Nice blade. An extended handle is something I have been tossing around for awhile now. I would want the balance to be ~neutral for a front grip, to allow light brush clearning with low fatigue as well as normal cutting. You drop back to the rear of the handle to radically up the power as well as increase the reach. Angle the back of the handle down slightly, exactly as you have for optimal wrist alignment on heavy work.
-Cliff