However, it may also be that with such extremely worn components, the outcome may be perverse in that it will lead to one component with some wear still left on it but being too worn to accept a new chain. That outcome can perhaps be postponed by running several chains in parallel, say for a thousand miles each, so that there is always only a small difference in wear between the chain and the sprocket, ditto for the chain and the chainring. Considering the amount of work involved, at this point I lose interest; I'm happy with my near-zero maintenance bike and consider chains a near-irrelevant expense; I'd probably have a different outlook if I were a major tourer. It would make a worthwhile experiment for someone with enough years left to let the components do their own thing to the end.
I found running several chains in parallel was well worthwhile with derailleur systems and with unprotected hub gear systems. On large-wheel derailleur bikes with triple chainrings I used to run up to 4 chains in parallel, swapping every 300 to 500 kms on average, though this was very variable depending on weather and the type of roads (or not roads) where I was riding. So getting up to 4 times the chain life for the cassette sprockets and smallest chainring, scrapping the chains at about 1% elongation. The 2 larger chainrings generally lasted for at least two cassettes.
On hub geared bikes without chain covers, chains lasted longer, maintenance intervals were further apart, sprockets (except the Rohloff ones) are very cheap and can usually be flipped for double the use.
I still run 2 chains in parallel on bikes with ChainGliders. But the intervals between chain swaps are nearly always much longer, on one of my utility bikes bike I am currently at over 4000 kms without yet needing to remove the chain for a swap and thorough clean.
At the other end of the scale I have one Brompton with derailleur gears, this is the only derailleur bike I still have, though I do maintain some others for a nature reserve. The reason on this Brompton is that a derailleur system is lighter, the 500g or so saved compared to a Sturmey-Archer hub gear makes a difference when I have to carry the bike a significant distance. This Brompton is used in all weathers for short utility rides when I know I will be carrying the folded bike and using other transport for part of the trip. Worst case for a chain swap was a ridiculous 50 kms after 3 short trips during particularly wet winter weather. On a small wheel bike the chain is much closer to the ground and picks up much more muck from the road.
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