Help with Gramercy holdfast technique - they are not holding

[Larry Cronin]

Hello,

I built my workbench with lots of advice and knowledge from here.

Came out really good and works great.

But

I cant get my holdfasts to work at all.

My bench is 3 inch thick maple

I drilled my dog holes using the Lee Valley 3/4 dog hole bushing kit.

I used 60 grit paper and sanded the shafts of my Gramercy holdfasts. (round and round not up and down)

I am hitting them with a 30oz Wood is Good mallet.

Most times they don't hold at all but every so often it is tight till I move the object side to side.

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks

Larry C

[Christopher Charles]

I've occasionally had similar issues with my 4" thick maple top. At least one of the times was related to wiping down the holdfast with oil to prevent rust. I re-sanded as you describe and no issues since, but that may not be relevant to your case.

Best,
Chris

[Steven Mikes]

I am hitting them with a 30oz Wood is Good mallet.

Maybe this.. try with a heavy wooden mallet without a coating, or a regular metal hammer like Frank Klausz.

[ken hatch]

Hello,

I built my workbench with lots of advice and knowledge from here.

Came out really good and works great.

But

I cant get my holdfasts to work at all.

My bench is 3 inch thick maple

I drilled my dog holes using the Lee Valley 3/4 dog hole bushing kit.

I used 60 grit paper and sanded the shafts of my Gramercy holdfasts. (round and round not up and down)

I am hitting them with a 30oz Wood is Good mallet.

Most times they don't hold at all but every so often it is tight till I move the object side to side.

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks

Larry C

Larry,

A 3" slab should work but it isn't. I try using a lump hammer first to set the holdfasts, the Wood is Good mallet can have some bounce. If that doesn't fix the problem counterbore the dog hole from the bottom maybe a 1/2' to 3/4" or so and that should fix your problem.

ken

[Hasin Haroon]

It should work just fine in a 3" thick bench. I second using a heavy metal hammer to set it - it takes more than a tap to hold well, hit it kind of hard. I pricked the surface of the post randomly with a punch, which seems to have helped it stay in place better.

I also use high friction tape on the pads of the holdfast to strengthen the grip even further. Might be overkill, but it works.

[Prashun Patel]

I suspect your holes are too perfect. I also suggest counterboring them at the bottom. My Gramercy holdfasts have worked better over time. I suspect it's built up patina, and micro-eccentricity of my dog holes over time.

[Warren Mickley]

I think your holdfast is too rigid. With a rigid holdfast all the wedging action has to happen in the bench wood. Roubo says that the arm of the holdfast should be very flexible and that it should gradually taper down to 1/6 or 1/8 inches (1 1/2 or 2 lignes). Roubo does not show any undercutting in the bench. The fact that the Gramercy is flattened at the very end does not give them much flexibility. Some have improved them by thinning down the arm by grinding for more spring.

402854

[Pete Taran]

Hello,

Most times they don't hold at all but every so often it is tight till I move the object side to side.

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks

Larry C

Larry, I don't think you are doing anything wrong except for falling prey to a fundamentally flawed design. The Gramercy holdfast:

402855

You will notice how the entire assembly is the same thickness of round bar stock.

A traditional holdfast, that well, actually holds:

402857

You will notice how the shank is much thicker than the arm. This is by design and what really makes the holdfast hold. By rapping it on the top, you wedge the shaft sideways in the bench and load the arm with tension which is what does the holding. Properly made, surprisingly little force is needed to load the arm with the proper amount of tension.

Gramercy, by constructing them the way they do, requires a ridiculous amount of force to load that arm with enough pressure to do any reasonable holding. It doesn't say what the diameter of the stock is, but, looks to be at least 1/2" to my eye. That's a pretty hard thickness to deform. Back in the old days, these were made of wrought iron which is even easier to deform than mild steel which is used today.

I'd take them up on their 6 month return guarantee and get a set that actually holds. The ones pictured are some dude selling them on etsy (https://www.etsy.com/listing/627758328/set-of-2-handforged-hold-fast-for?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_a-craft_supplies_and_tools-tools_and_equipment-tools-other&utm_custom1=84843ba9-8395-4012-9995-c7f945deafd7&utm_content=go_270947675_41952119976_159979922876_ _c__627758328&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-fPOnc6l4AIVDKViCh2GDAJvEAEYAyAAEgKeEPD_BwE) for $50/pr. Only $3 each more than the flawed design and infinitely better. No affiliation with either joint.

