The next Soviet plane in my collection is unlike any Western tool I’ve come across. In a world where many vintage planes turn out to be variations on the familiar Stanley or Record patterns, this one is a refreshing exception. Its most unusual feature? It comes with two blades:
- a flat iron for use as a smoothing plane
- a convex iron that transforms it into a scrub plane
A single tool, two entirely different roles—very Soviet, very clever.
Identifying the Mystery Plane
From what I’ve been able to uncover, this plane is referred to as the Voskov No. 5 with adjustable mouth, manufactured sometime in the 1980s or early 1990s. The only substantial reference I’ve found is on the Russian Handplane Centralblog, which shows photos of the plane along with a user manual dated 1991.
Aside from that source and an old eBay listing, information on this model is practically nonexistent. So, here’s my attempt to document this rare piece in detail.
Specifications
Length: 9 5/8″ (25 cm)
Width: 2 5/16″ (5.9 cm)
Blade Width: 1 15/16″ (4.9 cm)
Radius of Arc on Convex Blade: 62.5 cm
Body: Cast iron, painted light green
Knob & Handle: Black plastic
Frog: Aluminium
Lever Cap: Aluminium
Mouth Opening: Adjustable from 1/8″ (3.33 mm) to 3/8″ (1 cm)
The front knob is tilted noticeably forward—somewhere between 20° and 30°—giving the plane a distinctive stance.
Construction and Adjustments
The frog is secured to the body with a single central machine screw. A horizontal machine screw with a knurled nut allows the frog to slide longitudinally, widening or tightening the mouth opening. The mechanism has a fair amount of slack, which—though imprecise—can actually be used to tweak the blade for an even cutting depth across the mouth.
Both blades are double-ended, offering up to 1 cm of sharpening life on each end. That’s a surprisingly forward-thinking design feature, especially for a tool that may have been produced in an era of inconsistent manufacturing.
The irons attach to the lever cap via two machine screws, and the cap itself is held in place by a large plastic knob.
Two Planes in One
With the flat blade and a tight mouth, the plane works as a conventional smoother.
Swap in the convex blade and open the mouth, and you’ve got a capable scrub plane.
This dual-purpose approach makes a lot of sense, especially in a workshop environment where tool availability may have been limited. One body, two blades, broad capability.
Final Thoughts
Examples of this plane seem quite rare—especially here in Australia—so I would be hesitant to put it into heavy rotation. Replacement blades are likely impossible to source, and it would be a shame to wear out such an uncommon piece of Soviet toolmaking history.
Still, it’s a fascinating hybrid: part smoother, part scrubber, and entirely unlike anything produced in the West. If nothing else, it’s a reminder that innovation often appears in unexpected places.