Hello, again, Teodor.
Pommel in question could be used for smashing various things, no doubt about that

. What interests me is the shape and its possible link to a certain place or period.
”Balkan” is indeed a vague term sometimes - I can only think that Romania is rather ”Balkan-influenced”, to a certain extent, than a real Balkan country (it is, of course, a Carpathian one, and the Carpathian Arch is full of surprises as well).
I noticed your interest and knowledge towards Balkan blades and I wonder - is there any study on this topic you could recommend? I do not seem to find much online resources about the non-military weapons of the area, so I would gladly appreciate any hints.
thanks,
Sașa-Liviu
p.s.
As for the cleaning...well, there is a strong patina on the blade - I only removed the new/red rust and oiled the surface. I guess that would be enough for now.