Cutting Toe Plugs To Fit

[specialcases]

As strange as it may seem...I can't figure out and haven't seen in any books the best way to pattern and cut a holster toe plug so it fits properly.

And do those who do them always glues them before stitching in? And if gluing I assume you need to glue them in as you fold the pouch over to glue the main seam....or do you glue the main seam then "pop" the plug in?

Finally would you use the saem weight leather as the pouch or thicker or double it up?

I want to try them on a few holsters comiing up and would liketo avoid too many errors along the way...though I am sure I will come up with new errors which is how iI learn most lessons!

Thanks in advance for any experience you can share with me.

Plinker

http://plinkercases.ca/

[Tree Reaper]

How To Make Holsters by Al Stohlman, page 11, installing the end plug.

Stitch down the holster and when you reach the plug you stitch around the bottom of the holster and angle through to the bottom of the plug working around the bottom of the holster.

End plugs can be sole leather or laminated to the same thickness.

Edited August 27, 2013 by Tree Reaper

[specialcases]

Tree Reaper thanks.

I have the Stohlan book (since I was a daydreaming kid actually but never got right into it unltil the last year or so) and up to now ok with the stitching approach but realy curious how to litrerally get the right shaped tear drop so it fit properly. All Al says is "cut end plug to fit snuggly"...easier said than done I think without lots of experience.

Fold the pouch and trace the end then subtract the leather thickness was all I can think of.

When you say laminate to the same thickness you mean it is better to use 2x4 oz lamentated rather than the same 8 oz used for the pouch? i assume this is to make the plug stiffer. That makes sense to me since I dont have have any sole leather. Would you laminate flesh to grain or visa or how would you orient the leather layers for most stifness...I am thinking flesh to flesh would be stronger?

Thanks for pointing me back to the book as they say...it seems his process is the sew down the main seam then insert the plug (with glue - and I assume rubber cement would be a little more forgiving when trying to position it in place) then continue with the stitching.

I am giong to try it all this way this weekend and will post the results for suggestions.

Am on track?

[camano ridge]

Stohlmans book gives good insight, however practice is the only way you will get it right. I do quite a few with toe plugs. There are varied opinions on how to dit. I glue and stitch my main seam first then glue in the toe plug. When you first lay out the stitch line on the holster lay out the holes on the bottom of the holster as well. After your toe plug is glued in. Gouge a stitch line then insert your awl into the first stitch mark on the bottom edge of your holster, I usually use my awl to poke each hole as I stitch. When you push the awl into the stitch mark aim it up toward the stitch line you made in the toe if you watch carefully you can line the tip of you awl so it comes out in your stitch line on the toe.

As to marking out your toe plug the way i do it is once I have sewn the main seam and shaped my holster and left it dry to it's final shape I use a black or brown marker (sharpy) and color the bttom edge of the stitched holster then quickly press against my piece of leather, this will mark the outline of the toe. Cut on the inside of the out line and you should have a plug that fits. Some people like to champher the inside edge of the holster to 45 deg then cut the edge of the plug to 45 deg. I have not done mine this way and they seem to work out ok for me. I usually use two pieces of 8 - 10 oz leather laminated together to give a nice thick toe. In laying out your pattern and constructing the holster make sure you are making the holster long enough to allow for room between the muzzle and the toe. You don't want the gun sitt to high in the holster because it is resting ton the toe plug.

Edited August 28, 2013 by camano ridge

[specialcases]

Camano Ridge,

Great tip on imprinting the holster bottom. I will add that trick to my attempt.

[camano ridge]

In regard to your last post I glue flesh side to flesh side so you have the hair side or smooth side on the outside and inside facing the muzzle. I use the same glue i use on the main seam and let it dry before I stitch.

Edited August 28, 2013 by camano ridge

[Logans Leather]

One of the slickest looking and easiest toe plugs I have seen was actually a bit of a cheat in a Bianchi holster, I call it a cheat because it does not actually get sewn in, yet it is very secure. the bottom of the holster gets cut slightly long, ant the toe-section of the main piece gets skived a bit, then folded to the inside, glued and stitched down, before stitching the main seam. The edge of the folded toe makes a nice little shelf inside. the toe plug is made from 2 ththicknesses of leather glued together, and simply glued into the toe of the holster, but on top of that little shelf made by the folded edge. Very secure, very fast and easy. when I took the original holster apart, I was a bit shocked by this use of a cheat, but impressed by the ingenuity, simplicity and profitability of the technique.

[specialcases]

Thanks for the post. Can you post any pictures or a sketch so I am sure I am visualising this acurately?