A New Idea And View On An Old Tool

[@RexKrueger]

You managed to talk about that leather sleeve for 7 minutes....you're a genius.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Lol thanks man.

[@SLU94]

Love my Gramercy holdfasts. Excellent product & price.

[@devinteske]

Not only a genius, a great video that revealed things I did not yet know (why the length is important) and seldom is it demonstrated visually the damage left without a padded end - kind of like that time Rex actually threw the plane over his shoulder in that one video (Epic!)

[@threeriversforge1997]

A simple tool to use, but surprisingly difficult to make them. If you've ever forged one, they can be tricky because the length of the vertical shaft does, in my experience, play a role in how well they hold. There's something about the weight of the leg. I think it's absorbing some of the vibration from when you drive it home, but can't say for certain. I notice the same performance difference on my hardy tools - the ones with long stems stay put in the anvil better than the ones I make up with short stems, or hollow stems. John at Black Bear Forge does great work.

[@davidrustylouis6818]

The Gramercy holdfasts are very smooth & can slide in the dog hole but an very easy remedy is just to roughen the bar with sandpaper. I've done this to mine & they never slip or move at all & I've had mine for 4 years+. (Edit: I spoke too soon, you addressed this roughing the stem later on in the video plus I didn't know that you've done an entire video on this very subject). Good content.

[@sandrineblack1545]

I use a 2"x 3" slip of 1/4 masonite under my Gramercy holdfasts and ths works just fine; no marks on the work and thw workpiece is held securely. Put the masonite shiny side up.

[@crazyredwizard]

When my gramercy holdfasts were slipping I used some climbing chalk on the shaft and in the dogholes. Months later and there's still no problem.

[@Darkanii]

I used to make my own holdfasts from wood. I just looked for straight branches with another branch sticking out at around 45 degrees angle. I cut it just below the branch and then two more cuts to get the 7-shape. Note that it's important to have a steeper angle than on the metal ones, otherwise the wood will flex. The wood must be hard, I used maple and ash. And they need to be thicker than the metal holdfasts, around 1 inch (2.5 cm) diameter. I peeled them and let them dry before I used them. Works amazingly well and it's completely free if you have access to the trees.

[@LitoGeorge]

And what do you do now? Did you swop over to metal holdfasts?

[@Darkanii]

@@LitoGeorge unfortunately I moved and no longer have a workbench :( I will give the wooden ones another go when I get one again.

[@chucksierraflpd]

Maybe making hold fasts from wood is a good idea for an episode.

[@johnmarten445]

Thanks. I just completed my bench and I am now hold fast shopping

[@CleaveMountaineering]

I have a pair of Gramercy holdfasts, and glued the leather on the pad, and textured the shaft with a center punch. Works great.

[@michaelmcdermott2178]

Just ordered a pair of the Gramercy holdfasts. Thanks.

[@timothymallon]

Thank you for the PSA about the Amazon hold fasts. I have considered buying them. I know not to now.

[@doublecheese6299]

I got a Pony Jorgensen one from Amazon and I love using it. Hasn't broken so far, but I haven't used it all that much yet. Some reviewers on Amazon have complained of breakage though.. It holds great in my 1.5" top with 3/4" holes.

[@voldmar]

I sewed a couple of sleeves for my Gramarcy holdfast, but I like the idea of that you show

[@gregorypennell1755]

Note to self…add Gramercy holdfasts to order… Thanks for the review, James…I’ve been shopping for holdfasts and this helped tremendously. 👍🏼

[@vince55sanders]

The sticky felt pads made to protect flooring from furniture feet scratches are perfect for wood clamps. If the pads spent too many years on a store shelf or kitchen drawer they may require a little extra adhesion 😎

[@damirlorca1298]

i am a blacksmith from chile and i make one and was very very usefull

[@Uncephalized]

Awesome idea and gives me new things to try and make! Thanks.

[@klez42]

My texturizing "tip" for gramercy holdfasts is to use them in a bench with a top that's still got some moisture. A little surface rust and they hold really well with just a light tap :)

[@judithkatz1918]

simple ideas are always best

[@rwoz1in7]

Thanks for all your time and effort.

[@JuanRivera-wm2um]

I have been trying to make my own covers for my two holdfasts. That is a great idea. Thank you.

[@davidrustylouis6818]

I tried gluing leather to my holdfasts feet but the leather kept sliding/peeling off so I just use a relatively thin & soft sacrificial piece of wood under the foot now. I'll be ordering those leather "socks" very soon though. Thanks for the video James.

