My 8lb maul was purchased by my grandfather sometime in the 70's, but it looks extremely close to this
(broken image removed)
made by council tool (I do not believe mine was made by council, but who knows, it's getting old). From the pictures, this is what I'm thinking matches what Woody bought in head design.
With the fiskars x27, I honestly only use this 8lb maul when I'm mad at the world and just need to pound the living poo out of something in a constructive manner that makes me too tired to be mad anymore....... That said, I love my fiskars, but I've made a lot of firewood with that old maul
Here's the coucil tool website that I took the pic from. (broken link removed to http://www.counciltool.com/product.asp?pg=product&item=80MA)
As far as fiberglass handles, I only have ever owned one, so I really shouldn't have been so rash to say I hate "them," but I do hate "it" and a few other tools I've used on construction sites, etc, with fiberglass handles. To clarify, the reason I dislike the handle on the 10lb maul I bought about a decade ago is that it has some rubber pieces embossed into the fiberglass to help with grip. In the last few years, these have started to weep an oily substance that makes using the tool akin to applying vasaline to you hands or gloves before deciding to swing it. Additionally, it just feels dead in the hand when something is struck.
I only bought that fiberglass sledge because I wasn't impressed with the wood handles on the equivalent tools I found at the store that day, and simply needed it for the beech I was breaking apart with two or three wedges buried per round before it would succumb to my efforts. I can say however other than the recent oily discharge, it has survived well, and probably better than the poorly cut wooden handles I had to choose from, would have.
That's my story, hope you make out better. Keep us posted.
