What is a Holdfast and How to use a Hold Fast Hand Tool for the Work Bench 

I first encountered holdfasts when I was 12 years old in wood shop in elementary school in 1970. When I realize it was 50 years ago it makes me feel old. I finally have a decent workshop at home so I built a Roubo bench this time and bought a couple of hand forged holdfasts from a blacksmith in New Mexico who sells them on Amazon. I love holdfasts. I use them constantly exactly was you described. Very good video by the way. They also are good for holding a piece to a bench hook if you need extra holding power and for locking a board against the side of the workbench in your deadman. I have a leg vise and have worked on a couple of doors in my house by holding one end in the leg vise and the other with the holdfast and deadman.

I have a very small workbench in a tiny workshop, it’s actually one of those cheap ones 'from Germany', it it’s German engineering I was on the moon landing. I've butched it up a bit with brackets on all the joints, angled wooden supports, backing behind my dog holes which which also adds weight and strength to the table, plane till underneath and shelves which also gave more strength to the legs. This also adds valuable storage space. It is now solid and has weight. My next purchase is a better traditional wood vice like the one on your old bench and making these two little wooden ones into a single end vice with more depth and width. When I do that I’m also going to put on another layer of plywood on top and an apron with dog holes. This would make a total of 2 3/4 inch deep. I can't build myself a new bench as I can’t lift that weight and don’t have enough range of movement. With the vice, when I buy, it I would have spent just short of £150 in total. I know could have built one cheaper if I was physically capable. However, I would still have to buy the vice and wheels etc. I am getting to holdfasts honest, I just needed to describe my bench to show why mine work on several levels. The dog holes are 12mm and I manage to buy two holdfasts from a company in Sheffield called Daegrad Tools. As far as I know he forges all his own products and they are very reasonable, about £20 for two. Even though they are tiny compared to yours they do work very well and have never let me down. I think he said you need twice the diameter of of the metal used to make the holdfasts in the depth of your dog holes in order for them to work. I’m at about 4 times the width as each hole is about 2” deep (can you tell I’m English mixing my measurements). They have never let me down and I think they are really useful for anyone like myself who only has a tiny bench and works on small projects. I would definitely butch up any bench, maybe not to the extent I have, but it has to be strong enough to take the extra wear and tear. If you don’t mind I will leave a link to the ones I bought, but please feel free to delete the entire comment if you rather not see links to products from the comments. I understand it can be the thin edge of the wedge. rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F163578823626 I hope my rambling might be useful for a change.

Easy to make your own with 5/8" round bar. If the smoothness is a problem, work it over with your own hammer while you are at it. Flatten the end first, then bend with a torch using a length of pipe. You should be able to make 2 for 5 bucks.

Great and educational video :) 7:46 I don't know if anyone else noticed but I'm crying right now :)

You've pretty much covered everything I need to know when purchasing a hold fast! Very informative, thank you!

Hi, James, I’ve been working on a bench design using some of the construction techniques and materials tha Rob Cosman uses in his MDF and plywood bench, with some modifications to make the legs flush with one edge of the bench. I’ve been struggling to figure out what type of vise, and which manufacturer, to purchase. This video solved my problem. I’m going to start out with a few holdfasts (Gramercy makes some from steel wire that are affordable and have a good reputation). These should allow me to build my bench and get started. I can figure out whether I even need a vise and, if so, which type I want later (and save up to buy a good one). I’m stoked! My bench is going to be a Thanksgiving weekend project! Really enjoy and learn a lot from your videos. Thanks for clearing my mental logjam on this question. Stu

Thank you so much for the video. I was going to go get a mate to bend some 19mm steel for me and weld a flat piece on the tip. After watching your video I can see the point of having them hand forged. I only want to buy these once. I found some on etsy and am very happy to support a craftsman and spend a bit more now that I understand the value.

Exactly why I'm a blacksmith and a woodworker...i make my own tools when needed. John does some great work for certain. I do love his work just the same.

I personally would sit through a 3 hour video and take notes with questions at the end. This phrase "H O L D F A S T" is part of my research and a tipping point in my research for my thesis project at the University of Potsdam. I would be more than happy to pester you with more questions and your intimate knowledge of these devices. Please make the video. Subscribed.

thanks for the video. Record used to make the ones that screw down and a sort of threaded rod. They came with collars to protect the hole in your bench but I have never found them that useful. Thanks James

Very informative. Worth to replay thousand times .

Sometimes they got things right centuries ago. I have a couple of Gramercy holdfasts and they are so handy.

Wonderful video! I'm looking to build a Nicholson bench and didn't want to install a vise. The birds mouth tip is a great idea. Thanks!

I watched Black Bear forge crafting holdfast not knowing what they were made for. I ended up here to get my explanation about the same holdfast.

I dont do woodworking but man what a great video

great video! I love my holdfasts I have the gremancy tools pair from Lee valley. very affordable and to add grip I just did a quick sanding with 80 grip paper around the shaft. just enough texture to hold without wrecking the bench. I also added leather pads where they contact the work to avoid damaging soft woods.

Hell yeah Black Bear Forge!

so now I understand how those things work!

This video and your explanation is much better that David Picciuto (the Drunken Woodworker)'s from a few weeks ago! You actually go into why/how it works and some history. You also threw in a bunch more examples. Nice work!

