Wonderful information D.L. and little off topic, but I would support your description of the Swiss as having some wonderful planning traditions, well before Japans (not as old as the Middle Eastern ones but much more refined.) I still will contend, as do most wood historians, that the "plane craft" of Japan is unmatched anywhere in the world had has been for the last 500 years for the plane as we understand it has come to be, yet the spear planes, called yari ganna, has been there for a very long time. Outside of Japan, I would agree that the Swiss probably have the most diverse. They still do not have the size and diversity range you find in Japan over the last 300 years, with many in size (largest are 400 mm or ~ 16" in width) and finish quality and length of ribbon (0.3 micron thickness over 20 feet long or longer) is not uncommon even today. I would also not that they have taken these byproducts of shavings and made much use from them in all different realms of folk traditions from wrapping papery to wood cloth and screens.