[Mike Brady]

My holdfasts from the source you mentioned did not hold either in a 3-1/2 ash bench top. I sold them to a guy who said they were fine in his bench. The Lie-Nielsen hold fasts are fine in the same bench and they are much lower profile than the Grammercys. They are ductile iron castings. Excellent.

[David Silverson]

I have the same problem with my Gramercy holdfasts. I’m going to try grinding the arm and see if it helps.

[Philip Glover]

I have Gramercy holdfasts and they have been working perfectly for 16yrs. In fact, when I need a light holding force all I do is hit it with the palm of my hand and it holds. When I need more clamping force a wooden mallet does the job.

My maple bench is 3.5 inch thick.
The dog holes are chamfered on both sides.

What I think may be happening is there is not enough clearance between the shaft and the hole. With more clearance it would allow the holdfast to cock and bend slightly in the hole and allow the shaft to act like a spring. After all, a holdfast is a type of spring clamp.
The holdfasts with a tapered shaft are much less sensitive to the dog hole diameter.

I will check the average I.D. of my dog holes with a bore gage and post the results tomorrow. Also, I'll measure the O.D. of the holdfast shafts as well.

Regards,
Phil

[Simon MacGowen]

Since my bench is thinner than yours and my wooden mallets (15 oz or so) are lighter than yours, I suspect your driving is the source of the problem. Try hitting the holdfast with a different section of your mallet head, and try hitting more than once, the subsequent hits less in force, to secure the hold-down. Also try using it on stock of different thicknesses to see if it makes a difference.

I have 5 of the Gamercy's (bought in different periods of time), and they all have worked well over the past decade. I have not sanded or done anything to them, other than adding a leather pad to their arms. The problem you reported CANNOT be a design issue if so many of them (hundreds or even thousands?) are sold and used with no hiccups.

Simon

[Rob Luter]

Mine slip sometimes too. Coarse sandpaper helps.

[Joe A Faulkner]

My bench is 3 1/4" thick hard maple. I had to sand the Gramercy hold fasts and that did it for me. I use a leather-faced, shop-made, jointer's mallet to set the hold fasts. Not ideal, but it works. I recall in a previous post, someone added a short series of dimples to their Gramercy hold fasts using an old nail set.

[William Fretwell]

I have Gramercy holdfasts and they have been working perfectly for 16yrs. In fact, when I need a light holding force all I do is hit it with the palm of my hand and it holds. When I need more clamping force a wooden mallet does the job.

My maple bench is 3.5 inch thick.
The dog holes are chamfered on both sides.

What I think may be happening is there is not enough clearance between the shaft and the hole. With more clearance it would allow the holdfast to cock and bend slightly in the hole and allow the shaft to act like a spring. After all, a holdfast is a type of spring clamp.
The holdfasts with a tapered shaft are much less sensitive to the dog hole diameter.

Regards,
Phil

Phil I believe you are correct. They need to move a little to wedge, the bend acts as a spring. My Grammercys did not work at 4” thick but I back bored under the bench 1/2” and at 3 & 1/2” they work very well. Shortening the hole increases the cocking angle.

I also varnished mine to discourage rust and oiled the holes with Tung oil on a small rag and string. The oil made the holes stickier. Just make your holes slightly larger.

[Derek Cohen]

Hello,

I built my workbench with lots of advice and knowledge from here.

Came out really good and works great.

But

I cant get my holdfasts to work at all.

My bench is 3 inch thick maple

I drilled my dog holes using the Lee Valley 3/4 dog hole bushing kit.

I used 60 grit paper and sanded the shafts of my Gramercy holdfasts. (round and round not up and down)

I am hitting them with a 30oz Wood is Good mallet.

Most times they don't hold at all but every so often it is tight till I move the object side to side.

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks

Larry C

Hi Larry

My bench is 3 1/2" European Oak. I use the Gramercy holdfasts. They are perfect. Never slip. They did not slip in my previous bench either, and that one was 1-1/2" MDF with a 3/4" layer of Karri. The common denominator was that the holes were drilled with a brace and bit ...

