David, I do agree with just about all of your comments in respect of the published writings on the keris, but I cannot agree when you say all that :-
"--- all reading on things keris are best taken with a few grains of salt ---".
I do not challenge the few grains of salt, in fact I reckon we could use a whole salt cellar and still come up short when we consider some of the writings on the keris, and that is not only recent writings, and not only writings in English.
However, some writing on the keris must be taken seriously. One of the works which must be taken seriously is the Solyoms' publication. This is the reason I repeatedly recommend it to anybody who asks. Yes, its scope is limited, but it is about as good as any publication on the physical aspects of the keris can ever be.
May I suggest that rather than "all reading", we might be able to consider that "most reading" more accurately reflects the situation in respect of published writing on the keris?
Your comments on gaining an understanding of the cultural background to the keris, I endorse wholeheartedly.
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