Hey @glenalbrethsen,
It's still far from done.
The colour is a natural one - it's a plum wood, which I like very much.
The curve doesn't mess up the balance it actually helps to position the blade just right.
The thing is, you are used to seeing my chef knives, which have a totally different function than this one. This is a fighting/hunting knife where a firm grip is a must.

Take a look at how it looks now

See how the but is going from narrow to a big swell at the end, and how the curve flows kinda naturally from the guard - this will enable a super comfortable and secure grip.

As for how I decided, well it's one of the traditional handle profile for a Bowie - so I can't really take the credit - hopefully I did manage to put in a bit of my own personal touch ;)