How to Use a Hand Plane | Ask This Old House

This Old House general contractor Tom Silva demonstrates the proper way to use hand planes. (See below for a shopping list, tools, and steps.)

Tom demonstrated several types of hand plane, including bench planes, shouldering planes, and block planes. He also showed a sharpening stone for sharpening plane blades. The planes and sharpening stones are available at hardware stores, home centers, and specialty woodworking stores.

Shopping List for How to Use a Hand Plane:

Tools List for How to Use a Hand Plane:

Steps for How to Use a Hand Plane:
1. Bench planes are used to flatten and smooth broad wood surfaces and narrow edges.
2. Long bench planes are best suited for smoothing very long surfaces and edges.
3. Specialty planes, such as a shoulder plane or rabbet plane, have plane irons (blades) that come flush with the edges of the tool.
4. Block planes are compact, versatile, and ideally suited for smoothing edges, small surfaces, and end grain.
5. Rotate the adjusting nut to control the depth of cut.
6. Pivot the lateral adjustment lever to square up the iron to the plane body.
7. Release the iron cap and extract the plane iron from the plane.
8. Test the sharpness of an iron by standing it on your thumbnail. If the iron slides off, it needs sharpening.
9. To sharpen a plane iron, start by applying machine oil to the coarse side of a sharpening stone.
10. Set the iron against the oiled stone with its beveled end facing down.
11. Tilt up the iron until its bevel is flush with the stone. Maintain that exact angle as you slowly rub the iron across the stone in a circular motion.
12. After a minute or two, flip over the iron and place it flat against the stone. Rub the iron back and forth to remove any burr from the back surface.
13. Next, flip the stone over to reveal its smooth surface. Apply oil and repeat the sharpening process.
14. Then raise the iron just a fraction of an inch, and make two or three passes across the stone.
15. Repeat the thumbnail test of Step 8 to check the iron's sharpness.
16. When planing the narrow edge of a board, inspect the direction of the wood grain on the side of the board.
17. Always plane in the direction of the up-angling wood grain. Don't plane against it.
18. Adjust the throat (mouth) of the plane to increase or decrease the gap between the plane iron and the bed of the plane. The proper adjustment will help prevent tearing out the grain.
19. Decrease the gap when planing end grain, and increase it when planing edge grain or making deep cuts.
20. When planing end grain, prevent tear-out by planing in from both ends toward the middle.
21. Another technique is to clamp a sacrificial wood block to the end of the board prior to planing. Then, any tear-out will occur in the block, not the board.

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How to Use a Hand Plane | Ask This Old House

[frankmanuel]

What great rapport between host and expert. No one talking over each other, and with positive acknowledgement of advice given. Refreshing to see.

[thegoodfight]

This was one of the best how to videos ive ever seen. the instructions and tips are almost self explanitory once you demonstrate the methods and reasoning for them. Thanks, I anxious to add planes to my woodworking now. No more ill fitting lap joints or rabbets or rebates. 👍🏿

[TheCobyRandal]

That pretty much taught me everything I wanted to know about plane tools before I go out and buy one, plus some great tips to use in practice, including the subtleties of how to properly sharpen the blade. Thanks!

[electricianron_New_Jersey]

Tom Silva's a great teacher and his enthusiasm for the trades is endless. Its not just homeowners and weekend warriors watching these videos.

[jacobreviewseverything]

I feel like I've been watching these guys since before I was born but it never gets old.

[ryanbradley]

I’m just getting into woodworking, and I think this hit all of the major highlights and answer the questions I had. Thank you!

[jamesrockland]

Tom Silva handles business like a boss! And the interviewer was awesome with his questions and comments, quality vid, tx for uploading it!

[stawheed]

It's a blessing to be old. You don't do nonsense. Just get to the point. Thanks!

[NibbleMaster]

Can I adopt Tom as my grandfather?! Such a cool guy with TONS of knowledge!

[mmortazav]

This channel is the best channel on youtube. Thank you for awesome videos.

[doughaber]

Extremely useful and teaching video. Hand planers have always been a mystery to me. This explained everything!

[PianoChick]

Just saw a guy restore an old hand plane and had to come see how they worked. I'll probably never use one, but I'll know some tips if I ever have to! Very informative video!

[benjaminthomas]

This is absolutely refreshing. I was recently given an old rusty jack plane ( I believe it's a Stanley no 2). I have to clean it up and learn to use it. This video was really informative

[chriswilson]

Great video, great information, especially for the weekend warriors like me.

[noelv]

Five years this is still relevant. All these “experts” using a machine to teach beginners how to plane. Thank you for this video

[RocketAL]

Wow, I've been looking for a decent tutorial for configuring a hand plane for a long time. This is perfect, I can't wait to get into the shop and pull out my planes again. THANK YOU

[charliecharlie]

This man is a genius. Hand planes are one area I think old school beats new school.

[scorpio]

Love this guys . Watched them on Ch. 13 PBS for years

[jesseramos]

Old school technique is the best.tommy your a true craftsman.tip of the hat to you old friend..

[Charlesb]

Thanks for the plane explain, it was a cut above the rest.😀