Alan, I understand well all you have written here, agree, and wouldn't argue with anything.
Regarding possibility or impossibility of higher number Luk on pre-Sultan Agung time Keris, let's say pre-1600 - I am custodian of a Megantoro "type" blade with 19 Luk. It did come with Malay Pendokok and hilt. With Megantoro "type" I mean blade has a central field, which has a central ridge at its lower part, and this field terminates in a central ridge. It has the typical Megantoro "Kembang Kacang". In the central field and Sorsoran it has remnants of prepared base for flat koftgari style Kinatah. The style of ornamentation, even for a Sumatran blade, could be early 1600 or likely before that.
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