to be fixed.