KAKURI 42mm Japanese Hand Plane — Compact Kanna Woodworking Plane

Reviews

1. M Ma 5/5

   Effective pull plane once adjusted

   You need to tap the small metal locator at the front to set blade depth for very thin or thicker shavings. As a pull plane it’s efficient and doesn’t require heavy pressure — just steady guidance. I used it to thin the top of a door and it now opens and closes smoothly.

2. M melfina 5/5

   Good for DIY use

   Palm‑sized so easy to handle. If you fine‑tune the blade projection you can get smooth, predictable shavings suitable for routine do‑it‑yourself tasks.

3. D denyel 5/5

   Sharp, attractive and easy to use

   Adjusts simply and slices smoothly — leaves surfaces shiny and handled end grain well. Little work was needed to flatten the sole. It arrived with clear instructions and a guard. The blade came slightly crooked from shaping which affected the mouth; that was quick to correct. Overall very impressed and likely to buy a higher‑end model from the maker.

4. T TheSlyMurloc 5/5

   Nicely built — took some practice to master

   After a few days of experimenting and watching tutorials I finally learned how to set the blade. A steel hammer worked best for me; plastic mallets were ineffective. I altered my grip and pressed more on the iron while tapping, which seemed to help the blade seat. There’s a learning curve compared with metal western planes, but the hardwood body and fit are excellent. My initial struggles were user error, so I upgraded my impression to five stars.

5. D Daniel X Rey 5/5

   Lovely little plane after a bit of tuning

   I own a larger 60 mm version and bought the 42 mm to match. It’s beautiful and performs great once the bed is flattened and the iron re‑ground to my preferred edge. About twenty minutes of adjustment had it shaving perfectly with excellent control and feel.

6. T Tim 3/5

   Decent for the money, but expect tradeoffs

   This is my second one; the first warped after rough storage and heavy use. The new unit had a slight twist in the sole, so I returned it. The blade was sharp out of the box. These are fine for casual work, but I’ll likely invest in a higher‑end brand to avoid repeat flattening.

7. J James 5/5

   Confirmed made in Japan

   Excellent build for the category. Expect to do setup and fine tuning before best performance — there are plenty of guides. It’s genuinely manufactured in Japan, not elsewhere.

8. I I.M. 4/5

   Solid little tool for the workshop

   Takes some practice to learn the tapping method for blade positioning, but it cuts well on various tasks. The wooden body is gentle on workpieces if you slip, which I appreciated. A fun, useful addition to the toolbox.

9. V Viktor L. 1/5

   Blade was quite uneven

   The steel had a noticeable concave/uneven profile. It will take a long time to flatten and until then it’s of limited use.

10. S sedat 5/5

    Fast delivery and well made

    Shipped quickly and arrived with little tax at customs. Very well constructed and arrived in good condition.

11. P Poor old dad 5/5

    A good introduction to Japanese planes

    Experienced hobbyist and former carpenter here — I bought this to sample the style. It’s usable right away, but following the instructions and testing on straight‑grained softwood improved results considerably. For the cost it’s a practical way to try the pull‑plane technique.

12. M Mark Ackman 5/5

    Great for softwood edge work

    My first Japanese plane and it was easy to set up and start using. It won’t replace my dedicated steel smoothing planes, but it’s surprisingly good on softwoods and makes tidy shavings. The unit appears to be machine produced rather than hand‑fitted, but it still performs well for general hobby tasks and experimenting.

13. B Baldwin Robertson 4/5

    A compact alternative to a western block plane

    Good value and functionality for its size, but plan to do minor bed and iron cleanup. I had to remove a tiny amount from the bed and dress the iron edge. It works well both pulled and pushed despite being bevel‑down, and the iron is thicker than many western replacements. The chipbreaker is a bit thin, so longevity is a question, but performance is solid for the cost.