I want a smoothing plane to cut a final polished surface consistently with little or no tearout. The wooden smoother by Knight Toolworks is an impressively dependable tool.

Steve Knight of Knight Toolworks has been tinkering with and improving his bench planes over the past four years. For stability and ease of manufacture, he laminates the plane body; my smoother had a sole of cocobolo with a low body of purpleheart and white oak. While its over-rounded shape might not appeal to everyone, I found it very comfortable.

Two important design aspects stand out. At the heart of the plane is a Japanese iron that came sharp and held an edge well. And ahead of the mouth is a wedge that kept the mouth tight, allowing the plane to cut fine shavings for a long time.

Not all woodworkers will be enamored of a wooden plane. It doesn’t have an adjuster, but setting the iron was easy and can be quickly learned. Try one and you will be drawn in by its silky action of wood on wood, or the ease with which it cuts 0.001-in.-thick shavings and leaves a polished surface on tough woods such as bird’s-eye maple.

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