Anant jointer plane - an inexpensive option

For those who don’t have the time to restore an old Stanley Bailey plane, (#7’s are not exactly abundant) and are reluctant to spend the $400 + for a high quality Lie-Nielsen hand plane, the Anant, from Highland Woodworking is a viable alternative that will not bust the budget. This #7 jointer plane is on sale/clearance for around $80.

At first inspection I was impressed. The tote and knob are wood and the overall finish is excellent. The plane is well machined and the frog required no additional attention. The sole is flat, probably within about .003” and the blade adjusting knob is brass. The blade was almost perfectly flat and the metal had a rather high degree of finish, requiring very little time and effort to complete the flattening and polishing. The chip breaker had a few burrs which stoned out easily. The blade has decent steel. I was able to sharpen it to the point where it would easily slice paper. Once installed the blade adjustments work properly and I was quickly making long curled shavings.

a few negatives would have to include that the sides and sole, while ground flat and square, do not have a high degree of finish. If you like the soles of your hand planes to have a highly polished surface, then you would have to spend some time on the Anant plane in order to get it that way.

The tote is also a little on the small side. For those who have large hands they might want to replace it.

If handplaning is a daily activity then you might want to spring for a Lie-Nielsen. However, for those who have occasional needs for a jointer plane, this Anant #7 will do the job.

-- "Heaven is North of the Bridge"