Neolithic jade axes in Britain and Ireland

There are some remarkable jade (or jadeite/jadeitite/nephrite) axes in Britian and Ireland. They hail from the European Alps. Although not all of them are very much to look at, other specimens are generally considered to represent some of the most beautiful axes, partly because of their colour, and partly because of their gracile form. The axe here, from the Erris Peninsula in Ireland is a superb example.

Given their fine workmanship, they are considered to be status symbols - tools never intended to be used. Yet some of them are clearly reworked specimens, and according to Petrequin they actually work extremely well as wood-cutting axes. The fact that ground stone axes were renovated and could be repolished means it is impossible to state categorially they were not used. A valuable tool might be kept in pristine condition by a proud owner, and if they represent the finest material available at the time (and therefore a very valuable commodity), is it not more likely that they might indeed be carefully tended?

I was gifted a large piece of jade from a supplier and hope to make a jade axe this next year. Despite my most vigorous attempts to quarter it, the jade blank remains entirely resilient and cutting/grinding is going to be the only way to shape it I suspect. None of the other materials, robust as some of them have been, has been quite so intractable!