Since its first creation the axe hasn’t changed much. It may be one of the oldest tools known to mankind, yet for all that time it has been used, it still has a few problems.

Traditional axe designs are difficult to work with and do have their dangers when attempting to split wood for firewood. Thanks to a man from the deep forest of Sipoo in Finland, named Heikki, we have now found an answer to these problems.

When cutting down trees to build a home for himself and his wife to enjoy their retirement, he was struck more than once when swinging the axe, which he had to lift high over his head to create enough speed to split fresh, strong logs – an activity which eventually gave him serious back pain.

Inspired by the prying power of his crowbar, he began to work on a prototype for a new type of axe head that would not only be safer to use but also more effective.

So, how does it work?

The axe may look very different from any axe you’ve seen before, but its simple design is actually a very intelligent construction that combines a lever mechanism with rotational action. The head of the axe is attached from the side, not the centre, altering the centre of gravity.

When you strike a log with the ‘Leveraxe’, the head will break in a few millimetres before stopping. The counterweight on the right side of the head forces the axe to fall sideways, splitting the log apart easily.

Leveraxe was featured on Kickstarter where it quickly became a very popular choice for funding and exceeded its targets by a long way. If you often chop your own wood and find that it can be difficult and even dangerous at times, then you may want to consider investing in a Leveraxe.

Their ergonomic design makes chopping wood easier than ever so you can have home firewood easier than ever before.