The Japanese plane or kanna (鉋) is a plane pulled towards the user rather than pushed like their Western counterparts. They are usually made of hardwoods such as Japanese white or red oak with a thick tapered and laminated steel blade that is wedged into the oak body with a presprung chipbreaker which has bent “ears” that bear down on the plane blade applying even tension across the blade. Its apparently simple design conceals a great deal of complexity. The tool is revered in Japan as are those who have achieved a degree of mastery over its fickle nature.

When set up right they can take shavings down to single-digit microns – thousandths of a mm – and leave the planed surface so shiny that it reflects light like a mirror. It is the stuff of legends for anyone interested in Japanese woodwork and this is in part due to the difficulty in setting them up and honing the blades.

The blades themselves share the history and pedigree of the Japanese sword with a softer metal being forged to a thinner strip of hard brittle metal capable of holding the finest of edges. Some can be made from old nails or a ship’s anchor in the endless quest to find the highest quality steel and renowned blade makers can command prices that can make the eyes water. It is, as with many things Japanese, taken the nth degree with every effort made to further refine and enhance the planing experience and result. Using a well set up Japanese plane, especially if that has involved several hours of hard work, is one of the most intensely pleasurable parts of woodworking