Buying your first hand plane should be straightforward. Then you start looking.
No. 4. No. 5. Block planes, smoothing planes, jack planes and jointers. New, second-hand, budget or premium. Before long, it feels as though you need a whole collection before you can make a start.
You don’t.
My advice is to start with one sound plane that suits the work you actually want to do. Learn to sharpen it, set it up and use it properly. That will get you further than a shelf full of tools you barely touch.
First, what do you need it to do?
Before spending anything, think about your projects. Are you preparing rough timber, making furniture, building small boxes or simply tidying edges and adjusting the fit of a component?
Different planes suit different jobs. A longer plane helps straighten an edge because its sole bridges the high and low spots. A small block plane is handy for local trimming, but it won’t do the same job on a long board.
If the names are still a bit of a mystery, my guide to the most common hand planes and what they’re used for explains the main types. For a first purchase, these are the three I’d consider.
The No. 5 jack plane: a sensible all-rounder
For someone starting from scratch and wanting to learn general hand planing, I’d lean towards a No. 5.
It sits between the shorter smoothing plane and the longer jointer plane. It’s long enough to help with timber preparation and straightening edges, without being too cumbersome for everyday work.
Depending on how you sharpen and set it up, you can use it to remove high spots, reduce a board’s thickness, straighten shorter edges and take finer finishing cuts.
That last point matters. One setup won’t be ideal for every job. A blade prepared for heavier stock removal isn’t the same as one set for fine smoothing, and changing between them takes a little adjustment.
A No. 5 won’t replace every specialist plane. But it gives you plenty to learn with, and it can stay useful long after you’ve got the basics sorted.
The No. 4 smoothing plane: for prepared surfaces
If your timber is already reasonably flat and your main aim is to refine the surface, a No. 4 may make more sense.
It’s shorter than a No. 5 and is generally used for fine finishing rather than heavier preparation. With a sharp blade and a light cut, it can remove small surface imperfections and leave solid timber ready for finishing.
It’s a good option if you’re interested in furniture, cabinetmaking or the finish you can achieve with hand tools.
Just remember that a smooth board isn’t necessarily a flat board. The shorter sole can follow hollows that a longer plane would bridge. If you want one plane for a wider range of preparation jobs, I’d still look at the No. 5 first.
The block plane: small adjustments without the fuss
A block plane is a different sort of tool. It’s compact, often comfortable to use in one hand and useful for those small jobs that crop up throughout a project.
Easing a sharp corner. Cutting a small chamfer. Trimming end grain. Taking a little off a component that’s almost, but not quite, the right fit.
If you mainly make boxes or small wooden items, or work with timber that’s already prepared, this might be the first plane you use regularly.
It isn’t a substitute for a bench plane when you need to flatten a larger board or straighten a long edge. Buy it for the small, controlled adjustments it does well.
Which one would I buy first?
For general woodworking and learning to prepare timber by hand, I’d choose a No. 5 jack plane.
For fine finishing on prepared boards, I’d consider a No. 4 smoothing plane.
For chamfers, trimming and small fitting jobs, I’d look at a block plane.
If you regularly need to straighten long edges, a No. 7 jointer plane may eventually earn its place. I wouldn’t put it at the top of a beginner’s shopping list unless those are the jobs you already need to tackle.
There’s no compulsory buying order. The right first plane is the one that solves a real problem in your workshop.
New or second-hand?
A good second-hand plane can be excellent value. Plenty of older tools have years of work left in them.
But old doesn’t automatically mean good, and a familiar name stamped on the blade doesn’t guarantee a bargain.
Some planes need little more than cleaning, sharpening and adjustment. Others are restoration projects. There’s nothing wrong with restoring a tool if that’s what you want to do, but it’s a different job from getting on with your woodworking.
Check the body and handles
Look for cracks, serious damage and poor repairs. Check that the handles are secure and comfortable, without damage that could make them unsafe to use.
A little surface rust isn’t necessarily a problem. Deep corrosion around important working areas deserves a closer look.
Check the sole
The sole is the bottom surface that runs along the timber. It doesn’t need to look spotless, but significant damage or distortion can affect how the plane works.
Don’t assume that every troublesome sole can be sorted with a quick rub on abrasive paper. Correcting a badly distorted one can take considerable work. If you’re unsure, buy from someone who can demonstrate the plane working.
Check the blade and adjustment
A blunt blade is normal on a used plane. Deep pitting near the cutting edge, substantial damage or very little usable blade remaining are more of a concern.
Check that the blade can be held securely and that the depth and lateral adjustments work as they should. Look for missing screws, damaged threads and missing components.
A cheap plane soon becomes less cheap if you need to hunt down replacement parts before it will take a shaving.
Allow for getting it ready
Factor in the time and equipment needed for cleaning, sharpening and setting up. Learning those skills is worthwhile, but you don’t have to begin with the most neglected plane you can find.
For a first purchase, I’d rather have a sound working tool than an interesting restoration project.
Buy on condition, not just age or reputation.
Do you need to spend a fortune?
No. You need a well-made tool that can be sharpened, adjusted and used reliably.
A premium plane may offer better machining, smoother adjustment and less initial fettling. That can be valuable, but it doesn’t remove the need to learn how to use it.
At the other end of the market, a very cheap plane may need more work before it performs well. Consider the whole cost, not just the price on the box.
I wouldn’t rush into an expensive collection. Choose one sound plane within your budget and allow for a way to sharpen it. You can upgrade later if your work gives you a reason to.
A sharp blade matters more than the badge
A blunt plane can be hard to push, tear the wood fibres and leave a poor surface. It’s easy to blame the tool when the cutting edge is the real problem.
Sharpening is part of hand planing, not an optional extra.
You’ll also need to learn how to align the blade and adjust the depth of cut. Start with light cuts on a suitable piece of scrap rather than expecting perfect results straight out of the box.
My guide to sharpening chisels and plane irons covers the sharpening basics. For technique, have a read of how to plane wood properly.
Give yourself a stable working surface and secure the timber before starting. You want to concentrate on controlling the plane, not chasing the board around the bench.
Leave the specialist planes until you need them
Rebate planes, router planes, shoulder planes and scrub planes all have their uses. That doesn’t mean you need to buy them now.
A specialist tool starts to make sense when you repeatedly run into a job your existing tools don’t handle well. Traditional joinery might give you a reason to buy a router plane. Regular long-edge preparation might justify a jointer plane.
Let the work tell you what’s missing. A small collection you know how to use is worth more than a large collection that stays on the shelf.
Do hand planes still belong in a modern workshop?
Machinery has an important place in my workshop. Power tools help get timber ready efficiently, and I’m not suggesting you need to do everything by hand.
A hand plane offers a different sort of control. You can take a small amount from a particular area, refine an edge or adjust a fit without setting up a machine.
Hand tools and machinery aren’t opposing sides. They work well together. Use whichever tool makes sense for the job in front of you.
My advice: start with one and learn it properly
For general hand planing, I’d start by looking at a No. 5. If your work is mostly small adjustments, a block plane may be more useful. If you want to refine prepared surfaces, consider a No. 4.
Whichever you choose, check its condition, learn to sharpen it and spend time getting consistent results. You’ll soon have a much clearer idea of what, if anything, you need next.
Buy tools because they help you make things, not because you think every woodworker is supposed to own them.
You might eventually end up with a shelf full of hand planes. You don’t need a shelf full to get started.