Guards on using knives have almost always been simple; flat cross-section, rounded ends that may have a bit of forward or back bend, no bigger than necessary. And many did not have a guard at all.
Grips were bone, wood or antler, either riveted to a flat tang, or with a hole bored or burned through to fit a narrow tang.
Many did not have a pommel, a piece that fits onto the back of the grip. Those that did, again they were generally simple, a round or flat piece the end of the tang fit into.
As you moved up the economic scale, of course, things got fancier. Guards of much more elaborate design and materials- bronze and brass and silver and gold instead of iron and copper- with carved or wire-wrapped grips, pommels of many different designs.
I've always liked antler and wood best. Antler has a texture just as it is, you just have to find a piece that fits the piece you're making. A good piece of many woods have a grain that can be breathtaking, though some are so soft they may not hold up well(cedar, for instance). I've never used ivory; too expensive. Horn can be lovely stuff. Hard, pretty much weatherproof, it can be carved and inlaid and polished.
Note about horn: when polished, glues don't hold very well. Not even epoxy. You have to rough up the glueing surfaces if you want it to hold.
I'm going to figure out how to post pictures on this, will have some examples then.
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