A custom mameganna (small “bean” plane) such as might be used by furniture makers can be made fairly quickly from an old chisel. This type of kanna might be used for shaping saya or tsuka or for other small woodwork projects requiring a custom radius or access to tight spaces.
Materials for the project are simply a scrap of oak and an old chisel blade. The wood is usually Japanese white oak but some type of oak or similar wood that has been seasoned sufficiently should provide the strength and tension required for a kanna. In some cases simply making a custom dai (plane body) for a blade from another plane is an option but having a complete tool ready for use is preferable.
A wide chisel is best and it should have parallel sides, and an even wedge shape thickness increasing from edge to tang (not curved or parallel). A chisel without beveled sides is best but it can still be made to work as long as there is a flat surface in the middle. Laminated construction with a hollowed ura would be nice but can be done without for a smaller kanna. Tools needed might include a saw, drill, kanna, chisel, hammer, kiridashi, thin rasp, files, sharpening stones, and measuring or layout tools.
