what is plugging?

[jbird]

I know I should know this and maybe I do but what is this plugging I hear of and how is it done,

I know for one I have ( heard) seen Bruce and elton talking on this subject please give me the scoop if you would.

Thanks

Josh

[bruce johnson]

It was probably in regards to plugging inlays. Basically you take the piece you cut out for the inlay and split it down a bit and narrow it up to account for the thickness of the inlay material. You put this behind the inlay to raise it up to the level of the surrounding leather. It makes a really clean level look. The downside of plugging inlays is that hair-on and some more fragile exotics can be abraded if they are up to that level. It can be a problem with belts and spur straps. As a general rule I don't plug belts and straps, but do plug things like photoalbums.

[jbird]

  bruce johnson said:

It was probably in regards to plugging inlays. Basically you take the piece you cut out for the inlay and split it down a bit and narrow it up to account for the thickness of the inlay material. You put this behind the inlay to raise it up to the level of the surrounding leather. It makes a really clean level look. The downside of plugging inlays is that hair-on and some more fragile exotics can be abraded if they are up to that level. It can be a problem with belts and spur straps. As a general rule I don't plug belts and straps, but do plug things like photoalbums.

Thanks a lot Bruce that is great info thanks for helping.

Josh

[D.A. Kabatoff]

jbird,

another possibility for plugging may be in regards to plugging the skirts. This is done after you have blocked them and is meant to add some thickness and stiffness to the edges so that they don't prematurely curl. I don't have a picture of the plugs but the photo below shows the blocking of the skirts around the edges of a tree's bars. The plugs would be a second layer of skirting leather and would go from the edge of the skirts to the edge of the bars.

Darc

[jbird]

  D.A. Kabatoff said:

jbird,

another possibility for plugging may be in regards to plugging the skirts. This is done after you have blocked them and is meant to add some thickness and stiffness to the edges so that they don't prematurely curl. I don't have a picture of the plugs but the photo below shows the blocking of the skirts around the edges of a tree's bars. The plugs would be a second layer of skirting leather and would go from the edge of the skirts to the edge of the bars.

Darc

Thanks a lot drac I really am gratefull thanks

Josh