Have you ground in your bevels? I like to take mine to almost finished (about the thickness of a dime) to 220 grit then heat treat. Also any file work should be done now. If you plan on doing a mirror finish this is something you don't need to do before HT.
Make sure to chamfer the holes in the handles. Use the next biggest size drill bit and gently break the shape corners of the drilled holes on each side. It will make it easier to get your pin material through the tang and also prevent any stress points from the drilled holes.