Hock Block Plane Blades – Choosing the Right One

21 October 2026 Techniques

The block plane is the workhorse of many workshops. Although it is often taken for granted, it is a very practical and versatile tool, and just like the larger bench planes it gets much better with a better blade. Hock blades fit Stanley and Record block planes and may fit others.

Measure the width

Hock block plane blades come in two widths:

1 3/8" – for Stanley-style low-angle block planes such as the 60 1/2.
1 5/8" – for the 9 1/2 and similar.

All are 3/32" thick and 4 1/4" (108 mm) long.

Check the slot

The slot for the depth adjuster comes in two versions. Compare with the slot in your old blade:

5/8" slot
Wide slot (about 15.9 mm) for newer Stanley planes.

7/16" slot
Narrow slot (about 11.1 mm) for older block planes.

O1 or A2?

O1 (high-carbon steel) is easier to sharpen and takes a very keen edge.
A2 is cryogenically treated and holds its edge longer but takes a little longer to sharpen. Hock recommends A2 for bamboo fly-rod makers, since it resists the abrasive bamboo much better.

Both are durable steels well suited to planes. A2 blades have an A in the item number, for example BWA138.

Hock blades are also available for bench planes. Read more in Replacement Blades for Vintage Planes, which also covers Veritas PM-V11 blades for Stanley block planes.