Type of weapon does seem to be something of a factor; witness the contest between Gimli and Legolas at Helm's Deep. Legolas got a lead when he was able to use a distance weapon, a bow, but the gap closed when it came down to hand-to-hand in a melee situation. Dwarves (to me) have always seemed like the sort who would be good in brawls, in close-quarter situations where height and reach aren't necessarily able to be used to their best advantage. Dwarves do seem to favor weapons that would be most useful under those circumstances.
And I would also consider the source. These tales of valor are being written from the point of view of Elves or Men, or even hobbits. We never really get to hear a tale told from the Dwarven point of view. I'm willing to bet they'd sound considerably different!
