Woodworking Plane History

Woodworking planes have existed for centuries and were believed to of evolved from the old aged adze through to the latest sophisticated woodworking planes of today. Some of the earliest woodworking planes to date were used by the Romans from around the 1st century and were constructed using a wooden body, wedged and push bar along with an iron cutter. Other variations of early woodworking planes found to be Roman were also made with iron bodies and wooden handles.

Up until the early 18th century the majority of old woodworking planes were user made, up until a market appeared in which companies took to mass producing different woodworking planes catering for the many different trades including shipwrights, coopers, instrument makers, carpenters, furniture makers planes along with many other trade planes.  

Through time the concept of the woodworking plane has change very little, planes now can be easily adjusted, damaged parts easily replaced, but from start to finish woodworking planes have changed very little.

During the late 18th and 19th century woodworking planes reached their peak with regards to the highest quality of plane design and build, top manufacturers of these planes included the likes of Norris, Spiers, Stanley, Record, Mathieson among others, all of which are very sought after planes today some of which are very rare. Today’s more modern 21st century woodworking planes seem to of in my opinion taken a downward turn in design and build quality with manufacturers cost cutting measures mass producing ever cheaper planes for profit, saying this there are some manufacturers producing high quality woodworking planes today like Lie-Nielsen tool works, a USA tool manufacturer.