While searching for images of Balinese actually holding drawn keris i came across this hilt which seems a different form from the cecekahan hilt but incorporates the same "accordian" notches.
I was not at all successful finding images of the grip on unsheathed Bali keris, other than dancers stabbing themselves in the Barong dance. Alan if you have some i would love to see them. I do concede that the "fencers" grip is not very practical, though i do have 3 small bondalan hilts where it is very comfortable to use. Most Bali hilts are too large though. My original point however was to point out that these 5 (or 6) straight notches at the back of the "head" have nothing to do with getting a better grip on the hilt regardless of how you hold it.
I must disagree that looking for theories is a useless exercise. Claiming any unproven theory as fact would indeed be misleading, but throwing around theories can help to stimulate the thought process and can sometimes lead us to unexpected realizations. If i don't know the answer to something i cannot see any benefit to not discussing the possibilities of it. IMO we are here to discuss keris, not necessarily to have or even find all the answers about them. Sometimes that journey can be more insightful than the destination itself. I see no waste of time in such discussions as long as the argument do not become circular in nature.
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