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/IDeclareThisBenchFinished_html_m3e3f75d4.jpg

I repeat - the holdfasts never slip. I wack them with a 18oz UHMW-headed mallet ..

https://i.postimg.cc/j2VDnG6Q/Mallet-zpsawalgxow.jpg

Look closely below, and you can see a slight gap around the shafts ...

https://i.postimg.cc/Gt03srVt/Moxon-transfer-rest1.jpg

They unseat with a rap. No drama.

The design of the Gramercy holdfasts is just fine, thank you. The issue is the hole in which yours are seated: the walls are too smooth or the hole is a little too tight.

Instead of sanding the holdfast, take a rasp to the holes and roughen them up. Them will widen them a smidgeon as well. That is probably all that is needed.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Larry Cronin]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

I will try a bigger hammer and also I am going to try and rough up my holes and see if that helps.

I will report back in a day or so.

Larry C



Larry C

[Derek Cohen]

Larry, just to be clear ... I do not hit the holdfasts hard. In fact, I could secure them by pushing down hard. It is more that they require a wack to release than a wack to secure.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Warren Mickley]

For those who have never seen the troubles that bar stock Holdfasts can give, here is a video. This one comes loose seven times in one minute of work.


https://youtu.be/aN9l4hQ19HE

[Derek Cohen]

Warren, is that the holdfast or the hole?

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Derek Cohen]

Here's a quick video I made ...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaI_E2Yv1O0&feature=youtu.be

Good enough? :)

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Pete Taran]

Perhaps the OP can start using flex seal with his Gramercy holdfasts. Perhaps the only solution not yet offered. Don't see anyone complaining about slipping traditional holdfasts. I wonder if there is a correlation? hmmmm

[Steven Mikes]

Derek this is off topic but how did you do that lovely perfectly circular chamfering of your dog holes?

[Derek Cohen]

Steven, Lee Valley make a large countersink (http://www.leevalley.com/en/Wood/page.aspx?p=41012&cat=1,180,42240,42281&ap=1).

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Philip Glover]

Larry,

As promised, my stand-up morning report.
What I found is somewhat predictable.

First things:
- bench top has 36 holes
- holes have a semi-rough surface finish
- drill bit that I used for these holes is 0.742 dia.
- holdfasts are both 0.716 dia.
- holdfasts have a smooth surface finish; I sanded them only when they were new 16 years ago
- I used a B & S 0-1 inch mic and a Mitutoyo telescoping gage to measure the holes


I measured each hole in three locations - top, middle, and bottom.
- tops averaged 0.771 dia., range 0.015 inch
- mid points measured averaged 0.755 dia., range 0.005 inch
- bottoms averaged 0.770 dia., range 0.015 inch

- holdfast clearance at the midpoint is 0.039 inch.
- holdfast clearance at the top and bottom averages 0.055 inch.

So:
- the holes are hourglass shaped; which I strongly suspect is the result of the holdfasts cocking in the holes
- I definitely use some holes more than others

Your solution, if there is too little clearance, may be to slightly enlarge the dog holes using an electric drill with a 3/4" drill bit and wobble the drill around while drilling. This will create the hourglass shape.
As far as surface finish in the hole - the rougher the better.

I hope this helps,

Phil

[Simon MacGowen]

Echo that "no large hammer" advice by Derek.

Why do so many woodworkers think (brutal) force is the solution to their woodworking issues?

There also seems to be a movement encouraging people to use a sledge hammer to do chiselling work! (sarcasm, of course).

Simon

[Bob Glenn]

Steven, not neander, but a power router with 45 degree campher bit works also.

[Steven Mikes]

Steven, Lee Valley make a large countersink (http://www.leevalley.com/en/Wood/page.aspx?p=41012&cat=1,180,42240,42281&ap=1).

Regards from Perth

Derek

Haha of course they do! Guess I have no choice but to buy one. Thanks.

[JimA Thornton]

Steven, Lee Valley make a large countersink (http://www.leevalley.com/en/Wood/page.aspx?p=41012&cat=1,180,42240,42281&ap=1).

