Block plane

The Block Plane is one of the most useful tools in the wood worker's bag of tricks. Its uses in building kayaks spans all the major types of handcrafted kayaks and their paddles. Held in one hand, the plane is capable of smoothing, rounding, and shaping any flat or convex shape.

There are both regular and low-angle versions of the block plane. The low-angle refers to the angle the blade takes to the surface of the wood. Low-angle planes are better at shaving end grain. However, many woodworkers find low-angle block planes to be good all-round small planes. They are particularly useful in paddle making.

Some nice ones are at Lee Valley.