Complete Hand Plane Types Database
Last reviewed on 2026-04-24
Hand planes come in dozens of specialized forms, but the whole catalog falls into a handful of families. The family a plane belongs to tells you what it is designed for, how it should be tuned, and where it earns its keep in the shop. This page is the index; follow the links for the detailed guide on each plane.
Bench Planes
Bench planes are the workhorses — the planes that do general surfacing, edge jointing, and stock preparation. They all share the same basic Bailey-pattern anatomy and differ mainly in length. A longer plane bridges across dips and produces a straighter result; a shorter plane follows the surface and produces a finer finish. Most bench-work is handled by two or three bench planes used in sequence.
Smoothing Planes
Short planes (7–10 inches) for final surface finishing. The Stanley No. 3, No. 4, and No. 4½ are the most common sizes.
Learn moreJack Planes
Medium-length (14–15 inches) all-purpose planes. The No. 5 and No. 5½ handle general work: light flattening, edge jointing, and smoothing of small panels.
Learn moreJointer Planes
Long planes (18–24 inches) for flattening large surfaces and jointing long edges. The No. 7 and No. 8 are the classic sizes.
Learn moreScrub Planes
Heavily cambered iron for rapid stock removal. The starting point for dimensioning rough sawn lumber by hand.
Learn moreBlock Planes
Compact, one-handed planes with a low bed angle and bevel-up iron. Block planes are designed for end grain, chamfers, small work, and joint fitting — tasks that a full-size bench plane either cannot reach or cannot handle cleanly. For most shops, a block plane is either the first plane purchased or the second. Complete block plane guide
Specialty Planes
Specialty planes do one job well. They are not general tools. You add one to the shop when the work demands it.
Shoulder Planes
Full-width iron for cleaning tenon shoulders, rabbets, and the corners of joinery.
Learn moreRouter Planes
A narrow iron drops from a flat reference base to level the bottom of dados, grooves, and hinge mortises.
Learn morePlow Planes
Interchangeable narrow irons and a fence for cutting grooves parallel to an edge.
Learn moreJapanese Planes (Kanna)
Pull-style wooden planes with laminated steel blades. Different ergonomics, different geometry, different setup — but capable of shavings and surfaces that rival or exceed the best Western planes. Japanese plane guide
Which Planes Do You Actually Need?
For most shops, the essential core is three tools: a block plane for small work and end grain, a No. 4 smoothing plane for finish surfaces, and a No. 5 jack plane for general bench work. Add a No. 7 jointer when the work starts to demand straight edges on long boards. Everything else — shoulder planes, router planes, plow planes, scrub planes, kanna — joins the shop only when the work specifically calls for them.
See the best planes for beginners for a recommended buying sequence, and the vintage vs modern comparison for where to put your money.