Tom Clark - wood splitter and innovator

[Square_peg]

It does look very 'Buster-ish'. I would guess the CoG is near the center of eye. It's quite the substantial poll.

 

[Square_peg]

From the website:
http://www.abbeygardensales.co.uk/hand-tools/axes-and-splitting-mauls/showitem-TS-633757.aspx

"The Silverline hardwood log splitting maul features a 6 lb drop-forged carbon steel head and a 90 mm wide cutting blade to make light work of splitting oversized or irregular shaped logs. The carbon steel head has also been heat treated, with a ground and polished cutting head. The extra-long hardwood handle offers superb control."

There you go, folks. The current approximation of a rafting pattern axe.

The Adler has a similarly large poll.

http://www.abbeygardensales.co.uk/hand-tools/axes-and-splitting-mauls/showitem-KP-951600.aspx

 

[Square_peg]

Certainly Chinese or Indian production, but might be fun to take for a spin.

From the look my guess would be India which doesn't bode well - not that Chinese would bode well either.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

From the website:
http://www.abbeygardensales.co.uk/hand-tools/axes-and-splitting-mauls/showitem-TS-633757.aspx

"The Silverline hardwood log splitting maul features a 6 lb drop-forged carbon steel head and a 90 mm wide cutting blade to make light work of splitting oversized or irregular shaped logs. The carbon steel head has also been heat treated, with a ground and polished cutting head. The extra-long hardwood handle offers superb control."

There you go, folks. The current approximation of a rafting pattern axe.

The Adler has a similarly large poll.

http://www.abbeygardensales.co.uk/hand-tools/axes-and-splitting-mauls/showitem-KP-951600.aspx

The ad text seems like a layperson's way of just saying that the head has been heat treated, as if that's anything special. I would be surprised if the poll was hardened. The Adler is a pretty typical German style maul that they literally call a "splitting hammer". The little hook on the heel of the bit is like a built-in hookeroon.

From the look my guess would be India which doesn't bode well - not that Chinese would bode well either.

Given that the UK tool industry has outsourced a lot of its production (both finished goods and raw forgings) to India it'd make sense. Not all Indian tools are garbage, but certainly the bulk are. I have a little center punch set that was made in India that's actually pretty nice, though.