The Traveling Leveraxe/Leveraxe 2 Thread

[svk]

Philbert

LOL!!!!

The Vader/Skywalker moment will happen this weekend. LA2 is currently at my cabin.

 

[maul ratt]

Took possession of the original Leveraxe today.

First impressions: MUCH heavier head than LA2. I really like the feel. This has clearly seen some use prior to its hiatus. Edge is still nice and sharp. Same handle as version 2. Head is nice and tight on the handle.

Hoping to try it out this weekend.

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So no need to soak it overnight?

 

[svk]

So no need to soak it overnight?

Should be good. If it sat in his garage that long and didn't contract I'd say its fitted pretty well.

 

[svk]

Well the first test of Leveraxe versus Leveraxe 2 was held yesterday. I'll follow up with pictures later as they are on my other phone which is currently in deep freeze in my truck.

To start off, the LA2 head was again loose. If you recall I swelled the head for several days in late January and it has been in my garage in sub freezing temps since.

The quarry was a good sized aspen with a hollow core at the base.

Both LA and LA2 were consistently opening them up with an average of 3 hits. For splitting power I'd give a slight nod to the original however it requires significantly more energy to swing due to the increased weight.

Then I broke out the Fiskars. Consistently popped the rounds on two hits and the second hit would blow through into the dirt if you used a full power swing.

At the present, I prefer the LA2 over the original. I've got some other wood to test them on before I pass along again.

 

[svk]

Here's a few pictures from last weekend with the two Leveraxes.



I do have a message in to Heikki as to how we should resolve the chronic loose head on the LA2.

 

[zogger]

Here's a few pictures from last weekend with the two Leveraxes.

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I do have a message in to Heikki as to how we should resolve the chronic loose head on the LA2.

I vote gorilla glue!

 

[svk]

I've got the LA2 swelled and the Fiskars is just about sharp enough to shave with for tomorrow's action. Never heard from Heikki as to what we should do with the loose head issue.

LA1 us heading to maul ratt shortly for his review.

 

[svk]

Well the LA2 which had performed most admirably in frozen aspen didn't really care for rounds from the same trees when thawed. Interesting that one variable changed the performance that much. And FWIW I was splitting 16" rounds yesterday versus 24" when frozen.

 

[Marshy]

How did the Fiskars handle the thawed aspen now in 16"?

 

[svk]

How did the Fiskars handle the thawed aspen now in 16"?

Like a BOSS.

 

[svk]

As an update:

LA1 is en route to @maul ratt and I'm going to drop LA2 at @andydodgegeek 's house in the near future (maul ratt will mail LA1 to him also once he tests it out). Andy will be bringing both models to the Iowa, Boyd's, and central MN GTG's in April.

If anyone wants to try one, or both after this please let me know.

 

[svk]

Thats sweet,will be lookin forward to trying both of them out.
svk,our iowa spring GTG is April 25th.
I will update as it gets closer.

Both models will be coming your way. Interested to see how they work in some nice Iowa hardwood.

 

[andydodgegeek]

I am going to give it a work out in some red oak when I get it. The red oak I split around here is some very easy splitting wood, more so when frozen.

 

[maul ratt]

I just received the LA1 today. I'm anxious to try it out over the next few days and will hopefully have a video review sometime next week.

 

[svk]

Will be handing LA2 off to Andy soon but our schedules haven't clicked yet.

This morning I split some birch with it. Head was loose again. Worked great on the straight grained stuff. Didn't work at all in the pieces with knots.

 

[maul ratt]

I liked the LA1 better than the LA2. I tested it out yesterday and put this video together. The piece of Oak I'm splitting at the 7:25 time is interesting to watch. The handle felt a little loose, so I'm soaking it overnight and will continue to test it for another week or so.

 

[Philbert]

Is that why the head is stainless steel - because it needs to be soaked every week?

Seriously, svk, let the handle dry out thoroughly, and do something more permanent: wedge it; or wrap the outside of the handle with tape under the handle; or swell it with something that expands the fibers permanently, etc.

Philbert

 

[zogger]

These things really need a fiskars made handle. In fact, he'd be better off just selling out to fiskars for some decent coin for inventing it, etc., and letting them build it and get them out there for like a hundred bucks, *tops*. 350, no, 100 clams, serious maybe (for me). Economies of scale works, fiskars handles, zooba, best synthetic handle I have ever used.

Anywho, great vid man! This one looks lots better than the lightweight version 2.

 

[svk]

Is that why the head is stainless steel - because it needs to be soaked every week?

Seriously, svk, let the handle dry out thoroughly, and do something more permanent: wedge it; or wrap the outside of the handle with tape under the handle; or swell it with something that expands the fibers permanently, etc.

Philbert

Heikki never replied. Andy and I will discuss over a beer and decide what's the best way to repair. I agree soaking every 10 days isn't a good solution.

 

[svk]

Mark,

Great job on the review. Also love the updated look with the flannel shirt and North Stars hat.

I'm glad to see you had good luck with various hardwood species. With that I can see why you prefer it over the LA2. Looking forward to your next review.