A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head for perpendicular magnetic recording, the write head having a write pole with an increased bevel (taper) angle. The write pole is constructed by forming a mask structure over a magnetic write pole material, and then performing a combination of sweeping or rotation with static (non-rotating, non-sweeping) ion milling at an angle relative to normal. The ion milling is performed while moving the wafer laterally within the ion milling tool to ensure that the ion milling is performed uniformly across the wafer during static milling.