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A June 29, 2023 Hackaday article points to a Process X video following Japanese wooden hand planes from forged blade blanks to a long, continuous shaving. The footage connects hot-metal work, wood machining, careful fitting and a final cutting demonstration. It shows craft-centered production supported by conventional machinery—not a machine-free workshop or a technical factory audit.
The coverage names the Komori Small Plane Factory and Koyoshiya Watanabe Woodworking Shop. Hackaday reports that the work is largely manual and uses conventional machine tools; it does not establish production volume or the featured planes’ material specifications. Read Hackaday’s June 29, 2023 account.
What kind of hand plane is being made?
The tool is a traditional Japanese wooden woodworking plane, commonly called a kanna. Unlike a typical Western bench plane, which is pushed away from the user, a kanna is drawn toward the body. Its wooden body supports a blade seated at an angle; blade position and the fit of the body affect how it cuts.
This is not simply a smaller version of a Western plane. The kanna’s wooden body, blade seating and pull stroke belong to a different toolmaking and woodworking tradition. The available coverage shows the body’s angled pockets and blade slot, but does not provide a full technical guide to the tool’s construction or adjustment.
#1 Best Overall
- JAPANESE MANUAL WOOD PLANE "KANNA": This is a traditional Japanese woodworking plane, perfect for smoothing wood surfaces and chamfering edges. Unlike Western planes, Japanese planes are pulled towards you, allowing for more consistent, controlled cuts with less effort. They require fine-tuning of the blade with a hammer before use. KAKURI's plane is trusted by both beginners and professional woodworkers.
- COMPACT & EAST-TO-USE: Compact and lightweight, this mini plane is ideal for detailed work and intricate tasks. Its size allows easy handling, even for those new to woodworking and DIY. An English instruction manual is included, so even first-time users can enjoy an authentic Japanese woodworking tool with ease.
- RAZOR-SHARP JAPANESE STEEL BLADE: The blade is crafted from Japanese high-carbon steel, sharpened by expert craftsmen to deliver an incredibly smooth finish on wood. It’s ready to use straight out of the box. The two-blade structure, featuring a chipbreaker, helps prevent wood from splitting during use, making it safer and more efficient compared to single-blade planes.
- DURABLE WOOD BODY: The body is made from natural Japanese oak, known for its durability and ability to provide a smooth planing experience. *To be environmentally conscious and reduce costs, KAKURI uses oak from areas closer to the tree’s core (ECO Oak), which may show distinct grain patterns but does not compromise quality or performance.
- PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS: Made in Japan / Blade Material: Japanese high carbon steel (mono-steel) / Body Material: ECO oak (oak from the tree's core) / Size: 5.9 x 2.1 x 1.6 inches / Blade Width: 42 mm (1.65") / Cutting Width; 36 mm (1.42") / Instruction: English
How the blade is forged
The reported blade-making sequence begins at a forge, where hard steel is attached to softer iron to form a composite blank. Power hammers shape the heated metal. In this construction, the hard steel supplies the cutting edge while the softer iron forms the supporting body of the blade.
Forging is only part of making a usable blade. Grinding, flattening, heat treatment, sharpening and fitting all matter, even if they receive less attention in a short video. The Hackaday account does not identify the steel grade, joining method, forge temperature, heat-treatment schedule or finished hardness, so none can be inferred from the footage description alone.
Rank #2
- JAPANESE MANUAL WOOD PLANE "KANNA": This is a traditional Japanese woodworking plane, perfect for smoothing wood surfaces. Unlike Western planes, Japanese planes are pulled towards you, allowing for more consistent, controlled cuts with less effort. They require fine-tuning of the blade with a hammer before use. KAKURI's plane is trusted by both beginners and professional woodworkers.
- LARGE SIZE FOR EFFICIENT SMOOTHING: This is a large-sized plane designed to be gripped firmly with both hands. Its balanced weight provides stability, making it easy to pull smoothly while efficiently covering larger surfaces in a single pass.
- RAZOR-SHARP JAPANESE STEEL BLADE: Laminated Japanese steel with soft iron backing. Hand-sharpened by skilled craftsmen for smooth planing after proper setup. Chipbreaker helps reduce tear-out and improves shaving control.
- DURABLE OIL FINISHED WOOD BODY: The body is made from natural Japanese oak, known for its durability and ability to provide a smooth planing experience. It is finished with oil, providing better glide when smoothing wood. This treatment also minimizes warping due to moisture and humidity.
- PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS: Made in Japan / Blade Material: Japanese high carbon steel (laminated steel) / Body Material: White oak (oil finished) / Size: 10.2 x 3.0 x 2.8 inches / Blade Width: 60 mm (2.36") / Cutting Width; 50 mm (1.97") / Instruction: English
How the wooden body is prepared
The reported body-making steps progress from rough shaping and thicknessing to machining angled pockets and cutting the blade slot. Those features do functional work: the bed positions the blade, while the sole and mouth—the opening through which the blade projects—help guide the cut.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesBody geometry and fit are not just cosmetic details. They influence blade alignment, contact with the workpiece and how the plane behaves during a pass. The coverage does not name the wood species or establish its moisture content, drying history, dimensions or machining tolerances.
Rank #3
- JAPANESE MANUAL WOOD PLANE "KANNA": This is a traditional Japanese woodworking plane, perfect for smoothing wood surfaces. Unlike Western planes, Japanese planes are pulled towards you, allowing for more consistent, controlled cuts with less effort. They require fine-tuning of the blade with a hammer before use. KAKURI's plane is trusted by both beginners and professional woodworkers.
