The Spline modeler would be the way to go on this for a first model. There should be a model of a sword on the content disk that came with RDS (it's in Models, Weapons). Open it with RDS, select it, ungroup the parts then double-click on each part to "jump into" the spline model room. There you will see the cross sections that were made for it and see what kind of "envelope" was used to extrude the shapes. Read the manual first on spline modeleing room to learn the terminology. Other then that, I don't recall any tuts devoted to swords.