Fernando, everything you put forward is supportable, and in a situation such as this, we could discuss forever without ever reaching an agreement.
Short sockets?--yes, I have some myself, and I've seen others, but where I have seen their occurrence it has not been in combination with a long blade. Think on this a moment:- if you have a long blade subjected to twisting or turning forces, or even if only subjected to a sideways force, you need a long socket, or a long tang to support the blade, if you do not have sufficient socket or tang for support you have something that will definitely fail in service. This is basic weapons engineering.You might get away with sub-standard design in a lance point, especially if it is a lance of a type not intended for repeat usage, but if we look at the flimsy overall design of this object, can we honestly say that we are looking at a lance point?
The same counter argument that I have used for a short socket, applies to a half socket, but more so. A short, half socket on a long, flimsy blade lacking edges?
Agreed, nothing wrong with iron for a weapon, or for a tool, in fact, some primitive societies prefer iron---or these days mild steel---to properly heat treated steel, for the simple reason that it can be sharpened on the job. But there is one problem with iron:- it cannot be heat treated and it bends easily. As a short thrusting point on a hunting spear, or lance, it will work as well as steel; as a cutting implement it will work well. provided there is a strong central rib or strong back, or blade depth to support the edge, As a long, narrow implement with flat faces and flat edges, it will buckle the first time it is subjected to any force.Again, basic weapons engineering.
On the subject of bizarre weapons, I can only agree. This could well have been some rural person's idea of exactly what was needed to guard the home hearth---I stress "could have been" ---it equally might not have been, but anything under the sun is possible.
As to what sort of tool I have no idea. My dibble-stick and grain gauge are just things that I could see myself using it for, yes, certainly dibble-sticks are normally round, but the same mind that conceived this as a weapon to put behind the kitchen door, might also have conceived of it as the ideal shape to plant pumpkin seeds.
The punched marks on the object? Yes, they could be read as decorative, but the only person who could say so with any certainty would be the original owner. They can also be read as marks to gauge something. To gauge what? Who knows? I do not. But my proposition of them being gauge marks is no less preposterous than the proposition that they are decorative.
In short, I have no idea what it is, and it seems neither does anybody else. Somebody, at some time in the past fabricated it for some use.
We can possibly assume that when it was fabricated some basic design principles were in the mind of the maker.
Can anybody see any possible weapon application in this design?
I for one cannot.
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