Stamp should face down? Need help

[Frank01]

Hi

I found this splitting maul, says to be a 6lb plumb, I think that the stamp goes face down, right?

Thanks in advance

 

[Square_peg]

That would be my guess.

 

[300Six]

That head looks to be symmetrical so I'd be looking for, and at, eye taper (if there is any) more so than figuring out handle orientation based on stamps.

 

[Agent_H]

My hunch is that you are looking at the top of the head in that picture.

The logo/weight marking faces a right handed user. 1. Plumb was- and rightfully so - proud of their name. 2. If it were hanging on a storage rack or store display it would show.


Also, the gouges knocked into the top and where the poll damage is might be a hint.

The poll bevel/face damage could just be from straight beating or a series of short strikes - just from my own wild swinging I've found that short strikes can leave more damage at the top from coming down on wedges, rebar, rock, or that the top is what hits the ground/surface more often. Some of the gouges towards the rear look like they work towards the eye.

The previous owner(s) could have run it either direction as well.



This seems sound:

That head looks to be symmetrical so I'd be looking for, and at, eye taper (if there is any) more so than figuring out handle orientation based on stamps.

 

[Square_peg]

The weight stamp is usually on the underside of a sledge hammer.

 

[Agent_H]

The weight stamp is usually on the underside of a sledge hammer.

To ID it standing head down?

 

[Steve Tall]

An exception to the rule, with a similar stamp:

 

[Square_peg]

Stamp on the side facing the haft.

 

[300Six]

I used to believe it was convention for axe heads to be stamped in the port side (on the left side of the head meaning the handle is off to the right) but that widely held notion has been dispelled on here many times. Rafting heads are 'often' (because this isn't gospel either) stamped on the starboard side and there have been quite a few posted examples of others. No doubt hammers and sledges show exceptions to convention here and there too. If eye taper is evident, irregardless of where the stamp is located, it determines the location of the handle. Because sledges are often stored handle up it would make sense to stamp the back of the head. Also the backs receive much less wear and tear than the fronts because they're protected by the handle.