WOODEN PLANE TERMINOLOGY          

The descriptive terminology the planemakers themselves used for their planes was never 
standardized, so it follows that the terms we use today to describe them are varied. 
The definitions that follow are in fairly common use by collectors and users of the planes.

• Wedge - The piece of wood used to hold Iron in place to prevent Iron from slipping backward during use.
• Finial - The topmost portion of the Wedge and portion that is struck by a mallet to drive the Wedge in place.
• Wedge Mortice - The opening in the Stock into which the Iron and Wedge fit.
• Iron - The chunk of metal that is sharpened to produce the desired cut on the wood.
• Stock - The largest portion of the plane, with its Sole shaped to perform some specific function.
• Toe - The frontmost area of the Sole; normally is the location of the maker's mark.
• Heel - The rearmost area of the Sole; normally whacked with a mallet to remove the Iron.
• Chamfer - Finish cut on edges of the Stock to make for a more comfortable grip; it is either flat or rounded.
• Sole - The underside portion of the Stock; the portion of the Stock that makes contact with the wood.
• Bed - That area of the Stock onto which the Iron rests.
• Mouth - The opening in the Sole through which the Iron protrudes.
• Throat - Angled opening that starts at the Mouth and widens toward the Wedge; allows passage of shavings.
• Fence - The section of Stock (normally on left) that references off the wood to guide the plane as it's worked; 
  not all planes have Fences.
• Stop - Section of the Stock (normally on the right) that stops the plane from cutting any deeper; not all planes 
  have Stops.
• Step - The section of the Stock (normally on the right) that carries the Stop; characterized with a molded top, 
  made to reduce the plane's mass.
• Tote - Grip found normally on bench planes; is either open (like a pistol grip) or closed (like a saw handle).
• Strike - Area on the Stock, forward of the iron, that is hit with a mallet in order to loosen the wedge; usually 
  a hardwood or metal.
• Boxing - The wear strip of a harder substance, normally boxwood, let into the plane's sole in order to make 
  the high points of the sole wear longer.
• Spring - the amount of lean, off the vertical, a plane is worked on the stock.