Reviews Archives - Handplane Central

LATEST NEWS…

We have set up a brand new Plane Makers Gallery on Handplane Central. The purpose of this gallery is to highlight some of the wonderful work that has been done by contemporary plane makers from around the world.

Whether you’re a professional or an amateur plane maker, if you’ve ever made a hand plane in the past – even just for your own enjoyment – then register for an account and start posting some pics of your work for others to see. You can even add some comments to the images, such as constructional notes, materials etc. It’s entirely up to you. To check it out, just click here.

Holtey 11-S Plane

The name Karl Holtey has been synonymous with high quality woodworking planes for about a decade now. The planes, largely modeled on the great British planes of the nineteenth century (only made better), have a reputation for being some of the most coveted and sought…

MuJingFang Rabbet Plane

This ebony rabbet plane from MuJingFang might be considered by some to be a little rough in places but, coming in under $30, you can forgive a little crudeness here and there. Michael Brereton tries it out. The body of this particular plane measured 6-1/4…

MuJingFang Palm Smoothing Plane

At under $20 the MuJingFang palm smoothing plane is certainly an affordable hand tool for most woodworkers, but Michael Brereton asks “Is it any good?” Made of rosewood and measuring in at 5-1/8″ long by 1-9/16″ wide this little plane is handy for smaller trimming…

Books On Wooden Plane Making

There are a number of different ways to make a wooden plane, though some purists may have you believe that there is only one “true” way and that is to make them out of a solid block of wood. To my way of thinking this…

Ashby Tool Company – Infill Block Plane Review

Ashby Low-Angle Block Plane Reviewed by Bob Howard The inspiration for this tool is the legendary Norris plane. With that as his guide, Phil Ashby, a longtime Adelaide-based woodworker, has set out to make a plane which has, as he puts it, “the excellence of…

Chester Toolworks – Hand Plane Adjustment Hammers

Chester Toolworks make a range of attractive and functional hammers designed specifically to help adjust and set the irons in woodworking planes. While primarily intended for those preferring all-wood or Japanese style planes rather than Stanleys or other iron makers, these hammers not only look…

Stanley #72 Chamfer Plane

Classic Plane Review The Stanley Rule & Level Company introduced Its #72 Chamfer Plane in 1885, and continued to manufacture it until 1938. While it was by no means one of Stanley’s “big sellers”, it is reasonable to assume that it must have sold in…

Through Much Tribulation

Through Much Tribulation: Stewart Spiers and the Planemakers of Ayr To call this book the definitive story of Stewart Spiers is somewhat of an understatement. Sure, by definition, the scope of information which resides within this 132 page work by author and longtime collector Nigel…