[Crex]

Just an alternate thought - go by the local thrift store and pick up a couple of old kitchen knives to practice on. Look for brand names if you can find them. Use the tools you have to cut and reshape to a style you like and get some practice in shaping and grinding bevels. These blades are already thermal cycled and if you are careful to not over heat you can get good results and a lot of practice in the process.

Being a bladesmith myself, I'd prefer the high carbon forgable steels as mentioned above because I enjoy the creative process it allows. Either way if you are looking to get "shiny" mirror finishes you will need to learn some serious mechanical and hand finishing techniques - without the proper equipment not as easy as it sounds. By the way, it's not the heat treating that makes them shiny (as indicated in OP) and almost all steels can be bought to mirror finish with hard work whether thermal cycled or not.

Jim, Doug and Ray have given a lot of very good advice so read carefully and pay attention, it's a learning experience.