Thanks for the steel suggestions!
I'd acquired one of Bob Engnath's blades many years back and that is the one pictured. Been sitting in the corner of the shop waiting for me. A bit back I'd taken in an unknown maker's tanto blade with other knives on a trade. The hamon on that tanto is faint. Was going to get some practice polishing his blade out. Then was considering if that turns out well I'll look into those steels for a tanto type project and work up a bit. That will lead into polishing and building up Bob's blade.
No time line on this. The suspicion is that this may be a year long+ project.