What carpentry tool is used to create smooth edges on wood?

The tool that is commonly used to create smooth edges on wood is the plane. A plane works by shaving off thin layers of wood from the surface, resulting in a smooth finish and level edges. It can be used to reduce the thickness of the wood or to remove imperfections, ensuring that the finished edge is polished and free of roughness. Planes come in several varieties, including block planes and smoothing planes, each designed for specific detailing tasks in woodworking.

In contrast, while a router can also create smooth edges and profiles, its primary function is to hollow out an area in the flat surface of a piece of wood. It is more suited for decorative edges rather than just smoothing out edges. A chisel is typically used for carving or shaping wood and removing material, but it does not provide the same level of smooth finish that a plane can accomplish. A saw is mainly designed for cutting wood and creating initial shapes, rather than finishing edges. Thus, the plane serves as the most effective tool among these options for achieving smooth edges on wood surfaces.