>Before I try and make one myself, I wanted to see how much a new tote and knob would cost for a Stanley No5. I seem to remember that several year back LV used to carry Rosewood totes and knobs. But I just looked on their web site and didn't see any.
I checked out Highland Hardware (who sold PLASTIC handles! YUCK!) and Lie Nielsen Tools and couldn't find anyone who sold them.
My other thought was to find them on Ebay. But that's my last resort.
Anybody know of a sites that sell nice quality replacement totes and knobs?
Yes, Highland Hardware carries nice rosewood totes. I've purchased from both. You may have to do a bit of filing and sanding to get a perfect fit but the result is worth it.
A few years ago ,while collecting planes,I noticed that most #5s I got had broken totes.I fixed a few but I could still see the cracks and wasn't happy with it. I didn't like the look of the ones that Woodcraft sells.The price of replacements on ebay was about the same as what I paid for some of these planes,so I made one.Once I got a system down it was easy so I made three. One in red oak,one maple and one rosewood. My favorite #5 is a type 11 with a hock iron and the maple tote.
The only tricky part was drilling the though hole for the long bolt. Once I figured a way to do that the rest was easy.I posted my results here with pictures but it was a few years ago and I'm not sure how to access the post. If you want to see it and can't find it I could give you a quick rundown of the process.
>I just sold a very nice older no. 5 tote with no damage and most of the decal on the ebay for $26. Have sold alot on there and nice ones normaly go for between $20 and $40. I don't look on ebay but imagine lots others get sold on it too. Even if you can get a modern repop a bit cheaper I wouldn't think the difference would be great enough so to not go with getting the original factory wood for your plane.....Never mind going to the trouble of making one !
Of course you could just do like I do and that would be buy complete planes to break up for the wood and parts. Even in the old tool hell I live in is very easy to buy planes with good wood for $5-$10 at flea markets and auctions.Probably the same where you are at too. The one I got the above tote from I gave $13 for [talked down from $15] but it was a very clean older plane that had seen only minimal use and again had a nice decal even still so I paid a bit more.Broken up the parts went for around $70 ......Todd
>the pore ole widder lady says to Todd, "Here sonny. I will use this old butter knife to scratch that there writing offen the tool. Don't want to sell you something that's all marked up."
>That reminds me of the time a flea vendor took out a pipe wrench to free up a 2101A Yankee brace ratchet. I quickly and loudly asked him to sell it to me as is :-)JR
>In the past, for replacmeent knobs and totes, I was very satisfied with a guy named Mike from Katy, TX. But I just checked his link and saw that he is now out of business.
So I would try this guy. While I have never dealt with him personally, he was my No. 2 choice when I was shopping for some custom work on plane knobs and totes.
Good luck!
Matt Prusik
Contact information for Paul J. Bordonaro:
Paul J. Bordonaro,
553 Bloomfield Ave.
Windsor, CT 06095.
860 688 3909
A good source for replacement totes and knobs for Stanley planes.
