The ultimate guide to woodworking handplanes

1. Introduction: What Is a Woodworking Hand Plane & Why It Still Matters

• The Philosophy of Hand Planes
• What is a hand plane?
• Why hand planes still matter in the age of power tools
• What this guide covers

2. The Fascinating History of Woodworking Hand Planes

• The Modern Revival — Hand Planes Make a Comeback
• The Dawn of the Plane — Ancient Origins
• The Middle Ages — Woodworking Evolves
• Rise of iron planes during the Industrial Revolution
• The First U.S. Patents for Metal Hand‑Planes — Innovations That Changed Woodworking
• The 20th Century — Refinement and Decline

3. Anatomy of a Hand Plane

• Bevel-Up vs. Bevel-Down: What’s the Difference?
• Main parts: sole, iron, frog, cap iron, tote, knob, adjusters
• Main Components & What They Do

4. Core Categories of Hand Planes

A. Bench Planes

• Smoothing, jack, jointer roles
• No. 1 to No. 8 (overview chart)
• When and how to use each

B. Block Planes

• Low-angle vs. standard-angle
• Best uses: end grain, chamfers, etc.

C. Specialty Planes

• Scrub planes
• Shoulder & rabbet planes
• Plow and combination planes
• Moulding/profile planes

5. Choosing the Right Handplane for Your Needs

6. Setting Up and Tuning a Hand Plane

• A Tale of Two Planes
• STEP 1: Making sure the sole is dead flat — “The Foundation”
• STEP 2: Sharpening the Blade — “The Heart of the Plane”
• STEP 3: Setting the Cap Iron — “The Unsung Hero”
• STEP 4: Adjusting the Frog (only if needed or present) — “Opening the Mouth”
• STEP 5: Blade Alignment — “Fine Tuning”
• STEP 6: Testing on Scrap Wood — “The Reveal”
• Maintenance Cadence (Once Set Up)
• Common Mistakes to Avoid

7. Techniques for Using a Hand Plane

• Body positioning and grip
• Working With the Grain — Reading the Wood
• Securing the Workpiece — Stability Is Key
• Managing Tear-Out — The Plane Whisperer’s Challenge
• End Grain Techniques — When Wood Fights Back
• Skewing the Plane — A Master’s Technique

8. Maintenance & Storage

• Blade Care & Sharpening Routine
• Cleaning & Lubricating
• Rust prevention
• Storage: Safe, Dry & Ready
• Repair & Part Replacement

9. Advanced Topics

• Using Cambered Irons (For Jack & Jointer Work)
• High-angle (York pitch) Planing: Tackling Wild Grain
• Blade Steels: A2 vs. O1 vs. PM-V11
• Custom Tuning for Specialized Work
• The Art of Spokeshaving: Curves in the Grain

10. Projects to Practice

• Flattening Rough Lumber by Hand
• Edge Jointing Two Boards
• Building a Shooting Board & Planing End Grain
• Creating Chamfers and Bevels by Hand
•  Shaping a Curved Profile
• Practice Builds Mastery

11. Advanced Techniques & Mastery

• Unlocking the Plane’s True Potential
• Planing for Sound: Luthier Techniques
• Controlled Cambering for Surface Texture
• Transparent Shavings: The Smoothing Plane Challenge
• Skewing, Arcing, and Compound Strokes
• Reading Reflections and Lightplay
• Planing as Meditation

12. Common Problems & Troubleshooting

• Tear-out
• Blade Chatter
• Skewed or Crooked Cuts
• Non-flat Boards
• Plane Not Cutting at All
• Trouble-shooting Specialty Planes

13. Glossary of Terms

14. Resources & Further Reading