# Gramercy Holdfast works well after tuning



## WoodNSawdust

Thanks for the review. A pair of these are on my list.


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## rad457

Bought a set of these last year but really didn't get to test them out much yet, old bench very flimsy small beech thing that will be replaced in the very near future, anyways when I did put them on the bench they seemed to hold just fine.
Thanks for the tip, know what to watch for if they start to slip.


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## lumberjoe

I used 80 grit on mine, but went really light. They hold a little too good now


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## BigMig

I guess ny top is thin enough that tehy didn't need roughing up - I think it's 2.25" thick. I love these holdfasts


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## RichardHillius

I have a 3 1/2" top and they hold well but I think the size of the hole and the material of the bench makes a difference here to. One other thing you can do if you can't get them to grip well is use a larger size bit to drill the dog hole a little larger on the bottom of the bench a 1/2" to 1" deep.

I have used the hand forged ones before side by side with the Gramercy ones. The hand forged ones have a character to them that is hard to beat and your supporting local artisans but practically I couldn't see a difference between how the two operate.


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## Dedvw

2.25" thick might be the sweet spot for these holdfasts. They have awesome gripping power on my bench (2.25") after scuffing them with 80 grit. Not only are these things indestructible, they are also rust resistant. I had them in my wet shop for two years before they started to show signs of surface rust.

Highly recommended and I'd give them 5 stars if I were to give them a review on here.


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## CharlesA

I replace my cast ones with these a few weeks ago. I use then in a 3-3 1/2" benchtop, and they have worked just fine for me without any tuning. I have been using a 2" block between the stock and the holdfast (b/c it was handy) and it still holds with no problem at all.


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## Arcola60

Thanks for the review. Those are the ones that I decided to get. I have not purchased them yet, but that just sealed the deal for me.

Ellery Becnel


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## RogerBean

I have these holdfasts. While there are certainly more exotic and antique items available, I would rate these as a "best buy" item. They do what holdfasts are supposed to do - at a very reasonable price.
Roger


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## dczward

I added dimples to mine with a punch. That made they grip better than anything. I got they idea from this post/video… http://www.theenglishwoodworker.com/holdfasts-get-a-grip/ ... by Richard at the English Woodworker/


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## mikelaw

Just bought them for my bench which has a 5 1/4" white oak top. They work without a hitch.


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## Ocelot

I bought two pair of these but haven't had a chance yet to use them yet. Comes out to $24 each with shipping, but I figure they should last 1000 years, so cost per year is very low! 

-Paul


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## hhhopks

Has anyone actually put a finish on the holdfast? My concern is that it may reduce the holding power.
You may end up have to rough it up again.

I know it is true on the bench side. I accidentally got finish into some of the holes when applying a finish to my workbench. I had to sand/rough up the holes to get the holdfasts to work right.


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