To the people who argue that it’s hard to get an object behind an opponent to pull, humans have the ability to throw things. Or alternatively, a lurcher could use a gun.
but in general, I think iron has more practical uses than steel. It might not be great for fighting, due to lack of defensive capacity, although if there were two lurchers, they could defend each other by pulling projectiles going towards the other person out of the way.
I feel like comparing iron and steel is like comparing a knife and a gun. A guns superior in a fight, but I’d rather have a knife because (and I don’t know about you) I’ve never been in a shootout). I can use a knife for way more things that actually matter.