An interesting topic
This is interesting subject matter.
I recall similar back and forth I had on an Amanremu from the Kelling Hall Collection.
It was with what looked to be a three bar steel construction with typical scarf welding found on many Tulwar that have a root of non wootz and a blade of Wootz... image attached.
I'm still not convinced either way where the Amanremu concerned. I like to think it shows all the qualities of a scarf welded wootz blade when only the inserted edge is wootz and the smith did his best...and I cast my mind to a heirloom Tulwar here with an old Persian blade. It has a black wootz blade and what looks to be a very clear sham wootz inserted edge experly sandwiched within the black wootz...so anything is possible.
I am truly bewildered where with example in discussion is concerned... I look at sections in isolation and think there is potential given the smiths knowledge and abilities and that it is not something they would have worked with very often... but could certainly have obtained at some point in time... then I look at it over all in context and it reminds me of some very tight pattern welded barong blades I've seen, and some aspects I have seen on very fine pattern Welded Kukri too...
I think the definitive answer lays in more detailed testing as it could have been all down to the smith who just didn't quite nail it as it was not a common material choice...
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