I don’t think there is a lot in it, but LP was the head blacksmith and acknowledged to be very good. Also I have read a lot of reviews saying that as production and the number of smiths has gone up sharply in recent years, there have been quality control issues and so it is better to buy the older axes if you can (the ones that are still secured with a metal fastener in the wedge are a good indicator of age). But I’ve got axes made by a few different makers and they all seem equally good. The LP thing is really just daft, I wanted a full set of the main axes by the same smith. I’ve got carpenter, small forest, American felling, carving and now Scandinavian forest. I don’t think I need any others - they are all for specialisms that I wouldn’t really use. If I ever saw an LP splitting maul I would probably grab it but it’s not urgent