[@MrDaveNG]

Never had nor used a holdfast before - I am intrigued and looking for one now 😁

[@ozzy6900]

Well, I use holdfasts all the time. I also used a piece of leather glued with hide glue but through use, they always come off and usually at the worst time. I've been using a sacrificial piece of scrap but that sometimes slips. Enough I enough! i ordered 4 of the Holdfast Cups that you are using and we'll see how that works.

[@benkeller3]

As always, i really enjoy your videos. I almost always put scrap wood on top to prevent marking the piece. Gramercy hold downs that I use all the time.

[@stainlesssteellemming3885]

I have the grammercy holdfasts, because I have a vice-less bench. The first thing I did was exactly what you've done with your forged ones. I just glued on some offcuts from the leather I use to make strops, trimmed with a knife, and it works great.

[@SLU94]

Same here.

[@ugaladh]

Same, and he dissed the Grammercy ones for denting and then showed the forged ones didn't because he glued pads on them.

[@Apillicus]

Thanks for pointing these out

[@davidlawrence1279]

I use 1/2 in round bar, that I turned into hold fasts about 30 years ago. 1/2 in round is small enough to forge in a charcoal fire, or a propane blowtorch, and all you need to forge is a hammer and a vise. 3/4 stock is really over kill and is real blacksmith grade. My bench top is 1.5 (2by) thick, and it jams well in the top. Use hot rolled round as it has the rough surface for a good grip. I spaced my holes such that the holdfast overlaps the adjacent hole. Remember, loosen by hitting the back of the bend, tighten by hammering down.

[@igknightor1632]

If you put a bit of glue on the end of the holdfast then wrap it tightly with twine or leather cord it tends to make a surface much softer on wood. Trick I figured out when learning how to make stone and bone tools

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

How would it fit in the hole then?

[@daw00t]

@@WoodByWrightHowTo I think he means the leaf end, not body end :)

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

LOL that would make more sense. That's what I get for answering comments at midnight

[@igknightor1632]

@@daw00t I’m not good with some terminology lol

[@Makerr8]

You showcase some holdfasts but what I need are some dropslows to keep wood from falling off my bench so quickly.

[@douglasmagruder]

Great video, thanks James!

[@billmoody9736]

Comment - dont have a fancy wood table (YET) but this was an informative video that I will bookmark

[@thomashverring9484]

I have two Gramercy holdfasts. I used some sandpaper, as they suggested, to roughen up the shanks a little bit. And I glued thick leather onto the toes. But I think I'm going to make a couple of leather sheaths now! Oh, and I would love a Black Bear Forge holdfast!!! I think he has made some again, but I don't think I can order them from Denmark :(

[@dragonstonegemironworkscra4740]

Awesome video. I love the idea of the leather boots. Maybe not the right name but hey these " Boots" aren't made for walking! Man also Awesome shout out for Blackbear Forge, Mr John Switzer is a true gem in the KZbin blacksmith world. My 1sr holdfast in his design we're HALF in mild steel. Now I'm working on some 3/4 from coil springs. They won't give. John Switzer and Roy Adams are the smithing equivalent of yourself and Mr Rex !!! Blessings aboundant brother Crawford out 🙏🔥⚒️🧙🏼‍♂️ PS. Still working slowly on my Rubou style bench. Had to wait for the wood to properly dry Texas style

[@raneolsen]

I have two Gramercy ones, I love them.

[@sktruesdale]

I haven't started using holdfasts. But after watching the videos I think I may start.

[@dmitriygalperin5766]

thanks for a good ward

[@michaeldoto4673]

Great to see innovation meet an existing product and elevate it. Thank you James!

[@says8]

Thanks for the tip/review

[@jdau2b]

“Nothing beats this “ …then he proceeds to beat it with a mallet…Mae up my mind!!!!😂😂

[@devinteske]

I own my fair share of expensive hand tools, extremely guilty, but I have to admit that when I look at the price of holdfasts ($100+ EACH) and then they have to be used on a sturdy bench ($1k+), I start to feel that there are two kinds of woodworkers: those with inherited tools and/or the independently wealthy. So, I use a pair of WORX Pegasus folding saw horses for a bench (doubtful a hold fast would work in the dog holes these horses have) and have no hold fasts but many clamps; my most expensive clamps being $50/each

[@TankVgryazi]

I have a pair of Gramercy holdfasts, ave have liked them. I don't work with larger stock like you, so the compact size is actually a plus. I also really like the taytools "hold-slows", with the F style clamp on top.

