St James Tools

[Mark Baldwin III]

Does anyone have experience with St James Tool Co.? I am in need ("want" does not exist in my tool vocabulary) of a scrub plane. I am looking at the Veritas, LN, and St James. Price is of little factor on this one. I believe that LN and LV are pretty close, and the St James is cheaper than the others. It's something like a $65 dollar difference between cheapest and most expensive. So, like I said...not a huge factor. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[john brenton]

There is almost always a wooden German scrub plane or two of some maker on ebah.

[Jonathan McCullough]

I got a set of irons for a #46 plane from them. They shipped promptly, were friendly on the phone, the irons worked well. I've never heard anything bad about them or their products. Some of their kits look pretty cool.

[Erwin Graween]

Hi,

I've tried for 2 years to get some parts that they're selling. Got many times contact over mail. It seemed every time that the order was processing, and finally never got anything. Even at the end, I got no answers to my emails.
So for me as previously said in an other thread, not a good experience with them.
I gave up ever getting something from them.
Maybe this is because, I live abroad, but I was clear on this point since the beginning so if it was a problem, they should have said it.

But some other people had good experience. So maybe I was not lucky.

[Tony Sade]

The owner, whose name escapes me, is notoriously email adverse. You'll have better luck getting him on the phone, and he loves to talk. If what you want isn't in stock, be prepared to wait awhile for it to be made. He's not the fastest guy around.

I don't think you can go wrong with either the LN or LV, or, as a prior poster suggested, make one of your own. Turn a Stanley 5 into a scrubber by opening the mouth and seriously cambering the blade.

[Bruce Haugen]

What Tony says is true. Although I would like to have a Stanley #40, I do have a dogmeat post-war era Stanley #5 that has a heavily cambered blade that does everything a "true" scrub does. The #40 ranks at the top of the list of tools I really don't need.

[Erik Manchester]

I too purchased a set of irons for a 46 from St James Bay and the order was filled promptly and the irons work great. Cannot ask for better.

[David Weaver]

You can also make a scrub out of an old straight rabbet plane, just look for one with a heavy iron. They are narrow and easy to grip.

[Josh Bowman]

The owner, whose name escapes me, is notoriously email adverse. You'll have better luck getting him on the phone, and he loves to talk. If what you want isn't in stock, be prepared to wait awhile for it to be made. He's not the fastest guy around.

+1 with the email
He's a nice guy and makes pretty good stuff. Just call him though.

[Terry Beadle]

I bought a St. James Bay smoother with adjustor, blade and cocobolo innards. It took me quite a while to put together as I only worked on it between other projects. The plane turned out very good. The blade is very good too. Will take 1/2 thou shavings if desired.

I also bought a custom blade from them which is in a krenov style plane. Very good price and performance.

I did have a little bit ( and I mean little ) of a challenge getting email response. I was able to phone when needed. He gave me good advice and directions when I needed them.

Over all a very satisfied customer.

[Erwin Graween]

Hi all.

Well I was not aware of that, never read it anwyhere. Although he did answer me, he should have told it to me.
I would have called.

Maybe I'll try this way to get my parts :p

Thanks.

[Tony Zaffuto]

Order spurs for my #39 and a few other odd ball parts. Arrived promptly and I have no complaints.

[Ron Petley]

I e maild with little results, phoned Bob, we talked a lot on the phone, but no product, I phoned some more and had a few more enjoyable conversations. Eventually my plane kit came, must have been a 6 month, maybe 8 month process, maybe something was not in stock. To be fair I did not pursue fast service. So I have the kit and have not got it assembled yet so maybe we are much the same. Great guy but marches to his own beat, if that bothers you maybe you will not appreciative his finer qualities, he has a excellent product at a excellent price, hard to beat that.
Cheers Ron.

[Jerry Brockman]

Ordered twice from him. First time he was just very slow in shipping. I thought I would give him another chance about 6 months later. It was worse..he shipped the wrong item. He would not respond to email. I called him and he agreed to correct it but after a month I contact the post office and finally got a response and satisfaction.

[Maurice Metzger]

I got some 271 plane irons from him years ago. I also talked to him on the phone. Irons were good, and came fairly quickly.