Regards from Perth

Derek

Oh sure..............this one just showed up yesterday: http://www.leevalley.com/en/hardware/page.aspx?cat=3,41306,41328&p=54874 and now I need to order a bigger one to chamfer the dog holes in my newly built workbench. Oh well..........at least LV has free shipping for the next couple of weeks. Plus...... right hand Plough Planes are back in stock!

Jim

[Stewie Simpson]

Hello,

I built my workbench with lots of advice and knowledge from here.

Came out really good and works great.

But

I cant get my holdfasts to work at all.

My bench is 3 inch thick maple

I drilled my dog holes using the Lee Valley 3/4 dog hole bushing kit.

I used 60 grit paper and sanded the shafts of my Gramercy holdfasts. (round and round not up and down)

I am hitting them with a 30oz Wood is Good mallet.

Most times they don't hold at all but every so often it is tight till I move the object side to side.

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks

Larry C

Larry; I would recommend you view the following video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7lnfW4iT6o

Stewie;

[Larry Cronin]

So I messed arounf a bit and tried a few different things suggested here.

THe one thing I did not try yet was to champfer the holes. I dont have a champfer that big and my champfer bit for my router is crappy.

I did sand the shafts again and also dinged up the sides of the the shafts using the afore mentioned bigger hammer. That seemed to help the hold.

I also roughed up the inside of the holes but that didn't matter mush seeing that it doesn't contact the sides of the holes.

Phil mentioned the hourglass shape of his holes and as I kept trying things in the same hole it started to oval out in one direction which dramatically hlpe the holding to the point that if I pushed it down by hand it held really well.

I may try the champfer later this weekend and I think I may ding up the sides a bit more with the bigger hammer.

If all else fails I may try and get a holdfast created by a blacksmith, Flex Seal, or duct tape. ( Spare the duct tape, Spoil the job. Red Green)

Thank you all very much for the suggestions.

I will keep you posted.

Larry

[Warren Mickley]

I made a holdfast out of round bar stock in 1978. This was even before Patrick Leach invented hand tools. I had access to a blacksmith shop so I thinned down the arm of the holdfast for a nice taper with some spring in it. I had seen the tapered Roubo holdfast engraving in 1973.

One of my friends bought Gramercy holdfasts and ground them down for more spring. He posted pictures on another forum. I think they could be thinned more than this.

402927

[Pete Taran]

Not a bad effort Warren, but still not traditional. You need that upset corner which is where the work comes in. I follow this guy (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUgzSUeSg_Y) on Instagram, he makes the real deal. A blueprint for anyone with a railroad tie, cross peen hammer and a way to make steel hot.

[Warren Mickley]

I certainly agree.

[Pete Taran]

Like most things in life, fast, easy and cheap is rarely best. That guy uses a trip hammer to make those holdfasts. Imagine how many swings of the hammer are required to replicate what he has done there.

[Chuck Nickerson]

402927

Thanks for posting this. I was picturing thinning the wrong part of the holdfast.

Since Black Bear Forge is not taking new orders, Pete's link is meh.

[Carl Beckett]

A little off topic - I recently acquired one of these and have to say it is great

http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=70930&cat=1,43838,43845&ap=1

An alternative to whacking with a mallet (albeit a very expensive alternative!)

[Jason Martin Winnipeg]

Larry; I would recommend you view the following video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7lnfW4iT6o

Stewie;

I was also going to post this video. I haven't had to do this to my Gramercy holdfasts yet, but I also used the Lee Valley 3/4 dog hole bushing, and I have found that the holdfasts usually take a good hit with the hammer to get them to hold. My bench top is 2 3/4" pine.

[ken hatch]

I've used TFWW holdfasts for a number of years with zero problems. My experience has been like Derek's, the holdfasts have been a great product but I'm always open to a better way so I ordered two holdfasts from Black Bear Forge. I'll give them a go and report back on the difference if any.

ken

[Ted Phillips]

I put some oil finish on my benchtop whenever I re-surface it. If any of that oil gets down in the dog holes, it can cause the holdfasts to slip. See if you can get a bottle brush and work the holes with a little mineral spirit.

