# Inexpensive ebony shoulder planes?



## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

I was looking at shoulder planes on ebay, and I noticed that there are about a thousand of these listed. Almost all for around $20.

When I went looking for information on them, I didn't find any, but I did find one sold by Grizzly that looks exactly the same. I also saw them last year at the Woodworking Show in Springfield, MA. Looking around further, I found a few more that looked, again, identical.

Does anyone know anything about them? Are they decent? I've been thinking I could use a shoulder plane -- trying to use my rabbet plane has been surprisingly successful, but annoying -- and the price would sure be hard to beat!


----------



## joesbucketorust (Dec 13, 2011)

That's a decent price on the flea-bay. I see they're made in China. The wood doesn't really look like ebony to me, but maybe that's just my monitor. Still, I have to wonder if they're stretching the definition of ebony. They can't be lieing about the steel in the cutter, they don't mention it at all. 
I do see that the mouth cutout is a bit unusual - it looks like they just took a bandsaw and roughed it out, or maybe even a large drill bit and then relieved the mouth with a bandsaw. The entire hole is flat, the usual style is to have it relieved to one side of the other like a funnel, so the shavings know which way to go. 
Someone should buy one and give it a try, let us know the quality.... (no, you do it - i did it last time, give it to Mikey, he'll buy anything. Hey Mikey!)


----------



## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

Heh. Well, if no one has told me they're garbage, I'm planning to look them over next week. Assuming they're at the show and look decent, I'll volunteer myself as a guinea pig. I'm a great subject... I don't know how a good shoulder plane works, and it would be hard for it to be much worse than none!


----------



## joesbucketorust (Dec 13, 2011)

Well I've got your back. If it turns out to be less than perfect, I will buy it off you for (checks his pocket) 35 cents, and two old fuzzy tic-tacs.


----------



## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

Sweet! Those tic tacs could be useful!


----------



## bigcouger (Jan 4, 2012)

Ebony Stain Ebony goes for over $70 bf


----------



## joesbucketorust (Dec 13, 2011)

But it said Ebony. And it was on the Internet so it must be true. Besides, it's made in China - known for their fine engineering, attention to detail, and high-quality craftsmanship at an affordable price. Why would they risk their stellar reputation by staining an inferior wood? :laughing:


----------



## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

It's worth a shot I guess. If not the Stanley will have cost you $20 more than you planned. Not so bad.

~tom. ...GEAUX TIGERS!... ...GEAUX SAINTS!......


----------



## Gene Howe (Feb 28, 2009)

joesbucketorust said:


> _But it said Ebony. And it was on the Internet so it must be true. Besides, it's made in China - known for their fine engineering, attention to detail, and high-quality craftsmanship at an affordable price. _
> 
> Not to mention truth in advertising.:laughing:


----------



## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

firemedic said:


> It's worth a shot I guess. If not the Stanley will have cost you $20 more than you planned. Not so bad.
> 
> ~tom. ...GEAUX TIGERS!... ...GEAUX SAINTS!......


Yeah... I was pretty much figuring that, worst case, I have a small interesting piece of wood and some scrap metal. Best case, I have a plane I couldn't have afforded any time soon. Be nice if someone else could say they'd seen one, though.


----------



## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

amckenzie4 said:


> Be nice if someone else could say they'd seen one, though.


It will be nice for us! lol

~tom. ...GEAUX TIGERS!... ...GEAUX SAINTS!......


----------



## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

Quick update: I went to the show, and no one had the really cheap "ebony" planes. I did, however, pick up a $27 (after tax) rosewood shoulder plane from the Shelter Institute. Never having used a wood plane before, I want to experiment with it for a few weeks before I write a review.

My initial impression is that the construction is mostly excellent, the iron is good but needs to be sharpened, and the sole isn't actually square to the sides. That last worries me, but my check was extremely quick, and my square may not be, so I'll need to check it again. Also, adjusting a wooden plane is a lot harder than a metal one -- I begin to see why metal planes caught on!


----------



## joesbucketorust (Dec 13, 2011)

The adjustment gets easier the more you do it, it just takes practice.
I look forward to hearing how it does/doesn't work out.


----------



## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

joesbucketorust said:


> The adjustment gets easier the more you do it, it just takes practice.
> I look forward to hearing how it does/doesn't work out.


That was pretty much what I was assuming. I did manage to get it to make some nice thin shavings, but the blade kept slipping out of adjustment. I assume I didn't have the wedge tight enough, but hopefully I'll have time to figure it out this weekend.

Assuming I do, I'll probably write up a full review next week.


----------

