I suspect each has their own "order", but personally, when I forge a hidden tang, the blade is forged first, then the tang. I go just the opposite way when forging a full tang......tang first, then the blade. I tend to produce mostly hidden tang knives....mainly because I have both a press and air hammer, and I can produce hidden tang blades quicker, with less material then what a full tang requires. I also find it quicker and easier to rough/finish grind a hidden tang versus a full tang.