[Noah Wagener]

The Record and Woden screw top ones i have seen on Ebay have a barbed shaft. You could take a cold chisel and cut barbs; i have done this to slipping pipe clamps to good effect.


402958

[Stewie Simpson]

Hand stitching a holdfast's vertical post.

http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/af219/swagman001/holdfast%20surface%20treatment/DSC_0200_zpsb1t2jtm9.jpg (http://s1009.photobucket.com/user/swagman001/media/holdfast%20surface%20treatment/DSC_0200_zpsb1t2jtm9.jpg.html)

http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/af219/swagman001/holdfast%20surface%20treatment/DSC_0201_zpsazpxvfhd.jpg (http://s1009.photobucket.com/user/swagman001/media/holdfast%20surface%20treatment/DSC_0201_zpsazpxvfhd.jpg.html)

[Derek Cohen]

Did your holdfast need it Stewie? Were they not holding before? If so, any idea why?

Note that I have demonstrated the holding ability of my Gramercy holdfasts, which have smooth, unblemished shafts and original heads. I wonder why they work and some others do not? Could it be something else, you think?

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jason Martin Winnipeg]

I used 80 grit sandpaper on my Gramercy holdfasts last night, and it made a lot of difference in their holding power. I imagine doing the hand stitching on them would improve them even more.

[Matthew Hartlin]

I roughed mine up with some sandpaper as well. Found that they're a little weak, but always chalked it up to my bench being 2 1/4 spruce. What works best for me is giving it a good whack with my 2lb lump or my framing hammer, the wooden mallet never worked.

[Simon MacGowen]

but always chalked it up to my bench being 2 1/4 spruce. What works best for me is giving it a good whack with my 2lb lump or my framing hammer, the wooden mallet never worked.

That's interesting as I would have thought spruce, being softwood, would need less force for a holdfast to hold. Have you examined if the holes have been deformed (enlarged) over the course of continued hammering?

Simon

[Matthew Hartlin]

That's interesting as I would have thought spruce, being softwood, would need less force for a holdfast to hold. Have you examined if the holes have been deformed (enlarged) over the course of continued hammering?

Simon

I would expect that they have and I drilled them freehand with my brace so they could be a bit off plum. With that said I generally give them a good smack with a 16oz framing hammer(it's always near my bench) and they're fine.

[Bob Leistner]

I had a chinese copy of a traditional holdfast prior to the Gramercy holdfasts I am currently using. The old one held much better, with less striking than the Gramercy. Same bench same holes.

[Graham Haydon]

Warren's picture of Roubo's set up has long interested me. There is much more space around the holdfast, it's not a snug fit. This, to me at least, seems to create a wedging action. If the holes are too close to the size of the holdfast it won’t grip. I would experiment with hole size on an offcut.

I have owned a pair of “Gramercy” and they were ok. The other issue picked up by Stewie is how many cheaper holfasts are very smooth because they made from standard bar. I have a pair of holdfasts made by Simon James and the surface is nice and rough, they feel like coarse sandpaper in the hand. However I need to give them a try.

Derek, thanks for posting the video. We should all do more of it as it gets across what what works well for all of us. For me (not for you), your holdfast does not have enough bite.

Noah, it’s interesting you mention that type of holdfast. They are out there without the notches https://www.gshaydon.co.uk/blog/screw-type-holdfast (https://www.gshaydon.co.uk/blog/screw-type-holdfast) and the one I have features the “stiching” Stewie shows.

Anyhow! I’d experiment with hole size and making the shaft more coarse.
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[Derek Cohen]

Graham, the point about spring by Warren was very helpful. I am tempted to thin the heads of mine a little to see if this adds to the ease in holding.

I want to emphasise two points: the first is that these holdfasts do work well. Clearly not perfectly for all but, since there are so many variables in play owing to the multitude of bench to types and holes in use, we do need to explore factors outside the shaft or the head to understand the holding factors.

The second point follows from the first: do not try modifications until you have determined what is "wrong" with your set up. You could be compounding issues.

You may be correct that I set up does not grip well enough, and that it could grip more with adjustments. I have not noticed a lack of grip. If I wack the holdfast harder, and it grips better, what does this mean? That the head needs to flex more? That the shaft needs to jam more? Do I resort to trial and error for the assessment?

