hey neoarcadia,
Nice model! your mesh seems at bit dense, esp. around the handle, but then, you might want to go really close
About selecting, I'm not sure exactly want you mean but one way to go about it, is the turn on full backface culling under mesh component display in your attribute editor - I hope that was what you needed!
Jeppe
Jeppe Nygaard Christensen
Ghost aps, Denmark
https://www.ghost.dk