Hey, first thing. don't save as .jpg since it destroys the pixel art.
I recommend .png
Tinypic may have changed it to jpg if you saved it as bmp
Anyway, i did do an edit but i accidentally closed photoshop before saving, so i'll just tell you what i did.
Find references,
As you can see from the top reference, the sword is divided into two sections which, show a 'twinning' relationship. (When one is dark, the other is light). By doing this, it gives more depth and makes the sword look more 3D. The second does the same, but i think for the size you're doing it at.. the first reference technique is better.
As for the samurai sword, one edge is very sharp. Show this by having a light shade (preferably white, or near it). The other side will be darker in colour due to the concave shape of the sword.
For the bat, it depends what you're aiming for.
A club, which is more natural, will appear less smooth.
If you're wanting to do a baseball bat, then there's also some good references.
Just remember you should always look for references. Be it via Google or pixeljoint (Though, pixeljoint is better for finding techniques used to show a certain texture, which you wouldn't be able to find out with a picture from google images).
Hope i helped.