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Graham Haydon]

All good points Derek. The Gramercy style I had were working in a pretty thin top and were ok. I'll be experimenting on scrap before I drill my current bench project for the Simon James holdfasts I intend on using.

[Simon MacGowen]

At 3:35, it shows a steel bar holdfast in action:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qt0QkXxogRE

This guy even oiled his bars!

Simon

[steven c newman]

IF only I knew how to weld....I could even build a couple....

[Simon MacGowen]

Can't you just hammer flat the end of the arm similar to the Gramercy design instead of welding a piece to the bar?

Simon

[Pete Taran]

Simon,

You sure can, but you might want to avoid the upsized cigarette lighter that guy uses and use a MAPP torch. Burns way hotter and actually gets the steel red hot instead of just warm like in that video. While you are at it, thin out the arms as you work by heating and beating until you get a nice tapered affair.

[Simon MacGowen]

Thanks, Pete. Could be useful advice for Steven if he decides to try.

Simon

[ken hatch]

The two Black Bear Forge holdfasts arrived yesterday, They are prettier than the TFWW holdfasts and a little thinner at 17.5mm vs. 18.3mm for the TFWW holdfast. The Black Bear Forge shaft is also "rougher", more texture than the TFWW's shaft. I A&B'ed the two holdfasts using the same test board, a short hunk of 8/4 Poplar, the same dog hole, and the same pad under the holdfasts on two of my Beach benches, I did not try them on the SYP bench. One bench has a 95mm (~3 3/4") slab the other slab is 90mm (~3 1/2"). The results were the same on both benches, The TFWW holdfast held very slightly better, I was unable to move the test board no matter what I tried. The Black Bear holdfast I could move very slightly with great force. The Black Bear was easier to release with just a light tap, the TFWW sometimes needed a couple of heaver hits to release.

Bottom line both worked. In day to day use the Black Bear might be more enjoyable to use because the hold is adequate and the release is easier but I sure wouldn't throw rocks at the TFWW holdfast. They hold their own with the blacksmith made holdfast (sorry sometimes I can't help myself).

ken

P.S. My TFWW holdfast are completely stock, no roughing, stitching, or any other change to 'em.

[William Fretwell]

I checked mine today, I thought I had varnished my Grammercy’s to slow rust but I had brushed the bottom half with epoxy mixed with bronze powder. The epoxy to slow rust, the bronze powder to increase friction. It also gives them a cool antique look.

[Simon MacGowen]

Bottom line both worked. In day to day use the Black Bear might be more enjoyable to use because the hold is adequate and the release is easier but I sure wouldn't throw rocks at the TFWW holdfast. They hold their own with the blacksmith made holdfast (sorry sometimes I can't help myself).

ken

P.S. My TFWW holdfast are completely stock, no roughing, stitching, or any other change to 'em.

Good to know. I wasn't surprised to hear this, having used the Gramercy holdfasts AS IS on three different benches made of different lumber and thicknesses over so many years with zero issues.

Simon

[Jason Dean]

I use Gramercy holdfasts in a 5.5" Ash bench. The dog holes were drilled with a brace and are chamfered (top and bottom) to stop the wood splintering. I can set them with palm pressure to the point that I have to tap them with a hammer to release them.

I've got an orange dead blow hammer I use to set/release them in typical practice.

[Nicholas Lawrence]

I am almost done with a Mike Siemsen style Nicholson. I bought two TFWW holdfasts. Have not tried them in the bench yet, but drilled a test hole in a scrap of 2x4 with a 3/4 auger bit.

Moderate smack with a mallet (a little harder than I normally hit my delicate AI chisels), and I can’t get it to move with my hands. I did not do anything to them in terms of sanding, just used them out of the box. They actually feel a bit slick, like they may have oil or something on them from manufacturing.

The bench plans call for blocking under the holdfast holes to thicken that area a bit, so will try them once I have the bench fully up and running and report back.

[Rob Luter]

Mine slip sometimes too. Coarse sandpaper helps.

Follow up....

I had some slippage lately. Coarse sandpaper near the top of the shaft is very effective. Apply radially to the shaft near where the shaft engages the uppermost inch or two of your benchtop.