Holdfast (tool)

For other uses, see Holdfast (disambiguation).
Holdfast
A carpenter using a holdfast
Other namesHold fast, hold-down
Used withWoodworking workbench or anvil

A holdfast or hold fast is a form of temporary clamp used to hold a workpiece firmly to the top or side of a wooden workbench or the top of an anvil.[1]

A form of bench dog, a traditional holdfast has either a curved or flat top. Its shank is slid loosely into a “dog” hole in the bench or anvil until the tip of its hook touches the work. It is set by hitting its top with a mallet or hammer, which causes the shaft to wedge tightly against the sides of the hole. A tap of its back side near the top releases it.

Contemporary holdfasts are commonly designed to fit in 3⁄4 inch (19 mm) holes, somewhat narrower than had been traditional.[2] Scrap pieces of wood or leather are often used between the holdfast and the workpiece to prevent marring it.

An adaptation of the holdfast is threaded, sometimes known as a “screwdown”, which is tightened rather than tapped in place.[3]

  1. ^ Bealer, Alex (1989). Old Ways of Working Wood: The Techniques and Tools of a Time-Honored Craft. New York: Bonanza Books. p. 73. ISBN 0-517-69313-5.
  2. ^ "Why a 1" Holdfast Hole?". Lost Art Press. 2019-04-03. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
  3. ^ The Complete woodworker. Jones, Bernard E. (Bernard Edward), 1879-1965. (New ed.). Berkeley, Calif.: Ten Speed Press. 1980. pp. 50–52. ISBN 0-89815-022-1. OCLC 7283260.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)