Another axe to grind

[kronckew]

the socket eye looks like it was made from a flat bar wrapped around a rod to form the ring, the line of holes just below the tang junction seem to indicate that, and their appears to be a line you can see where the seam may have been, the tang then appears to be welded to the ring, covering half the join line. the afghans are adept at doing this, it may be an antique hammer welded piece. after all they make lee-enfields, martini-henrys and even ak47s from scrap steel.

an accomplished smith may be able to make it from a a single piece of steel with an eye punch and lots of hammering, but i'm assuming the worst.

a more secure method frequently used would be to form a ring with an extension of the tang wrapped around a mandrel then hammer welded to itself. you wind up with a wedge shaped blade where the end is hammered down more and more as they cover the tang. some fancy ones get an inserted edge of harder steel, but normally the eye/tang area is softer steel than the edge or a differentially hardened edge.

here's my munitions grade version of yours showing the socket which is wrapped around a mandrel then hammer welded, quick and dirty no frills. well, maybe a couple of X's & I's

(note to self - finish re hafting it. i need to get off my butt. )