[Mark Baldwin III]

Thanks for the honest feedback everyone! Even with the couple of negatives, he will stay on my list as a source for a scrub plane. After dealing with old custom bikes the last few years, I've had similar hot/cold with the vendors I send my money too. Will also consider buying or building a woodie too. I have the cambered Hock iron on my wish list at Veritas expressly for this purpose. I'm not in dire need of the scrub yet, but I will be wanting it soon, and wanted to start my window shopping. Thanks again!

[Josh Bowman]

Thanks for the honest feedback everyone! Even with the couple of negatives, he will stay on my list as a source for a scrub plane. After dealing with old custom bikes the last few years, I've had similar hot/cold with the vendors I send my money too. Will also consider buying or building a woodie too. I have the cambered Hock iron on my wish list at Veritas expressly for this purpose. I'm not in dire need of the scrub yet, but I will be wanting it soon, and wanted to start my window shopping. Thanks again!

I've talked with him a couple of times. He's just an individual machinist. If he's got it off it goes, if not you have to wait till he makes them.

[Mark Stutz]

Mark,
I looked for a long time for a #40 for a price I was willing to pay. Finally found it, but I find the scrub I turn to when I need one is a wooden ECE that was given to me by a friend. Similar horned versions are usually just afew bucks on ebay, or you can find them in box lots at auction.

Mark

[Erwin Graween]

Hi creekers,

I Have to comment/moderate my previous posts.

I finally got in touch with St James Tool Bay Co. Teh fact is that if you use the mail that is the contact for the web site, you don't have much chances too reach him.
You rather call !

That's what I did and than all wen smooth. He's very nice to get on the phone, very instructed on planes and tool history. As the conversation went by (as my phone bill ;) - I called from France) he even tought me tricks to get my irons tempered, etc.
I was a pleasure talking with him (even I speaking is harder than writing, for non native english speakers). Very nice guy.

So mail is not the way to go. Phone is the way to got.

I'll get the parts I've ordered soon, and I'm very pleased the way it goes. He did put the pars on ebay for me, as it is easier to buy them from a country abroad.

Sorry for the previous comments.
I'll let you know when I get the parts. But as other said, it's very nice to do business with him, but get on the phone.

Just to let you, as I want to be honest, and also to let people of this forum know about how things are.

Best Regards.

[Mike Davis NC]

So how much does a good+ Stanley #40 sell for and is anybody seriously looking for one?

[Trevor Walsh]

I've got some small router plane castings from him on ebay, the are great, I haven't finished either (read: I've started work on them). I did have trouble emailing about some replacement part, but I don't remember what it was.

[Brian J. Williams]

Calling or visiting Bob is definitely in order. I stopped by his shop in Mesa this summer while I was in Phoenix. Very cool, lots (LOTS) of replacement parts for Stanleys, and he does it all in his little shop that sits in the shadow of high rise buildings in Mesa. I bought a 60 degree smoothing plane kit (working on bit by bit), an old ship lap plane, some parts for my 45, and a few other esoteric parts (screws, etc.) you're simply not going to find elsewhere. Reasonable prices, too, in my opinion. The man just doesn't seem to like email, and that's okay by me. He's a wealth of information and it was great to sit and chat for about 45 minutes. As far as my previous orders, all were shipped quickly.

[Bill Moser]

I just received a panel plane kit I ordered off of the 'bay. Took a little longer (2 wks) than expected to get here, but not a big deal. I've also heard that he's much more of a phone conversationalist, and not great with email. He has a lot of cool stuff on his site -- which means I'm going to have to give him a call soon :)

[Mark Wyatt]

I'll throw in my two cents and experience.

I've ordered some oddball parts from Bob. Like everyone has said, you need to talk to him on the phone and have at least 30 minutes to spend. It will likely be worth your while, anyway. He had to make the parts for me; they were not stock. It took him about 6 weeks to make them and get them to me, which I felt was simply excellent for one man in a shop for fairly unique one-off parts. The parts worked perfect out of the package and I would not hesitate to order from him again. Also, given Stanley and other old tool parts are usually not standard, I find his prices excellent.