Advice on Custom "Pick" for "Acoustic Guitar"
 

Ok ok ... by pick I really mean "plectrum" and by acoustic guitar I really mean "shamisen." Frankly, I've had received so much help from this forum when I was learning guitar setup (on my steel string, American guitars made by Taylor and Martin lol) that I was hoping to get advice on another stringed instrument. Add to this my impression that shamisen is a dying instrument, it is extremely difficult to get parts for it other than directly from Japan - assuming they even ship to the U.S. or that the material isn't banned by CITES.

I want to make this plectrum or "bachi" ...

http://i.imgur.com/O4JZkY3.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/HZGhDzB.jpg

It is called a "plectrum" and is the strumming instrument used to play shamisen - you do not use fingers at all. They were traditionally made with tortoise shell but I'd like to make one with faux shell the same used to make guitar picks.

My primary question is tips on how to sand down the acrylic sheet of faux shell to get it coming down evenly to a tip? I was planning on just carefully and slowly sanding my hand.

My next question would be how to affix it to the wood handle (I plan to use koa since it is a heavier wood and want to keep the weight). Actually try to split the acrylic sheet (I found one that's 8mm thick)? Or glue them together then sand it all down once the wood handle is wedged between them? I have seen others simply drill a hole into the acrylic sheet and bolt it to a wood handle. I'd like to avoid using bolts or screws if at all possible.

Any advice greatly appreciated!!