IMHO, and based on the well-documented analysis of Caucasian sabers and kindjals, the greatest advantage of the oval vs, round handle was the stability of the former. The oval ones did not turn in the ( sweaty) hand with strong chopping/cutting hits. Also, the uniformity of the "round" handle did not allow for a stably- precise grip: as a result, the cut might have been executed not with the edge, but slightly off, with devastating results for the owner.
Hope I explained it well :-(
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