P is for Pommel
French for little apple. It is the metal fixture that locks together the different parts of the weapon and acts as a counterbalance to the blade. It also means to strike, beat, bash, hit with the pommel.
If you want to see how well-balanced a weapon is try to find the place you can rest the weapon on two extended fingers. It should balance a little past the hilt and the ricasso (the part of the blade just past the hilt that is not sharp and begins the forte). A well-balanced sword will swing easily and be controlled easily. It will feel right, not tip-heavy.
Pommels can be plain or ornate, or somewhere in-between – just like your characters.
Lunievicz 
Nice. So pommel can mean the same as pummel, when it’s a verb? Interesting.
April 18, 2013 at 12:21 pm
Yup. News to me also. Pummel has one meaning pommel two. Weird but I’m going with it. In airport right now in Arkansas . Will be stuck on DC overnight due to weather. Will have to do Q late!
April 18, 2013 at 5:33 pm