Hand Planes & Spokeshaves

A hand plane is a cutting tool used to flatten, smooth, straighten, and reduce the thickness of wood surfaces. Different plane types handle different stages: a jack plane removes stock quickly, a jointer flattens long edges, and a smoothing plane brings a surface to finish quality.

Bench planes are two-handed tools with the blade bedded at a higher angle (typically 45 degrees) for general surface work with the grain. Block planes are compact, one-handed tools with a lower blade angle (typically 1220 degrees) optimized for end-grain work, chamfers, and small fitting tasks.

A rabbet plane cuts rabbets (stepped recesses along the edge or face of a board) and shoulders on tenons and other joints. Its blade extends to the full width of the body so it can cut flush into a corner, which a standard bench plane cannot do. Browse rabbet plane packages for complete setups.

A spokeshave is a short-soled cutting tool with two handles extending to either side of the blade. It follows curves that a conventional plane would skip over, making it ideal for shaping chair legs, curved stretchers, spindles, and any convex or concave profile.

The typical sequence is: scrub or jack plane to remove stock and establish flatness, jointer plane to true long edges, then smoothing plane as the final cut for a surface ready for finish. Each step uses a progressively finer set to refine the surface left by the previous plane.

Yes. Wooden-body planes have been the standard in woodworking for centuries and are capable of producing surfaces as flat and smooth as any metal plane when properly tuned and used. Wooden-body planes are lighter, run more quietly, and can be customized by the user.

Joint the sole on a flat reference surface using a jointer plane or by running it across a sheet of abrasive paper on a known-flat surface. This is best done with the plane assembled and tensioned as it is in use, since wood moves when hardware is removed. Visit the learning blog for hand plane setup guides.

Replace the blade when re-sharpening can no longer restore a clean, straight cutting edge—typically when the blade has been sharpened down to the point where the bevel is too short to hold a good angle, or when nicks in the edge are too deep to remove efficiently. Replacement blades are available for most models, including a Clifton block plane replacement blade.

A No. 4 smoothing plane or a block plane is the most practical starting point for a beginner. The smoothing plane handles face work on boards, while a block plane manages end grain and fitting. The 4-piece bench plane package is an efficient way to acquire the core bench plane sequence.

Yes. Infinity Tools will match qualifying competitor prices on eligible products. Visit the price matching page to submit a request and review the terms.