Pop media outlets have been raving about the Vipukirves Leveraxe, a unique axe that not only speeds up wood-splitting, but it makes it easier too.
This Finnish-made axe can be swung like a regular axe, but has an asymmetrical cutting head. When the swung Leveraxe head comes into contact with wood, the narrow cutting edge creates an initial crack. With the motion of the cutting edge slowed by the wood, the weight of the eccentric lip comes down faster and introduces horizontal forces that spread the crack open.
Advertisement
Compared to how a traditional axe works, the Leveraxe should exert much greater horizontal forces that help to propagate cracks quicker and easier.
Not only is the Leveraxe designed to be quicker and easier to use, it makes it easier and safer to start splitting a log section from its edges.
Here’s a video from 2007 that shows how the Leveraxe is made and how it works:
For those in the USA or Canada, the Leveraxe is priced at 155.74 Euros, plus 47.26 Euros for shipping. Given current conversion rates, this means (1) axe will set you back about $281 USD.
Update 1/2022: The Leveraxe is now available at Amazon for $129. We could not confirm whether the axe is still made in Finland.
Advertisement
Hang Fire
Is there a twisting moment to the wrists when it levers? That could be bad.
Stuart
Doesn’t look like there is, at least not to the point where it could cause injury. But I do think the axe would work better with a looser-than-ultra-tight grip.
In a few of their videos (http://www.youtube.com/user/TiFe07), people using the axe for the first time don’t seem to have any difficulty or discomfort with the axe.
Garrick
Videos by manufacturers will always show the best possible scenarios for using their product. This one looks like an experienced axman cutting wood that is well dried, straight grained, and knot free birch. The tire is a good idea for keeping the wood in place after it’s been split a bit. Smaller diameter pieces were placed in the “holder” in multiples.
I would like to see how it does on a more typically varied selection of wood…
Stuart
If it helps, some of their “getting acquainted” videos show ordinary people swinging the axe at what I can only assume is a public demo of some kind.
Michael
This is the first thing I noticed also. I can split birch logs that size with a boy’s scout ax. This thing has very little actual penetration into the log, so if there is a knot, you can’t hit it. I doubt the leverage action alone would be able to rip it apart. Maybe I’m wrong. Also, seems like a bad idea to purposefully use a loose grip when swinging any leverage tool, regardless of the safety of their design.
I also wonder about the durability of the bit, especially attempting to split harder/knottier woods. Watching the videos, it seems to me that the bit would be in danger of cracking off if you hit something hard enough with it. You’re putting an awful lot of stress on it.
An any case, it costs far, far too much for me to find out these things personally.
Ross
I want to see them split some elm with it.
Any idea of the significance of the shape of the head to the side of the handle? It looks like it must be built that way for a reason, but they don’t mention anything about it. It kind of looks like a super duty bottle opener.
Bill K
This axe makes me want to go out and split some wood. The axe is unique, but the use of a tire to hold the wood was a great idea that I’d never seen before. Here’s another link for info/videos.
http://www.komando.com/blog/250242/the-brilliant-physics-behind-the-fastest-axe-ever
DanG
It’s a fabulous and beautiful axe but the price gives me a splitting headache!!
Dan
Looks interesting and on free splitting wood I can see it would be very fast but at that price I think it would have to swing its self to be honest. Then again I do like axes, however the site says they are out of stock.
Joe
If this was the same price as a regular splitting axe or maybe just a little more expensive id think about it. For 280$ id rather just spend extra and buy a splitter that does all the work for me lol. It looks to not have much weight in the head meaning u would need more force to split the wood than with a regular splitting axe. The onky benefit i really see to this is if u need a lot of wood split into really small pieces really fast.
In response to hang fire i belive the design of the axe twists it all by itself by the force of it pushing the piece of wood away.
Ben Lindgren
SUOMI FINLAND PERKELE!
Okay.. So this would be the first time i ever saw a Finnish tool being advertised on any American/English spoken site, and what do we have here? Of course an Axe with a mind boggling theme song!!
Gosh.. When do we ever get market something media sexy? like a 20v super sexy mitersaw….
I reckon this is a good product, but Finnish marketing is still soooo 80´s.
Love your site btw. i am always teasing the local dealer about DeWalt products being published here, but having them available here in Finland maybe six months later or so 🙂
Keep up the good work!
CB
When I use to live in Sweden, I had to chop wood everyday (including summers) especially if I wanted a sauna (it’s sweden). The killer was having to chop the same small size every time for the best heat and to fit the stoves.
While the price may seem high but for someone who has to chop a lot of wood regularly the price is not bad. The price of a good axe like a Gränsfors or Wetterlings is comparable in price. My question would be the quality of the metal and how well it holds an edge and how well it sharpens.
The wrist action in the Leveraxe would seem to be a concern but I guess there needs to be more reviews.
I think this would be a great opportunity for Stuart to do a review.
Stuart
This isn’t something I would look to review, mainly because I have never chopped firewood a day in my life.
Hang Fire
Get one to me and I’ll review it! lol
Carol
Looks like an interesting product, but for the price I’ll stick with my heavy shims and car jack for the occasional log that I need to split.
John
Thinking of doing some creative welding to a regular axe… hmmmmm
Bob C.
Hi all. I too had the same concerns regarding the demo being a perfect case scenario: straight grained birch, good and dry, and likely frozen. My application would be mainly Douglas fir which makes me very suspect.
As some of you may know, this is a species which is difficult at best. Doug doesn’t grow in Finland from what I understand so wouldn’t have been tested. The company’s comment to me has been specific to hardwood, albeit that may be lost in translation so to speak.
Does anyone have experience with trying it on Doug fir? An expensive investment to hope it will work on my main fuel source.
Thanks. Bob
john
I’ve been splitting black ash that’s been off the stump and out in the weather for three months. I’ve always tended to split on the right side of a round because of eye cross-dominance, and the Leveraxe is designed to split on the left side.
But I’ve gotten used to that and have not had any trouble with the ax rotation (not even noticed it, to be honest) or with blisters though I work without gloves.
And it splits like a dream! Pricey, you bet–but light, effective, easy to sharpen.
My only complaint is that the ax handle had no bulge on the end to stop my left hand, but a few inches of electrician’s tape wound around took care of that.