Looking for Scott Stonehill from Custom Screws and More

[can14&]

There is always a demand for the 5c type rifle sight mounting and replacement screws
He does a very good job

[tatou]

It's a lot of work, when most people don't want to pay you what you consider your time is worth. If the things you make are for your own use, that's different. But it's never going to be able to wash its own face.

Amen to that
I've been asked a few times to help in some work/restoration but with the amount of hours involved, i prefer to decline.... i have a day job and could never charge all the hours it takes to do a proper job.
And that's not counting any ''accidents'' or mistakes that can always happen... i would just hate to ruin someone else part/project.

[RangeRover]

I wish Scott all the best in his retirement. He has provided a very valuable service to those of us desperate to find a replacement for a screw otherwise impossible to find. How many dealers stock screws for Witten carbines, for example. ;-)

I agree that it would truly be a shame if Scott's knowledge was not picked up by someone else. Not me...I'm dangerous with just a hammer...but I can appreciate how difficult it might be to make a living, getting a satisfactory return on your time. It is worth paying for quality from a craftsman, but that's not a view held by all unfortunately.

[Mk VII]

The 5C types are among the easiest to do; it's the 5A and 5B ones which take some doing.

[tatou]

First time i ''worked'' with Scott it was for a Ross rifle nosecap screw.
I had never seen one, he had never made one and to top it off the treads on the nosecap were completely gone.
After going back and fort with him (in emails) for a few measurements and pictures he made one and sent it along with a tap to re tread the nosecap.
The screw was a perfect fit ... the man is good... VERY good.

[Surpmil]

First time i ''worked'' with Scott it was for a Ross rifle nosecap screw.
I had never seen one, he had never made one and to top it off the treads on the nosecap were completely gone.
After going back and fort with him (in emails) for a few measurements and pictures he made one and sent it along with a tap to re tread the nosecap.
The screw was a perfect fit ... the man is good... VERY good.

I hope you bought in bulk?

[tatou]

I hope you bought in bulk?

Nope... that was a one off. A unique and original Scott Stonehill's

[Ax.303]

I`ve had the pleasure of dealing with Scott a few times for oddball screws I needed for projects.

Usually a quick conversation on the phone so he knew exactly what I needed. Always great work.

Never cheap, but always worth the money.

[Mk VII]

I've made most of these screws from time to time, but with him supplying to the public there seemed no point in competing, and finding the time to do it these days is difficult.

[Rick]

Not related to the loss of a craftsman serving the arms collector obsession, but...

I have my great great grandfather's pocket watch; it needed a screw - a very, very small screw. The maker of the watch is still in business in England, but that's a long way away.

I also have a niece who is an accredited watch repairer (whatever they call themselves), accredited through some institute in Switzerland. She spends her days working on Rolexes and other timepieces that make Rolexes look like a Timex where costs are concerned.

I watched her and her tools knock off a new screw for my pocket watch in about as much time as it takes me to make my breakfast.

It's possible that watch maker/repairmen have both the tooling and the skills to at least make small screws for sights and sight mounts. Taps and dies for those oddball screws might be another matter.

One thing is that you're unlikely to find a craftsman like Meara anywhere other than a major city, big enough to support a watch shop that makes it's living selling Rolex and similar watches, probably about a million plus unless you're in an economic powerhouse city.