Tool type

Vintage block planes

Block planes are the small metal planes you use in one hand, with the iron bedded low and bevel up and no cap iron. Stanley's catalog said the first ones were made for planing across the grain on board ends, which carpenters called blocking in. Stanley's standard block planes, like the No. 9½, bed the iron at 20°. Its low-angle planes, like the No. 60½ and No. 65, bed it at 12°, which the catalog said made cross-grain work on hardwoods easier. Most of the better models have an adjustable mouth and Hand-y grip dimples on the sides. On any of them, look hard at the mouth, because stress cracks running up the sides from the mouth are the most common damage.

3 models we cover.