The purpose of the rule is that eyegaurda don’t count, a true spike means both sides have to be a spike, not just one side. But eyegaurds on a spike, or true spike, don’t count. The 4 inch rule is the arbitrary line they drew to make it law. The added confusion, that makes it actually 3 inches is just to say, “if it’s close don’t shoot it.” Most game wardens will never measure if you are doing everything else right. They just look at it and say, yep, spike with a eyegaurd, or in the case of this thread, wow, cool, still a spike, good for you.