[@franky47]

Got a couple of those, and glued leather pads on the bottom with neoprene, it works just fine. However, I found them to not stick at all in a 19mm bench dog hole in my 85mm thick bench (even with the texturing hack), but they work well in a 20mm hole. Also dowel stock for pegs & dogs on our side of the pond are also 20mm, so here's that.

[@marcbarash6045]

Thanks James

[@B.A.Bassangler]

I'm now convinced, going viseless to start out, booties are in my cart! Maybe add a portable vise for a taller work-surface later on. i imagine 4 holdfasts would be plenty, but just curious as to how many you have used at 1 time?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

2 is minimum, but I have never used more then 4

[@מעייןהמלבלבתחייםםםם]

Hold fast are assential part of my woodworking and i am using them all the time. I have got 5 of them. As from my experience to make the best of the you should consider the thickness of your bench top , the geometry of the hold fast and the diameter of the hole for the hold fast, a good combination between them will give great results. My bench top is 4.5 cm ( Rex joinery bench) so my cast hold fast are suitable for the bench i am using them and abusing them and they are good the only downside is the short neck, i have got 2 forged hold fast made by blacksmith like yours they are bigger have longer neck and leg and i have got a very unique forged holdfast that the neck of it is very long but i can change the radius of it it's leg is also long... because of the forged hold fast i headed to the underside of the bench top 5cm to the thickness , the cast ones are sill doing great job with the haded thickness. I was thinking of using leather but for know i am using wood scraps and plywood for preventing damage.

[@alans1816]

I designed my small shop bench around the Gramercy holdfasts: 9 1/2" below the top surface space there's a tool cabinet. This is enough space for holdfasts, a lot of weight for the bench, and it doesn't get in the way. All drawers can be accessed from either side of the bench. I do also have a couple of blacksmith -made holdfasts that require thicker stock to clear the cabinet. The Gramercy ones are useful 99.9% of the time.

[@marshallmurrell4583]

I have two of the "blue" ones you showed in the video. They came as a part of a package I bought from Rockler. They are totally useless. They don't hold. I have tried all of the tricks in various videos to make them hold, and they are better, but still come loose, particularly under lateral pressure. I am going to buy a couple of Grammercy holdfasts, but just have not gotten " a round tuit."

[@philaandrew100]

I have always used a piece of scrap... One day I might get around to glueing a chunk of leather on... But don't hold your breath waiting😂

[@doublecheese6299]

Same here. I keep a little square of 1/4" MDF handy and use it as a pad when needed.

[@mikecatherine3224]

Some of the best ideas are the simple ones.

[@bcargnel]

Once again, a great video. I bought a couple of the Gramercy hold fast a few years ago and really love them. I glued on a piece of an old belt as my pad and it’s worked well. When I need to go to a deeper hold or a higher hold as you call it I have a Veritas holdfast that I use on a regular basis.

[@lewkyb]

nice sleeve

[@MASI_forging]

Great build.👍👍

[@ProfWisecrack]

Thank you!

[@mwrcrft]

I have 4 of the Gramercy ,two are cut down for a Moxon/ Benchcraft Hardware vice with deck/ mini bench top, for dovetails they all work well in Maple. Also a Veritas screw hold down that works well for pine in a naked Nickelson with easy knock down hardware that Mike Seimsen and LAP had drawings for. They all work in a Maple split top Roubo/Benchcraft hardware that I built from the Wood Wisperererer Guild plans.

[@dwainlambrigger3769]

Nice video. I think it may be best to have a pair of the grammercy for common work and, with finances allow, get yourself a couple Blackbear Forge holdfasts for that depth you mention. Thanks for the video!

[@rjtumble]

I’m playing around with blacksmithing. This seems like a pretty simple project to tackle

[@bhazen406]

Make one for your hardy hole on your anvil you will thank yourself

[@satchmojoe1]

Loved the video!

[@tom314]

I originally had a pair of Sjobergs ST03 Holdfast which have a handle you turn to clamp down on your work and they did me fine for a few years but using them was never quick and easy. Then when I built my Roubo I bought myself a pair of Simon James Holdfasts which are "Hand forged in the uk" , well maybe they are handled but they certainly haven't seen a hammer, but that doesn't really matter. I epoxied on some leather to protect the wood and they are so much nicer to use, quick, easy and reliable.

