Jim Matthews
I'm on a kick to use figured lumber where possible.

I'm finding heavier planes lead to more tear out (it's the grain, not the plane).

In this application an itty-bitty no-name Japanese plane with a Osae-gani bodged out of a Stanley scraper works wonders : low mass provides tactile feedback of tear out.

Wood selection is just another example of my most common shop activity; fixing problems of my own creation.