OK, I'm running a poll. What pommel do you like?
If other, please speicify in a post.

I like them all (well most at least). in the proper historical context, they all look ......properly :) I have no particular thing for any specific type. I can say that some types are under-represented (spherical type S; good there is the Tritonia out there) while other are vastly over-represented on the modern market , or at least highly demanded (scent-stoppers). My personal pet-peeve: the obsession with scent-stopper pommels. :eek:

Alexi

:D Have you seen those 2 handed viking style swords :cool:
Now i just waiting for to see a viking style rapier to :eek:

I won't be very original in my answer and I would say the same than Alexi, but I prefer wheel pommels, especially those you can personalize (gem or coin incrustation, etc.).

David

Scent-stoppers make it harder to align the edge properly, like Peter already mentioned elsewhere.
Gotta admit they look very nice though.
I prefer disc/wheel pommels or possibly (haven't tried it, yet) something like the Albion Sempach has.

Since Scottish baskethilts are my thing I'd have to go with the conical shaped Type IV (Mazansky).

These scans & photo show the type, as recreated by the great Vince Evans ! Mac

I'm going to put myself in Alexi's court... like almost all of them, in the proper context. My personal favorite aesthetically is a well-executed disc (ref: Knight, Landgraf, Count, Squire). As Anton points out, they do aid in edge alignment once you develop some skill and practice.

Mac- most excellent pieces! Absolutely stunning!

Is there any doubt?

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Gotta agree with Alexi on the scent stopper issue. :D

I'm going to go ahead and throw in a vote for the Vikings, although I think any balanced, well-executed pommel is a beautiful thing to behold. I guess I'm in Alexi's camp too. So far, the blued damascus steel pommel on Hanwei's Godfred is probably my favorite (reproduction) Viking example, historical inaccuracy notwithstanding.

The disk pommel on the Landgraf is probably my favorite of that type, although I don't usually care for engraving. The Svante has my favorite scent-stopper. I love that mace head look. But the simpler lines on, say, the Constable can be easy on the eyes as well.

Like Alexi, I have to point out that it all goes back to that thing we must all understand about any specific subject relating to arms and armour: context. To this question, I'd ask back, "on what?" My favorite pommel? On what type of sword? Scent-stopper pommels are completely wrong on some swords. Wheel pommels would never, ever be found on other swords. It all depends on what you're talking about. These open-ended and overly simplified questions really lead people in the wrong direction and don't help anyone understand the subject of swords.

Purely aesthetically without a sword attached, which is I guess what you're asking about here because it can't be anything else, I'd answer that my favorite is an Oakeshott Type V or a facetted, hollow-ground Type T2. Then again, a nice crisp J or K is pretty sweet, too. Then again, on a schiavona, a Type Z cat's head is the only way to go. Or hey, for other basket-hilts like Mac points out, a conical shape of many varieties... or a pyramidal shape as found on those sweet Continental examples.. or, for a Viking sword, none of those can apply. Oh man, then there's pre-Viking swords and it's a whole other slew of answers. And then, man, the variety seen on rapiers could occupy an entire volume of work (and has, see Norman'). See? It's much more complicated than simply, "which pretty shape of metal is your favorite?"
.

I had to go with the scent stopper. It's almost an extension of the grip. It was a tough choice between that and almond style. I love long pommels or any one that is comfortable. Personally, the viking bar pommel drives me crazy, if you tip the blade down the pommel bumps right into your arm. :eek: wheel pommels are nice too. :D

Thats what I like about collecting: Variety.

There are pros and cons to all hilt types IMHO, but I just can't have a bunch of swords that look the same...

As for why I might dislike wheel styles... overdone, and plain. As for why I might like them: just look at the discerner by Albion...
The same gos for viking styles: I dislike the way they tend to "bite" into my grip, but the engravings are beautiful.
I guess it just depends on the sword.... AND the person.

Edit: Spelling owns me.... :cool:

Fishtail style pommels like on the Albion Regent, and the A&A Lord of Milan are probably my favorite. I used to really like scent stoppers, but I agree they are over represented these days.

but in the spirit of the posted question I'll note that I like the scent stopper or wheel/disc for handling (add an ovalized or faceted grip and edge alignment is not an issue) and I prefer a fish tail on general aesthetics.

In the period where they are appropriate.

Call me indecisive I guess. :D

About ths whole scent stoppers over represented thing, are we talking demand for them, swords that are on the drawing board, or actual production swords available? IMO there are not THAT many of them out there (yet). I 'm leaving myself open here because I did not go and check any vendor pages to see what was available before I posted this, so maybe there are too many of them.

I just know I like scent stoppers (faceted) but I currently have exactly one fishtail and one disc pommel in my collection. AND out of 12-15 swords that have passed through my possession over the years, only one had a scent stopper. So subjectively (to me) they don't see that overdone, but perhaps I'm not paying enough attention. :wtf:

I like all well executed historically accurate pommels that help fulfill the purpose of the sword in question.
Right now, however, I really like brazil nut pommels which I believe are under-represented in the reproduction market reletive to swords of the late viking high medieval period. It seems that many would perfer a simple disk, type J or K type.
Jeremy

My favorite is the V2. There are none of this type on currently produced swords - the one closest to the V2 is the one on the Albion Castellan. You typically see this pommel on XV's and XVa's.

I also like the T (?) pommel like the one that you see on Del Tin's DT5144, the so called Shrewsbury Sword.

Recessed J's and K's (the ones you can inset a coin or medallion into) are cool too.

And don't forget the brazil nut pommels, like the one on the St. Maurice of Turin sword..

And...and...

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DT5144 (photo from Albion)

Actually the one on the right is one of my personal faves...................

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..............but to be absolutely correct it has an upper gaurd and a pommel "cap".