[@chucksierraflpd]

Great stuff,

[@MCsCreations]

Thanks a bunch for the video, James! 😊 Here in Brazil they're pretty expensive! So I've been thinking about getting a piece of construction iron, they already have some texture, and paying for a blacksmith to making them for me. I don't know, let's see what happens, but it's the only solution I've found so far. That or making them out of wood... Probably a dowel and plywood, so it won't break so easily... But I don't know yet. Anyway, stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@SigurtDinesen]

If it's a matter of purchasing power, maybe finding a local blacksmith is still an option?

[@MCsCreations]

@@SigurtDinesen Yeah, that's what I'm thinking about, as I described there. But we shall see. 😊

[@SigurtDinesen]

@@MCsCreations Ah, shit. Yeah that is what you said :D I somehow read that as you wanting to make your own, my bad :)

[@MCsCreations]

@@SigurtDinesen Oh, don't worry about it. At all. 😊 It's always good to hear other people's opinions. 😊

[@1pcfred]

A fire and a hair dryer and you can make your own. It's not that hard to heat a small piece of steel rod up enough to bend it. Just be careful not to burn yourself working with it. Use a pair of pliers to hold it.

[@articrdog5872]

Thanks! Will a 3/4” thick hold fast work in a 15/16 hole my bench top is about 5-1/2 inches thick. Keep up the good work!

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

A 3/4 hold fast is designed to fit into a 3/4 in hole. But for that sick of a hardwood bench you sometimes need to back drill the hole so that the affected thickness is only about 3-4 inches

[@AllanMacMillan]

Those Gramercy holdfasts have been tempting me, I haven't got any holdfasts yet. The only thing holding me back from buying them is that I've had a plan to make some for a while now. I have a bar of hot rolled 5/8" diameter stock that will become a couple of holdfasts once I get my forge/anvil situation sorted out. From what I've read of homemade ones the rod can be as thin as 1/2" and still work fine, but if my 5/8" isn't great I also have some 3/4" rods which are perhaps 5 or 10 thousandths of an inch oversized, so they won't go in a dog hole, so will be quite a bit more work to use, hence the 5/8" rod to start with.

[@dpmeyer4867]

Thanks

[@colemine7008]

great video

[@blayne2029]

I like the Gramercy Holdfasts. But you absolutely need to file in some lines so they stick better.

[@DVDFHardTarget]

Would you not use a bit of scrap timber so you don't damage the work?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

you can, but that some times slides around. I found the leather pad to work better.

[@grahamburchell1]

Could you make a wooden holdfast , bent lamination of some kind?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Usually if you're going to make it out of wood you find a tree with a natural bend in it or a y in the tree and make with the legs longer and fit into the hole.

[@trevorkirkpatrick1574]

Another great video. Thanks

[@upsidedowndog1256]

I have a single layer of 2×10 pine on my bench. Will the holes survive in that wood? I would like to try these.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Usually with pine you need at least 2 in. Most people end up with 3-in top and I'll put another board underneath where the holes are at.

[@upsidedowndog1256]

@@WoodByWrightHowTo Nice!

[@llaroque211]

Good video .

[@brucebellows7772]

Great video. Don't apologize for a short video, most long videos have about 50% of useful information. A presenter better offer something useful in the first few minutes and have a good number of views.

[@johnfreiler6017]

I've got a pair of cast holdfasts from Grizzly. They haven't broken on me yet, but maybe I haven't used them hard enough.

[@kencarlile1212]

My only problem with my Gramercy holdfasts is that the only leather I had lying around when I bought them was black--and the dye comes off of the black leather onto the wood! Now, I have some undyed leather, but that would involve re-gluing... and I'm lazy.

[@hassanal-mosawi4235]

Well said!

[@psteed84]

Hi James, thanks for the video. May I ask how long is the stem on the Black Bear forge holdfast is? Peter

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

If you put the hold fast into the bench there's about 15 in of shaft inside the bench.

[@psteed84]

Ok, thanks 👍

[@paco_vazquez]

Wonder why James hammered the hold fast from under the table instead of the back of the hold fast… interesting

[@garyleonard9178]

he was sitting on his stool directly in front of the back end.

[@gguessyah]

The Gramercy hold fasts are a good ones except the shaft is too smooth as Wright says. I used a file to put grooves on the shaft and now it works great.

[@TheCatNipGardener]

Another great video, can I ask do you recommend a hide mallet or is a wooden mallet up to the task. Thanks for your videos I learn so much.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

I would mail it is perfectly fine. I know a few people who just use a 2x4. But most any split face mallet will work fine

[@brooklynpaul4003]

Nice video, but what captivated me was your mallet, apparently made using pipe. Is this mallet made just for smacking the holdfast?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

It is a split head hammer. You can still find modern ones like this. amzn.to/3PcLipx

[@johnford7847]

I have a cabinet under my bench, and so a long holdfast isn't suitable for me. I haven't had any problems with the Gramercy holdfasts aside from an occasional slippage. Nice video, but I think I'll stick with glued-on pads.

