I can't remember ever hearing of hand-gisarmes in any place other than Howard Pyle's book Men of Iron. It's described as a weapon with sword-like blade one palm wide, eight palms long, and riveted to a shaft of wood three feet long. I've searched the Internet and found no pictures or even just a random mention of the weapon. What is it??

Search for the term "Guisarme". http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guisarme
1 palm means 3 cm or 9,6 cm: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alte_Ma%C3%9Fe_u...erlande%29

Rem.: 1 inch means 2,54 cm.

Probably something similar to the weapons depicted in the thread "Medieval Falx?".

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If the description was earlier I'd say try looking at a Dacian falx.But in the middle ages you could be looking at a fauchard or similar type of weapon.There are large chopping weapons of this type in the 'Mac" bible and in other illuminations from the middle ages, inc. Matthew Paris's(?) Goliath.
Ron

In this case also the search for "Glaive" could be usefull, although this term is not direct mentioned.

Couldn't it simply be a fictional weapon?