Exactly, tiddle. I had settled on weighting a hard wood handle with lead if this marble handle idea doesn't pan out.

As for shaping the marble, my friend suggested sanding it down using progressively finer grit. Once I had the shape and detailing finished, he said he could take a buffer and polish it up for me. Suggested adding some sort of clear coat to keep it bright and clean longer.

Though, I will restate my concerns: I'm terribly afraid this will come out some lopsided monster. The fact I am fairly OCD doesn't lend optimism to a free-hand method...