[@Vikingwerk]

Is there a reason you knock your holdfasts out from the bottom, instead of tapping the back of the heel (assuming the pad holding the work is the toe) like everyone else i’ve seen use holdfasts?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

If the hold fast is sticking up a ways I knock it from the top. But if it is close to the work I find it easier to tap it for the bottom.

[@alexanderkononov1113]

Nice

[@chucksierraflpd]

@darkarmi used to make them from wood. Maybe making hold fasts from wood is a good idea for an episode.

[@kb6dxn]

Never have used a holdfast, my bench has larger holes than 3/4 and finding them that will work with my bench is hard to find. My bench is a Sjöbergs.

[@alanbutler7712]

IMPORTANT NOTE!! Don't hit the Like button 10 times, or it will not be liked at the end. Use an odd number of hits. 😂

[@pitsnipe5559]

Thanks, been looking for a good and affordable hold fast. Now, don’t go playing whack a mole with your hold fasts 🤪

[@ssrattus]

Thanks James. 10 likes.

[@333rpd]

I thought a "hold sloe", was a container that you keep your gin in. ;)

[@MostlyCivilEngineer]

What bench thickness would you say is required to use the holdfasts? (Gramercy specifically)

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Depends on the wood but at least 1.5" for hard woods and 2.5" for most softer woods

[@doublecheese6299]

@@WoodByWrightHowTo Mine works great in 1.5" pine.

[@SweSuf]

My problem with hold fasts is that I still don't have a bench to use them in...

[@Kevin.odonnell]

I wish there was a simple way to create a flush insert for dog holes. I currently use my bench for guitars and sometimes electronics. Components will sometimes fall through and then it’s lost forever. Any ideas?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

I know a lot of people who use dogs and have a dog in every hole.

[@asterisk606]

It might be a bit tedious to insert and remove the plugs, but perhaps you can come up with a way to have the plugs mount from the underside of the bench up through the top. You can make the plug "T" shaped and use the flat part on the bottom to screw it in or use something like a barrel bolt latch to keep it from falling out.

[@Kevin.odonnell]

@@asterisk606 you know I considered basically recessing the whole dog area and then sliding a piece of thin ply over it like a sliding box lid situation. But then I realized that was ultra silly

[@babthooka]

Kaboom!

[@BAILEYWOODWORKS]

How thick does the bench need to be to use a hold-fast? Great video! I really want to try to use them.

[@kennethleitner1337]

For the Gramercy holdfast see the specs on their page for bench thickness.

[@BAILEYWOODWORKS]

@@kennethleitner1337 of course! I should have thought of that. Thanks so much Kenneth. I will do that.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

Depends on the wood but at least 1.5" for hard woods and 2.5" for most softer woods

[@lewisconklin7252]

Cool comment.

[@johnmartin4504]

Holdfasts can also be made of wood.

[@B30pt87]

New sub!

[@transmundanium]

My holdfasts are all forged, one by an actual blacksmith and the others by me (not a blacksmith). Conclusion: Anything even remotely holdfast shaped will work (astonishingly) I just use scrap wood to pad the end, there’s always some around.

[@ianstewart7605]

I have two Gramercy holdfasts. I had slipping issues a few years ago, but my old workshop was cold, draughty and damp. They went a little rusty. I cleaned the rust off a bit with coarse sandpaper, and had no more slipping issues. I built a new workshop that is warm and dry, and they will never rust again in there. I use no others, although had considered buying a Pony brand to try. Thanks for the heads up on those! I have not, so far, felt limited by the length of the Gramercy ones, but I do take your point.

[@LitoGeorge]

Whats the ideal length of a holdfast?

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

I like 15" of rod in the bench.

[@LitoGeorge]

@@WoodByWrightHowTo tx. How wide/ long is the leaf of the forged holdfast? What radius? If its good, I will make one like it or possibly a bunch.

[@WoodByWrightHowTo]

I like about two square inches of surface contacting the wood. Ish. Something like an inch and a half by inch and a half space.

[@LitoGeorge]

@@WoodByWrightHowTo thanks James.

[@theajthomas]

Holdfast is the name of a device that holds things fast. Fast.

[@chadshort4750]

Hold fasts grab quickly