Heirloom Tools

An onion-shaped rosewood handle combines with dovetailed brass and steel to make this beautiful 40-degree bench plane, a prized workhorse in a cabinet maker's shop. An innovative hinged iron cap holds the blade firmly in place, minimizing vibration and chip tear-out when smoothing hard woods. From Bridge City Tool Works.

TOH Tip: Be patient. It can take two weeks to put together a handmade bench plane. The wait for delivery may be even longer—some models are backlogged up to 8 months.