John's work is the best. He made me some custom holdfasts with bear paws on them. Yeah, I am obsessed with bears. Cool video James, I can't say how many cheap holdfasts I have broken, you would think I would have learned... Duh. lol I am having a great trip, today I am going to the Port Townsend School of woodworking and the Rockler up here. Too bad you aren't here ;) maybe you can make another trip to Oregon one of these days. Have a great day. Keep pumpin' out these great videos!!

I love the videos on basic tools and techniques....I need to learn somewhere

Interesting. Thanks for a great and well presented video. I’m actually having difficulty with my holdfasts. I smack them down so they should hold the piece tight, but the piece moves. I noticed that the end of the holdfast touches with the tip, rather than with the flat part on the end. It’s a little frustrating to say the least and somewhat dangerous.

Thanks for this video. What is the thickness of your workbench?

Kiddy wonkers, love the term James.

Do you have a video showing how to make your wooden mallet?

Hold fasts are very handy tools, thanks.

Is there any disadvantage to the detail work? There's a Slovenian blacksmith on etsy with some nice pieces, including one with oak leaf shaped ends. They look beautiful, but is there a risk of that beautiful shape getting snagged on something or getting in the way?

I always loved the simplicity of these things! it's great!

The screw hold fast ones are better no? Soft ends and more subtle? I'm new so just guessing but I will use them on my new bench bull on smaller stuff so a bit different uses I guess...

What's the best dog hole size for using these? Do I want a snug hole or a much larger hole,compared to the hold fast shaft?

Thank you and great video.

Good demonstration, Super

Hello, I am preparing to buy my first holdfast. I have a question, does the length of the holdfast have to be longer than the table?, I imagine it does for maximal friction to occur. Also is there a limitation to the sizes of holdfasts, can I work small and large objects, for examples bowls with a large holdfast? Thanks for the video and great info.

Hey your link to the blackbear forge is broken. Thanks!

Lot of great info there James, and i had to go and check out his channel....very cool

Does the dog hole need to be a certain DEPTH for the holdfast to work properly?

Does the work bench have to be a certain thickness for the holdfast to work?

Good stuff. Thanks for posting this...

Why won’t my holddowns hold tight? They worked fine for a year after I bought them and now they will jot lock down at all. Could my bench have dried out and the hole is too large? Any way to fix?

how thick should your workbench top be in order for you being able to use holdfasts there? My workbench top is made out of 1 1⁄2" inches of hardwood

Does the bench used with holdfast needs to be really thick? My bench top is made with flat 2x8s.

Who knew Tutankhamen was a woodworker ;) LOL excellent explanation as always😎

Thanks for the video James! Definitely liking those hold fasts!

Well, pine also deserves to be protected Sir :). I'm always on the lookout to find one of those here. thanks for explaining differences !

Will these work on thinner benches? My bench top is only 1.5 inches thick.

Thanx for this video. I have not seen this before :) must have one

I have a 1 7/8 rough sawn bench top, but I have to wail on my gramercy holdfasts to hold anything, and wail on the back side to get them to release, do I just need a thicker bench top?

Thanks for the great information, James.

Simple and easy clip. Like!

What is the thickness of your workbench? Thanks!

wow that is a really easy to make tool ! do you think can this work to a metal bench ;

How thick is your bench? Will a bench that's 1 3/4 thick be thick enough?

So definitely a worth wild investment? Been contemplating whether or not to get one. Haysom and Bros'

Nice. How thick is your bench top? At what thickness do you reckon the hold fast wouldn't have enough surface to "grip" on?

Hi there I have a question I just bought some hold fast seven eighths diameter and then meant to drill 1 inch hole through my butcher block table top and I drilled inch and 1/8 will they still work? If not is there a plastic sleeve bushing I could put in there

Hi, Do you have any idea how close to the edge of workbench you can drill the dogholes for these holdfasts?

John S. Do's do good work Thanks

What is the minimum depth for the bench? How close in size should the dog holes be?

Hi there from Portugal, I'm Trying to make some, Can you provide the measurements(hole and shaft size and the length of the top and angles) Obrigado(Thanks)

Nice job on this!

Muy buen video, grafico, facil de entender, Te felicito. gracias.

Sorry to be annoying, but at around 2:28 in your showing the workings of this hold fast you actually tilted it the wrong way. It is leaning forward instead of backwards, away from the protruding hook as it should be. How else could you tap it on the back to release it. Just saying! :)

I hope to one day have a bench with holes. Without that, there isnt a point in having holdfasts. Btw, i saw them in one of our specialist woodworking shops. These things are not cheap. So what i want to see is someone make these with minimal tools from rebar or something like it. Can that be done?

those r very nicely done. I'm going to have to check his channel out James.

Came here for the Game, stayed for Holdfast.

What is the thickness or your workbench?

I like to glue a tab of leather at the contact point.

Ahh yes, the good ole kitty wonkers.

I feel like an idiot. But a little less now. Thanks for uploading

A lot of energy movement throughout the left side of the stomach area.

I think the word you were looking for there is "cattywampus."

I do love simple technology. Its a shame i used to know a blacksmith and he would have let me have a go at making one.

Air fan in the woodshop? You must have some dust in the air.

Ps, clicking on the link does not work. I tried this many times but does not work. Sorry.

Kittywonkers

Is this why my crowbar is shaped like this at one end?

I want three hours of a piece of metal

Great video, Except you show the holdfast gripping on the wrong face of the ‘bench’ dog hole when you explain how it works at about 2:20 In. Should be opposite angle Demonstrated.

thousands of years - lol!

Your bench can be shaken wao, no good, make a new one. Thanks for the information on hold fasts. Regards.