Sorry, being a bit late to the party!
Looking from a distance, you may classify a car as a SUV. Manufacturer, model, age, etc. will make quite a difference for someone interested in cars though.
Bornean swords can be quite a challenge: Subtle details can make quite a difference! And examples in text books are not rarely misattributed. IMHO, it's important trying to place them into a multidimensional space not only including ethnic (sub)group, blade type, hilt style, etc. but also considering historic timelines and estimated age when classifying any specific piece. There are oddballs and cross-over pieces, too.
Regards,
Kai
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