Taxonomy

Tool types

What each family of tool is for, how it developed, and which models are worth owning.

Bench Plane

48 models

The general-purpose planes used at the bench to flatten, true and smooth a board: smoothers, jacks, fores and jointers. On an iron bench plane the iron is bedded at about 45 degrees, bevel down, on a separate casting called the frog.
Block Plane

15 models

A small one-handed plane with the iron bedded bevel up at a low angle and no frog. Made for end grain, chamfers and fitting work.
Transitional Plane

0 models

A wooden-bodied plane fitted with an iron top casting carrying the Bailey adjustment mechanism. Cheap when new, unloved by collectors, and the best value in vintage planes if you actually want to plane wood.
Rabbet & Shoulder Plane

11 models

Planes whose iron runs the full width of the sole so the plane can cut right into a corner. Rabbet planes cut the rebate; shoulder planes trim the cheek and shoulder of a tenon.
Plow & Combination Plane

5 models

Fenced planes that cut grooves, dados, beads and mouldings using interchangeable cutters. The Stanley 45 and 55 are the famous ones.
Scraper & Spokeshave

4 models

Tools that work a surface with a burnished burr or a short-soled blade: cabinet scrapers, scraper planes and spokeshaves for curved work.
Specialty Plane

7 models

Everything with one job: router planes, chamfer planes, edge trimmers, side rabbets, circular planes and the rest of Stanley's long tail.