There's many articles out there on these CAS Chinese pieces. They're pretty good. The Phil Harsfield are chisel-ground edges, which isn't good if you're studying a true Japanese sword combative system...it "twists" the cuts, breaks up the "flow".
Supposedly the late Bob Engnath was doing blades in 1084 that were better than the Shinto. You'd pay around $9(US) an inch but you'd have to polish, sharpen and mount. Bob used to have a business relationship with Bugei trading (http://www.bugei.com) who would mount up his raw blades. They've gone to different makers but are still supposedly shipping a damn fine product; one cool thing is their grips are available in a variety of lengths up to "really monster". That's one reason they're REAL popular among the Bujinkan crowd, we train in sword styles that use the long "battlefield grade" grips versus the later "short dueling style" like the Shinto and all of the low-end cheap stuff uses. Good Bugei stuff starts at around $900 totally finished.
(Note: the Bugei site is annoying to navigate, link buttons aren't obvious. If you want a GOOD Japanese-pattern piece it's worth the effort.)
Your other option is custom. I had Alan Folts grind me up a custom 24" blade to my specs, whole thing came out at $315 with Titanium Tsuba and an Ernie Mayer heat treat. I went with ATS34 as a "functional experiment in maximum stainless" but I'm sure Alan could work in 1084, 1095 or 5160; of the three I suspect 5160 would be better. Somebody who REALLY knows what they're doing (like Alan Folts) should be consulted on steel choices; he might also be able to do a tool steel like A2 or 01. Alan's willingness to do a "you finish it" piece could keep your total price down into the sub-$500 range and you'll get a tougher, better bit of steel...he's one of the best makers I've ever heard of who's willing to do "unfinished" pieces in the Engnath tradition.
SPECULATION: 1084 may have been chosen by the late Mr. Engnath because it'll take a nice hamon; 5160 may have better spring properties and can also take a differencial temper but it doesn't reveal a nice hamon. Personally, I don't give a flip about fancy temper lines, I just want *good* steel.
See also the older post I did in this forum on the Folts ATS34 sword project.
Jim March