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Walke-Moore Tools – Hanging on Paul Sellers’ tool cabinet are a couple of Preston router planes. They can be found in Paul’s hand when there is a tenon to be refined or a wide lap joint to be made. Occasionally they show up on EBay, and with a flurry disappear. Such is the world of used hand tools, discovery of a tool from others, seeking knowledge of its character and either purchasing or passing.

Wandering the buildings of Handworks, I came to Walke-Moore Tools and had the opportunity to look at an original Preston plane and their upgraded equivalent. Looking at the plane on their website I failed to understand why this plane was so special. The elongated bed is great, but what pushes this plane over the top is the ability to reposition the cutter to the end.

There is one downside to the Walke-Moore Plane, approximately 30 are made each month, so I’ll have to wait my turn before I handle another one. The best part, was a lengthy conversation I had about the planes manufacture and design. This is what makes Handworks special, talking and learning from the tool makers themselves.