- LARGE SIZE, EASY HANDLING: This is a large-sized plane designed to be gripped firmly with both hands. Its balanced weight provides stability, making it easy to pull smoothly while efficiently covering larger surfaces in a single pass. This size is also ideal for woodworking beginners.
- RAZOR-SHARP BLADE: This plane features Japanese steel, laminated with soft iron and hand-sharpened by skilled craftsmen. It delivers an incredibly smooth finish on wood and is ready to use right out of the box. The soft iron lamination increases blade durability and makes sharpening easier, ensuring long-lasting performance. With a two-blade structure that includes a chipbreaker, it minimizes wood splitting compared to single-blade planes, offering a safer, more reliable planing experience.
- DURABLE WOOD BODY: The body is made from natural Japanese oak, known for its durability and ability to provide a smooth planing experience. *To be environmentally conscious and reduce costs, KAKURI uses oak from areas closer to the tree’s core (ECO Oak), which may show distinct grain patterns but does not compromise quality or performance.
- PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS: Made in Japan / Blade Material: Japanese high carbon steel (laminated steel) / Body Material: ECO oak (oak from the tree's core) / Size: 9.5 x 2.5 x 2.3 inches / Blade Width: 50 mm (1.97") / Cutting Width; 42 mm (1.65") / Instruction: English
Final fitting and pinned assembly
The report describes pins being driven into the assembly during final fitting. That small operation follows the much larger stages of forging and machining, and it makes the hand-fitted character of the process visible. The available account does not explain the pins’ exact mechanical role, so it is safest to say they appear as part of securing the assembly rather than claim they alone retain the blade.
The broader process is better described as craft-centered work supported by conventional machinery than as entirely handmade production. The reported steps include powered hammers, thicknessing and machining as well as skilled assembly.
Rank #4
- JAPANESE MANUAL WOOD PLANE "KANNA": This is a traditional Japanese woodworking plane, perfect for smoothing wood surfaces and chamfering edges. Unlike Western planes, Japanese planes are pulled towards you, allowing for more consistent, controlled cuts with less effort. They require fine-tuning of the blade with a hammer before use. KAKURI's plane is trusted by both beginners and professional woodworkers.
- COMPACT & EAST-TO-USE: Compact and lightweight, this mini plane is ideal for detailed work and intricate tasks. Its size allows easy handling, even for those new to woodworking and DIY. An English instruction manual is included, so even first-time users can enjoy an authentic Japanese woodworking tool with ease.
- RAZOR-SHARP BLADE: This plane features Japanese steel, laminated with soft iron and hand-sharpened by skilled craftsmen. It delivers an incredibly smooth finish on wood and is ready to use right out of the box. The soft iron lamination increases blade durability and makes sharpening easier, ensuring long-lasting performance. With a two-blade structure that includes a chipbreaker, it minimizes wood splitting compared to single-blade planes, offering a safer, more reliable planing experience.
- DURABLE WOOD BODY: The body is made from natural Japanese white oak, known for its durability and ability to provide a smooth planing experience.
- PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS: Made in Japan / Blade Material: Japanese high carbon steel (laminated steel) / Body Material: White oak / Size: 7.0 x 2.1 x 1.6 inches / Blade Width: 42 mm (1.65") / Cutting Width; 36 mm (1.42") / Instruction: English
What the continuous shaving test shows
At the end, the completed plane is used to peel a continuous shaving from a long board. Under the filmed conditions, that demonstrates a blade capable of cutting, a workable fit between blade and body, and an operator able to maintain a steady pass.
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Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →It is a visual showcase, not a standardized performance test. One shaving does not establish edge life, dimensional accuracy, results on other wood species, resistance to seasonal movement, consistency across a production run or superiority over another plane design.
Best Value
- HIGH QUALITY JAPANESE PLANE: Experience flat and smooth wood like never before. After using this plane, there won’t be need for sanding the wood!
- FEEL THE JAPANESE CULTURE: To use this plane, you will be pulling it towards you - a technique that originated in Japan. Experience the culture and try something a little different.
- MADE IN JAPAN: The product’s design, all the way to assembly, is made in a town known for its craft-making tradition.
- Blade Width: 1.7 inch (42mm) / Body Size: 6 inch x 2 inch x 1.6 inch / Weight: 0.40 lb
What the video does—and does not—establish
The footage, as described by Hackaday, offers a useful process map: forge and shape the composite blade, prepare and machine the wooden body, fit the components, then demonstrate a cut. It does not supply the specifications needed to assess the tools as engineered products or compare them rigorously.
- Reported: Steel joined to soft iron, power-hammer forging, body rough-shaping and thicknessing, machining of angled pockets and a blade slot, pinned assembly, and a continuous-shaving demonstration.
- Not established: Steel grade, wood species, hardness, tolerances, production volume, price, long-term performance or comparative superiority.
- Not machine-free: The reported process combines manual fitting with conventional powered equipment; the article characterizes it as not CNC-centered, rather than as untouched by modern machinery.
Why the process is compelling
The appeal is in the sequence and contrast: hot forged metal becomes a cutting tool, machined wood becomes its body, and the fitted assembly is judged in use. The machinery does not erase the craft; it supports stages that still depend on fit and control. The result is a look at specialized toolmaking, not proof that every operation is performed by hand or that a large automated factory is involved.
Quick Recap
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