Smoothing planes are used for fine surface finishing. In the past, when sandpaper was uncommon, veneered boards, for example, were not sanded but „smoothed” with a smoothing plane. Precise adjustment of the blade and high craftsmanship were required for this.

All the smoothing planes offered here have blades that are 48 mm wide, and all blades have a cap iron. The cutting angle for the ECE planes is 50°.

Even if some packages include a note stating that the blade is sharp and ready for use, you should take this with a grain of salt. You need to familiarize yourself with a new plane; when you sharpen it, you get to know it, and it will reward you with good work. Sharpen the new blade, hone it, and do the same with the cap iron—regardless of what the manufacturer tells you! This is the only way to ensure that no shavings get between the cap iron and the blade, which could clog the plane.

Additionally, it doesn’t hurt to smooth the sole of the plane a bit by placing 600-grit sandpaper on a flat surface and running the sole over it several times.

The bodies of all the planes on this page are approximately 220 mm long, with a blade width of 48 mm!