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					Originally Posted by Jim McDougall
					
				 
				 
I still wonder what pragmatic reason might explain these unusually large pommel arrangements. 
			
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 A HEMA practitioner will probably be able to give a better explanation, but the yataghan is a weapon optimized for chopping, and not for stabbing, with the point rarely used. Therefore, no guard is necessary, but a larger pommel assists with maintaining control over the grip and drawing back the weapon after a strike.