Hand Planes Explained: Which Plane Do You Need?

Walk into any hand tool discussion and you will hear plane numbers thrown around like a secret code: No. 4, No. 5, No. 7, low angle, block, jack. It can feel overwhelming. The good news is that you only need a couple of planes to do a huge amount of work, and once you understand what each type is for, choosing gets easy.

This guide explains the main hand plane types, what the numbers mean, and which planes make sense for your first kit. New to woodworking? Our Start Here page lays out the bigger picture.

Key takeaways

• A block plane and a No. 4 smoothing plane (or a No. 5 jack plane) cover most beginner needs.
• Longer planes flatten and straighten; shorter planes smooth and refine.
• Plane numbers come from the traditional Stanley/Bailey sizing system and roughly indicate length.
• A sharp, well-set blade matters far more than the plane’s price.
• Specialty planes (rabbet, shoulder, router) are useful, but buy them when a project calls for them.

How a hand plane works

A hand plane holds a sharpened blade (the iron) at a fixed angle in a flat sole. As you push it across the wood, the blade protrudes slightly through the mouth and lifts off a thin shaving. The sole rides on the surface, so the plane removes high spots first and gradually makes the surface flat and smooth.

Key parts include:

• Sole: the flat bottom. Its length determines how well the plane bridges hollows and bumps.
• Mouth: the opening in the sole where the blade emerges. A tighter mouth helps reduce tear-out.
• Iron (blade): the cutting edge, usually sharpened around 25 degrees with a slightly steeper micro-bevel.
• Chipbreaker (cap iron): on bench planes, a second plate set just behind the edge to curl and break the shaving, reducing tear-out.
• Frog: the casting that supports the iron at its bedding angle, commonly 45 degrees on bench planes.
• Depth adjuster and lateral lever: control how far the blade sticks out and keep it square to the sole.

Bench planes: the core family

Bench planes are the general-purpose planes used on the workbench. They are grouped by length:

Type	Common numbers	Main job
Smoothing plane	No. 3, No. 4, No. 4½	Final smoothing before finish
Jack plane	No. 5, No. 5½	General stock removal, rough flattening, all-rounder
Fore plane	No. 6	Flattening larger boards
Jointer plane	No. 7, No. 8	Straightening long edges and flattening wide panels

The rule of thumb: the longer the plane, the straighter and flatter it makes the surface, because a long sole spans over the low spots and only cuts the peaks.

Smoothing plane (No. 4)

The smoothing plane is the plane you use last. Set to take whisper-thin shavings, it leaves a surface that can look and feel better than sanding. Its short length makes it easy to control and great for following slight variations in a board.

Jack plane (No. 5)

The jack plane is the “jack of all trades.” It is long enough to do some flattening and edge jointing on shorter boards, yet short enough to smooth reasonably well. Many woodworkers keep one jack set with a slightly curved (cambered) blade for fast stock removal and another for finer work.

Jointer plane (No. 7 or 8)

Jointer planes are long and heavy. They excel at creating straight edges for glue-ups and flattening tabletops. They are less essential if you own a powered jointer, which you can read about in our power tools section, but they still shine for wide panels that will not fit on a machine.

Block planes

Block planes are small, one-hand planes, usually with the blade bedded at a low angle and installed bevel up. There is no chipbreaker. They are perfect for trimming end grain, chamfering edges, fitting doors, and countless small jobs around the shop and house.

• Standard angle block plane: blade bedded at around 20 degrees.
• Low angle block plane: blade bedded at around 12 degrees, which gives a lower effective cutting angle that is especially good on end grain.

For most people, a block plane is the very first plane to buy because it is used constantly.

Bevel-up vs bevel-down planes

Traditional bench planes are bevel-down with a chipbreaker. Bevel-up planes (including many low angle jack and smoothing planes) put the bevel facing up, so the cutting angle is the bed angle plus the bevel angle. Changing the bevel angle changes the cutting angle, which makes bevel-up planes adaptable: a low angle for end grain, a steeper one for difficult figured wood.

Both systems work well. Bevel-down planes rely on a carefully set chipbreaker for tear-out control; bevel-up planes rely on blade angle and a tight mouth.

Specialty planes

• Rabbet plane: cuts rabbets (steps) along an edge; the blade extends to the plane’s sides.
• Shoulder plane: trims tenon shoulders and cheeks precisely.
• Router plane: levels the bottom of dados, grooves and hinge recesses to a consistent depth.
• Plow plane: cuts grooves for drawer bottoms and panels.
• Spokeshave: technically a cousin of planes, used for shaping curves.
• Scraper plane / card scraper: for tricky grain where a plane tears out.

These are wonderful tools, but they fit specific joinery tasks. Buy them as projects demand.

Which planes should you buy first?

A practical path for most beginners:

1. Block plane for edges, end grain and quick fixes.
2. No. 5 jack plane or No. 4 smoothing plane, depending on whether you start with rough lumber (jack) or already-surfaced boards (smoother).
3. Later, add a jointer plane if you edge-joint by hand, and a shoulder or router plane as your joinery grows.

Older planes from the used market can be excellent once tuned, while newer premium planes usually need less setup. Either path can work. Our How We Review page explains how we approach tool recommendations.

Setting up and using a plane

1. Sharpen the blade. This is the single biggest factor in performance. See how to sharpen chisels and plane blades.
2. Set the chipbreaker (bench planes) close behind the edge for fine work.
3. Adjust the depth so the blade barely shows when sighting down the sole.
4. Square the blade with the lateral lever so the shaving is even across its width.
5. Read the grain. Plane “downhill” with the grain to avoid tear-out.
6. Use your body. Press on the front knob at the start of the stroke and on the rear tote at the end to avoid rounding the ends.

Safety and care

• Lay planes on their side, or on a strip of wood, so the blade is not resting on the bench.
• Retract the blade before storing or carrying a plane.
• Keep fingers away from the sole and mouth when adjusting a sharp blade.
• Secure the workpiece with a vise, bench dogs or clamps; never hold it with your free hand in the plane’s path. Our clamps guide covers holding options.
• Wipe soles with a light coat of wax or oil to prevent rust and help the plane glide.

Need a better bench to plane on? Browse our workshop setup articles.

Frequently asked questions

If I could only own one hand plane, which should it be?

Many woodworkers would choose a No. 5 jack plane for versatility, though a block plane is the most used plane in many shops. For general projects, the jack plane does the most different jobs.

What do the plane numbers mean?

They come from the traditional Bailey-pattern system popularized by Stanley. Higher numbers generally mean longer planes, from small smoothers around No. 1-4 to jointers at No. 7-8.

Why is my plane tearing out the wood?

Common causes are a dull blade, planing against the grain, too deep a cut, a wide mouth or a poorly set chipbreaker. Sharpen first, then check grain direction and take lighter cuts.

Are hand planes still worth it if I have power tools?

Yes. Planes remove machine marks, fine-tune joints and handle small adjustments faster than setting up a machine. Many shops combine both. Explore more in our beginner guides.