Lost Art Press

14 thoughts on “Every Tool”

  1. Some years ago, I met a “living history” blacksmith at the George Ranch outside Rosenberg, Texas. He was tinkering around, making things for the ranch, as blacksmiths do. I asked him if he would take a commission and make me some holdfasts like the one pictured. He did, and I still have them, and they are good. It may have been the only outside commissioned work he ever had.

  2. Hey Katy – your father stole your holdfast. And I don’t think you’re getting it back.

    1. Is that Katy’s? I figured that was one of the new ones he picked up in North Carolina.

  3. “Hey Katy – your father stole your holdfast. And I don’t think you’re getting it back.”

    Now that’s just makes me smile. 🙂

  4. I got to see the litter mates to that holdfast today in the shop in which it was made. I think a pair, along with some dividers, will be making the trip home with me this week. Unbelievably beautiful work.

  6. I use a holdfast that I forged myself.

    …but it’s not nearly as sweet looking as the one pictured.

    Sigh.

    It used to be that this blog merely reminded me of how much I need to improve as a woodworker.

    …and now it’s also reminding me that my blacksmithing skills are mediocre at best!

  7. Please forgive my ignorance, but who sells the type of holdfast shown in the picture?

  8. laf@megan’s comment.

    Yeah, same as Dean1, is that holdfast in current production or something that was made in 1640 or so?

  9. Looks like that’s a Peter Ross holdfast. He used to be the master of the blacksmith shop at Colonial Williamsburg. Does amazing work.

    1. Yes, that is Peter’s work. That holdfast is about $80 — a little more than the ones I reviewed on the PW blog.

      It is, like all of Peter’s work, first class.

  10. Thanks very much Jamie. A little search led me here: http://peterrossblacksmith.com/

    I found that link in Chris Schwarz’s article on Peter Ross (see below). The holdfast shown in the article is not the one you see pictured above, however I imagine you could copy and paste the above picture in an email to Peter to receive a quote.

    http://www.popularwoodworking.com/woodworking-blogs/chris-schwarz-blog/workbenches/authentic-holdfasts-from-peter-ross

  11. Quick physics clarification: “Observing the process will change it” is known as the Observer Effect. The Uncertainty Principle (popularized by Heisenberg) states that you cannot precisely measure an objects position and accurately predict its future momentum at the same time.

    Though it is unclear whether he would have preferred relative dimensioning…

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