E.C. Emmerich Primus Slethøvl

The machining on the sole is flawless—it glides over walnut with zero chatter, and the adjuster feels precise enough to take whisper-thin shavings. This is the first plane I've owned where the setup felt dialed in straight from the box, not after an afternoon of fettling.

Took this out of the box and the first thing I noticed was how solid the body feels—no flex at all when I put pressure on the toe. The sole was flat right away, so I spent my time cutting shavings instead of lapping. It's become my go-to for final passes on edges I actually care about.

Set it up, tuned it once, and it’s been shaving whisper-thin curls off walnut all afternoon without a single adjustment. The blade sits dead true in the body, and the heft makes you feel like you’re guiding it rather than fighting it. This is the last smoother I’ll need for a long while.