I need a hold fast

[Dave Lehnert]

Everyone was right. The cast hold fast did not last long at all. I need a good basic hold fast. Just the kind you whack with a hammer. Nothing fancy, just basic but good.

[Johnny Kleso]

I use HF $1.99 hold fasts in my square holes and they work fine..

Joel at TFWW sells the best round forged ones I know of..



http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/M...&Category_Code=

[Don C Peterson]

I have a pair of the Gramercy holdfasts from tfww and they have been terrific. When I first got them they had a tendency to loosen up in the dog holes until I took a bit oof 220 sandpaper and roughed the posts up just a bit, ever since that point I have been completely happy with them.

I would buy them again and enthusiastically recommend them.

[Dave Lehnert]

I use HF $1.99 hold fasts in my square holes and they work fine..

Joel at TFWW sells the best round forged ones I know of..



http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/M...&Category_Code=

The one I broke was a Harbor Freight (cast) is there another HF that I am not aware of?

[jonathan snyder]

There are a couple of Blacksmiths (Phil Kootnz & Jake Pogrebinsky) in Galena, Alaska making nice holdfasts. Chris Schwarz pictures them in his workbench book, and praises them on his blog. I e-mailed Phil last week, asking about them. Here are the specs he gave me "Holdfasts are $110 per pair, including priority mail postage in the US and Canada. ....they are made for use in a 3/4" bench hole at least 1-1/2" thick. They have a reach of about 7-1/2" and depth of about 11".

Contact info can be found here

jakes holdfast.jpg

I am just about finished up with my new bench, and plan to splurge on a pair sometime soon.

Jonathan

[Billy Chambless]

I have a pair of the Gramercy holdfasts from tfww and they have been terrific. When I first got them they had a tendency to loosen up in the dog holes until I took a bit oof 220 sandpaper and roughed the posts up just a bit, ever since that point I have been completely happy with them.

I would buy them again and enthusiastically recommend them.

Don,

You saved me a bunch of typing.

I consider the Gramercy holdfasts one of the best woodworking purchases I've made, and a bargain at $30 or so for the pair.

[harry strasil]

I prefer my own design of holdfasts made of 3/4" hot rolled round and 1/4" by 3/4" or 1" hot rolled flat arc welded to the tops and forged and ground down smooth, as you can strike them right on top of the round and the flat is springy so they don't work loose in use.

[Billy Chambless]

I prefer my own design of holdfasts made of 3/4" hot rolled round and 1/4" by 3/4" or 1" hot rolled flat arc welded to the tops and forged and ground down smooth, as you can strike them right on top of the round and the flat is springy so they don't work loose in use.

Yeah, but you're one of them fellas can make anything out of anything. Us less skilled individuals have to buy some things.

[John Schreiber]

I have a pair of the Gramercy holdfasts from tfww and they have been terrific. When I first got them they had a tendency to loosen up in the dog holes until I took a bit oof 220 sandpaper and roughed the posts up just a bit, ever since that point I have been completely happy with them.

I would buy them again and enthusiastically recommend them.

I'll just echo Don again. These holdfasts are a great tool. Everyone should use them. I think they look so simple that people don't believe how good they are.

[Hank Knight]

Dave,

Take a look at these Veritas holdfasts from Lee Valley: http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...49&cat=1,41637 . They're pricey, but they're my favortes by far. I have a pair of the Gramercy holdfasts and they are very good, but I find the Veritas ones NEVER slip and the pressure is adjustable with at turn of the knob.

Hank

[Dan Bertenthal]

The Gramercy holdfasts work terrifically in my somewhat thin Sjobergs bench. All it took was a little roughing up with sandpaper, as others have said, and I couldn't be more pleased. Kudos to Joel at Tools for Working Wood for developing such an economical solution.
Dan

[Johnny Kleso]

The one I broke was a Harbor Freight (cast) is there another HF that I am not aware of?

Nope I have four of the ones you have and they are much shorter than Joel's

I also have a Record screw tighten hold fast

[Jim Becker]

Gramarcy from ToolsForWorkingWood.com was my choice...great hold-fasts!

[glenn bradley]

I prefer my own design of holdfasts made of 3/4" hot rolled round and 1/4" by 3/4" or 1" hot rolled flat arc welded to the tops and forged and ground down smooth, as you can strike them right on top of the round and the flat is springy so they don't work loose in use.

Well??? How much?

[Doug Littlejohn]

Yet another vote for the Gramercy HF's from TFWW. Great performers at a great price.