# AmazonBasics Hand Plane signals a revival in woodworking



## RichardDePetris (Oct 14, 2013)

I've been on a woodworking sabbatical for the past couple of years after other hobbies and work took center stage. Today, while browsing Amazon, I was pleasantly surprised to find Amazon is selling an AmazonBasics Handplane:

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-No-4-Smoothing-Bench-Plane/dp/B07V81CNJN

While this subpar hand plane offering isn't interesting in of itself, the mere fact Amazon offers it definitely is. Amazon is the world's largest retailer and largest sales channel for other retailers, many of which use it exclusively. This lopsided relationship empowers Amazon with extremely advantageous sales and marketing intelligence which it leverages unfairly to compete with retailers on its platform. AmazonBasics is it own line of house branded products sold as a lower cost, direct competitor of top selling products.

Regardless, the mere fact Amazon sees profits in a product used primarily by traditional woodworkers demonstrates a revitalization and sizable growth in woodworking. It is very encouraging given the doom and gloom pronouncements by many here on Lumberjocks over the years. It may also signal an increasing value of woodworking as a craft due to the skills and dedication behind it.


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## LesB (Dec 21, 2008)

I find Amazon flooded with cheap Asian knock offs that are often worse than junk. Could they now be trying to make some of these seem better or more ligitimate by putting their own brand name on them? I see they have a 1 year warranty but I did not bother to read the warranty. I suspect after their usual 30 day return policy (which is good) it may be more difficult to get a replacement under the warranty.

I learned not to buy cheap many years ago after seeing my father's tendency to buy inexpensive tools that did not perform well and often broke. He grew up during the 1930's depression so I think he though he needed to save money and buy cheap. It seldom pays off.


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## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

I didn't get the impression that the post was intended to promote Amazon Basics tools, or cheap tools in general, but rather was an observation that hand tools for woodworking are becoming mainstream enough for them to get into the market.

BTW, I followed Matt Estlea's posts about his rework of one of them on Instagram and I have to say that I was amazed by the poor machining of the parts. I haven't watched his video yet, but plan to.


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## sansoo22 (May 7, 2019)

Next we need a revitalization of shop classes to go with the products. In 2018 or maybe it was 2016 the founder of Harvey Machinery in China started working with educational institutes to stand up shop classes. They even built their massive shop just for educational purposes. He did it for the reasons that in order to keep selling wood working machines they needed wood workers to sell to but I wont complain if a company makes a little money while also providing education to new generations of wood workers.

It sure would be nice to see an American company do the same thing. Would be really strange if it was Amazon that did it but I might dislike Lex Luther errr I mean Jeff Bezos less if he did.


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## GaryCK (Apr 7, 2018)

That is interesting. I'd have not expected a hand plane to be an Amazon Basics item.


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

alaska guy posted the video on a thread,the work the guy did on the plane was way beyond what the average woodworker would or could ever do.amazons basic plane was basically a piece of junk.


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## Tony_S (Dec 16, 2009)

Any type of hand plane with an Amazon basics tag just seems…Wrong…on so many levels.

Seems like something some hipster with a man bun would buy.

Not that I'm judging….


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## LeeRoyMan (Feb 23, 2019)

Just ordered mine…


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## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

> Seems like something some hipster with a man bun would buy.
> 
> Not that I m judging….
> 
> - Tony_S


+1. And I *am* judging.


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

> Just ordered mine…
> 
> - LeeRoyMan


i knew you would-lol.


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## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

> Just ordered mine…
> 
> - LeeRoyMan
> 
> ...


It'll be a nice complement to the Bridge City PP-1 pencil jig.


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## Tony_S (Dec 16, 2009)

> Just ordered mine…
> 
> - LeeRoyMan


A man bun?


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

> Just ordered mine…
> 
> - LeeRoyMan
> 
> ...


i thought he already had one? hey when your a rockstar woodworker it's a given.


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