Following on from Alan's comments you would also have to wonder whether the new owner of a keris would have tried a variety of handles to find the one best suited his hand. If you look at competitive fencers although the grips on their foils all look pretty similar, at the elite level they all vary subtly to suit the owners hands. As the keris became a less 'functional' tool this need for ideal grip would become less important and probably more stylised. I have no information to back any of this up and am just speculating on the 'form follows function' concept.
cheers
drd
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