I think you need to be cautious and open minded at the same time (within certain limits of course).
For example, I am disturbed by your skepticism about schlissel challah. I’ve heard from what I consider a reliable source that it’s an ancient minhag, from well before it was ever recorded in a sefer.
I don’t like to dismiss (e.g. call silly) anything which a large segment of klal Yisroel, including gedolim beyond our comprehension, do.