A tool for breaking a shaft has a first and a second tubular element, both provided with inner through bores adapted to receive a shaft in the tool. A first handle is fixedly connected with the first tubular element and the second tubular element is connected to a second handle. A bottom surface of the second tubular element forms a shearing plane with a neck surface of the first tubular element. A rotation between the two tubular elements shears the shaft at the shearing plane. The second handle turns the first tubular element around an axis and has a gear engaging the second tubular element for transmitting the rotation of the second handle into a rotation of the second tubular element. The drive element is mounted offset, in a direction of the longitudinal axis, from the gear.