Synopsis: Al Breed has collected quite a few handplanes over the years, and he finds each of them rewarding in its own way. There are a few favorites, though, that he wouldn’t want to work without: the panel-raising plane, shopmade planes for reproducing specific molding profiles, his Stanley 45 combination plane, the Stanley 79 side rabbet plane, a toothing plane, and—least in size but not in importance—the Kunz skunk plane.

When I was in my teens, while many of my contemporaries were buying and fixing up cars, I was busy buying and fixing up antique furniture. I was also fascinated by the tools used to make the pieces I bought. One of the first planes I acquired was given to me by a man in town who repaired old furniture. He called it a bridge-builder’s plane. (I didn’t try too hard to figure out exactly which part of a bridge you might plane with this 32-in.-long, 9-1⁄2-lb. wooden monster.) I took it home and attempted to plane the side of an ash log I had hewn with another of my early finds, a broadaxe. Of course the plane did not work. Given my inexperience at the time and the number of factors needed to make a plane work, it would have been a miracle if it had. I did finally manage to get the bridge-builder’s plane to function, and I still have it; it works beautifully to flatten my workbenches .

To see six of these handplanes in action, and a bonus plane,
check out this video: Al Breed’s Favorite Specialty Handplanes

I think planes are the most complex hand tools in the shop, there being numerous gremlins in each one that can prevent them from working as they should. Once these are exorcised, though, the handplane is also the most rewarding of tools to use, and over the decades I’ve amassed quite a few. I’ll describe a handful of the less common ones here. I have certain favorites that I’ve used so often that I would truly mourn their loss.

For the full article, download the PDF below.

More on FineWoodworking.com:

• The Stanley #55 – Understanding an ingenious workhorse
  By Gregory Schipa #38–Jan/Feb 1983 Issue
• 4 Planes for Joinery – Get perfect dadoes, grooves, rabbets, and tenons in no time
  By Vic Tesolin #246–Mar/Apr 2015 Issue
• One Bench Plane Can Do it All – Stretch your tool budget by using different blades in one low-angle jack plane
  By Christian Becksvoort #217–Jan/Feb 2011 Issue

Fine Woodworking Recommended Products

Veritas Wheel Marking Gauge

A wheel-type gauge is the easiest to use, and this wonderful Veritas model is a steal at $38.

Buy at Lee Valley

Tite-Mark Marking Gauge

These gauges can be easily and precisely adjusted with one hand, which allows you to set the tool while holding a ruler or workpiece in the other. The quality is exceptional, and all have sharp cutters that offer great visibility.

Buy at Lie-Nielsen Toolworks

Suizan Japanese Pull Saw

A versatile saw that can be used for anything from kumiko to dovetails. Mike Pekovich recommends them as a woodworker's first handsaw.

Buy at Amazon