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Stanley No. 4 vs block plane

Updated: October 2026

You are choosing between a smoothing bench plane and a one-handed block plane, and they do not make the same cut. A Stanley No. 4 vs block plane decision is a job split: a flat face with two hands, or end grain and small edges with one. They are not substitutes. The Surform and the kanna stay on the [Stanley plane comparison](/hub/diy-supplies/stanley-plane) and the [Stanley plane buying guide](/hub/diy-supplies/stanley-plane/sub/stanley-plane-buying-guide). This page stays with the Stanley No. 4 and the three Stanley block planes. Peter F. used the October 2026 amazon.co.uk rows and Stanley's UK pages. There is no lab test.

You are choosing between a smoothing bench plane and a one-handed block plane, and they do not make the same cut. A Stanley No.

Our top picks

Stanley Stanley 220 block plane

Best overall

Stanley Stanley 220 block plane
7.2/10about £29.43
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Stanley Stanley No. 4 Bailey, 1-12-004

Rank 2

Stanley Stanley No. 4 Bailey, 1-12-004
5.4/10about £59.95
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Stanley Stanley block plane, 1-12-020

Alternative

Stanley Stanley block plane, 1-12-020
6.4/10about £43.98
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.A face with two hands, or an edge with one
  2. 2.Bevel-down on the No. 4, bevel-up on the block plane
  3. 3.Three Stanley block planes, three listings
  4. 4.Which one, on what condition

A face with two hands, or an edge with one

Use the No. 4 for a flat face in two hands. Use a block plane for end grain, a small edge, or a chamfer in one hand. Cherry Tree Tools describes that split. BuildWiz adds that a No. 4 is awkward over a doorway. That is a note about reach, not a reason to plane a fire door. Stanley's UK page for 1-12-004 states a 250 mm body and about 2 kg. The amazon.co.uk bullet, at about £59.95 with 4.3 from 437 reviews, says 245 mm and a 45 mm cutter. The block planes weigh 872 g, 900 g, and 862 g. If the work is a face and you can buy only one, the No. 4 comes first, with fettling time. That pick is on the best Stanley plane page.

Bevel-down on the No. 4, bevel-up on the block plane

On the No. 4 the iron is bevel-down. Small Workshop's account is that the frog, not the hone, sets the cutting angle at about 45°. The amazon.co.uk listing does not print that 45°. Do not paste it onto the bullet's 45 mm width. A block plane here is bevel-up, so the hone does change the cutting angle. A textbook 37° is not a measurement of the 1-12-020, which prints no degree. The amazon.co.uk bullet for the 5-12-020 says 21°. Stanley's UK page also prints 13° and 25°. Do not average them. You still hone and check the sole, on how to set up a Stanley plane.
Stanley Stanley 220 block plane

Testsieger

Stanley Stanley 220 block plane
7.2/10about £29.43
View offer

Three Stanley block planes, three listings

The 1-12-020, at about £43.98 with 4.2 from 1,539 reviews, has an adjustable mouth and no printed degree. The width cell says 40 mm. Buy it when an adjustable mouth is the feature you need. The 5-12-020, at about £50.42 with 4.5 from 783 reviews, says 21° and includes a pouch. Reviews mention a front plate proud of the sole. Treat 21° as the listing's figure, not as an average with 13° and 25°. The 220, at about £29.43 with 4.5 from 2,567 reviews, says 21° and light duty. The width cell says 77 mm and the included line says 1.5/8 inch. A count of 2,567 does not make it the better block plane.

Which one, on what condition

If the work is a face, buy the No. 4 at about £59.95 and include time to check the sole and hone. Cheaper does not choose the family. If the work is end grain and one hand, pick the listing you can live with: an adjustable mouth and no printed degree, a stated 21° plus a pouch, or light duty with an unresolved width. A block plane is easier to hold in a doorway, and it is still the wrong tool for a loose hinge. A qualifying amazon.co.uk purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.

Common questions

When is a Stanley No. 4 the right plane?
When the job is a flat face and you can use two hands. This listing is about £59.95, with 4.3 from 437 reviews. Stanley's UK page says 50 mm and 250 mm. The amazon.co.uk bullet says 45 mm and 245 mm. It is the wrong first tool for one-handed end grain, and it is more plane than a single door rub needs.
What is bevel-down versus bevel-up?
On the No. 4 the frog sets the cutting angle at about 45°, and honing around 30° does not change it. On these block planes the iron is bevel-up, so the hone does change the angle. Do not use a textbook 37° for the 1-12-020, which prints no degree, or for the 5-12-020, which has 21° on amazon.co.uk and both 13° and 25° on Stanley's UK page.
Can one block plane stand in for all three?
No. The 1-12-020 at about £43.98 is the adjustable mouth with no printed degree. The 5-12-020 at about £50.42 is the 21° plane with a pouch, and reviews mention a proud front plate. The 220 at about £29.43 is light duty, with 77 mm against 1.5/8 inch. Pick the conflict you can accept.
Does the No. 4 cutter measure 50 mm or 45 mm?
Both figures are in print, on different pages. Stanley's UK page says 50 mm and 250 mm. The amazon.co.uk bullet says 45 mm and 245 mm, and the weight cell says 1.92 kg against about 2 kg. The base cell says wood while the bullet says grey iron. Quote the page you mean.
Which should you buy if you can afford only one?
If the work is a face, the No. 4, with fettling, even at about £59.95. If the work is end grain or one hand, a block plane chosen by mouth, by the printed 21°, or by light duty. A 4.5 from 2,567 reviews on the 220 does not overrule a width cell that fights the included line.
Is a block plane easier for a sticking door?
It is easier to hold in one hand in a doorway. It does not fix loose hinges, and it is not a licence to plane a fire-rated door. Check the hinges first. A No. 4 is a face plane. Neither should be bought before you know the door may be trimmed.

Related pages

How to plane a sticking door

Stanley plane

Best Stanley plane to buy first for a face you will fettle

Stanley plane buying guide: match the type to the job

How to set up a Stanley plane before the first shaving

Sources

Public UK sources on hand planes, workplace equipment, and faulty goods. Listing prices and star counts are the amazon.co.uk figures kept for this comparison, October 2026. Prices move.

  1. Stanley Tools UK, No. 4 smoothing bench plane 1-12-004 (retrieved 17 October 2026)
  2. Stanley Tools UK, 50 mm bench plane iron 0-12-313 (retrieved 17 October 2026)
  3. PUWER 1998, regulation 4 (retrieved 17 October 2026)
  4. HSE, Safe use of woodworking machinery (L114) (retrieved 17 October 2026)
  5. BuildWiz, UK hand-plane guide (retrieved 17 October 2026)
  6. Small Workshop, bench plane sharpening angles (retrieved 17 October 2026)
  7. Checkatrade, how to plane a door (retrieved 17 October 2026)
  8. Which?, what to do with a faulty product (retrieved 17 October 2026)