Does anyone know if it is possible to make a flat surface on a pencil sized, 16" long piece of end grain using a hand planer? I am trying to count very faint tree rings on a sugar maple without using sandpaper, which clogs up the pores with saw dust. Would a hand or electric planner catch rather than cut, or create a rough surface when viewed under a microscope? If anyone knows of a better method then please let me know.

Here is a link to an image of what I am trying to create an even and smooth surface on:
http://www.fortedwards.org/projects/tree-no1d.jpg