Where could I see how a holster toe plug is done?

[Tallbald]

I really like the looks and artistic element a toe plug gives some holsters but can't fathom how they are cut and sewn onto a holster. Is there a tutorial out there in a book or online I could study? Thanks as always, Don.

[Johnny McCrae]

Check out the DVD by Chuck Burrows called "Frontier Holsters" http://www.wrtcleather.com/tr-books/books-1.shtml#holsters
It shows in detail how to install Toe plug.

Also check out the book by Al Stohman called "How to make Holsters". Page 11 give instructions on an End Plug.

[TN Mongo]

Like Johnny mentioned, the Al Stohlman book really helped me at first.  I saw Chuck's DVD after I learned how to make them, but it is also excellent.

Probably the best thing I did was to make the bottom 3" of a holster pattern that I wanted to use a toe plug on and practiced doing a toe plug before I did it on a real holster.  Boy was that a learning experience.  I was also fortunate to have another couple of good holster makers in the area that are very good about sharing their knowledge.  I was able to get my practice toe plug critiqued before I tried it on the real deal.  Thank you Outrider and Curly Bill Kelly.

What made my first pair with holster plugs more interesting was that I put them in a pair of lined holsters.  Good luck with yours!  I hope they come out well. 

[Cliff Fendley]

I've got Chucks video and don't remember seeing anything about sewing the toe plug, I thought it skipped that part cause I was actually looking for info when I first did them and wasn't able to find anything. Wonder if there is something wrong with my DVD?

I'd love to see how others sew them to see if they do it the same way as me because I've never seen instruction on actually sewing one. Putting the plug in is easy, just glue it in when you glue the main seem. Sewing a toe plug was one area I struggled a bit before I was happy with mine. Some still turn out better than others.

[Trailrider]

The basic premise is, BEFORE you stitch the main seam, to bevel the end of the holster at a 45 degree angle.  I use a 1-1/2" sanding drum chucked up in a drill press, but you could do the same thing using a power hand drill in a bench vise.  Just be sure to wear a dust mask and eye protection, and vacuum up the dust created.

Edge groove the end of the holster and mark the stitch spacing with the holster flat on the tale.  Use an awl and punch holes where the marks are, at a 45 degree angle off vertical with the point of the awl coming out at the very bottom of the holster.
To clarify, you are going to sew the plug into the end of the holster at the 45 degree angle through both pieces  |\.

Either stitch the main seam or pre-punch or drill the holes through both side of the main seam, and use #17 x 3/4" copper-coated steel nails to temporarily hold the main seam together.  Take a piece of leather at least as thick or thicker than the body of the holster, rough side up on the table. Place the holster on the piece of leather and trace around the end of the holster on what will become the end plug.  Cut out the plug and then use the sanding drum to bevel the plug at a 45 deg. angle to match the bevel on the holster body's end.  Insert the beveled end of the plug to match the bevel of the body. Either hold it in place or tack glue it in place. Groove the outside of the plug before inserting it in the end of the holster. Mark the groove so the holes you punched in the body match. Remember that the holes in the plug must be perpendicular to the ouotside of the body, and line up with the holes in the body.  You will then need to stitch at an angle to connect both pieces together.  I then transition to the main seam with one continuous piece of thread, stitching up to the top of the main seam.

I wish I could post pictures, but can't right now.  Best of luck.

[Curley Cole]

Check Will Ghormleys web page, he shows step by step instructions, with pictures.

curley

[Boothill Bob]

http://www.willghormley-maker.com/MakingHOGRig2.html
Here u find  step by step instructions
//BhB

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

http://www.willghormley-maker.com/MakingHOGRig2.html
Here u find  step by step instructions
//BhB

Thanks for the link.  I think I can try to sew a toe plug now.

I joined NCOWS so I could read Will's leather working articles.  Those were the days!

[PJ Hardtack]

Sir Charles

When you get good at it or at least competent, let me know .... I've got work for you!   Want a couple of practice pieces? ;>)

[Cliff Fendley]

That is a fine tutorial Will has.

That is exactly how I do mine and I wish I had that tutorial when I was learning to do toe plugs because it would have saved me some time figuring it out.

The only difference is I glue mine in place when I glue up the main seem, then just start and the top and sew down the main seam and around the plug. I've actually gotten where I would rather do this than a regular sewn toe.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

The only difference is I glue mine in place when I glue up the main seem, then just start and the top and sew down the main seam and around the plug. I've actually gotten where I would rather do this than a regular sewn toe.
[/quote]

  I cement my toe plug in first too, I find it makes the experience much easier for me, I use my cut in half rubber ball as a back when pushing my awl through the plug, saves me lots of blood over time.

       tEN wOLVES     

[GunClick Rick]

Well i would hate to be a judge of the toe plugs done i have seen on here,i have one from Cliff and a bigger one done by Ned Buckshot,Cliff--22 converted 9 1/2 inch pistol holster and Ned--My 1858 12 inch pistol holster,bueatiful work on both...I'm partial to that toe plug look..Thanks to both them fellers! I wish Ned would drop by..

[Cliff Fendley]

Hey Rick, speaking of your 22 holster I was just organizing some pictures last night planning to do some updating on my website and ran across pictures of your holster. This has to be the toe of yours because I've only done a couple of those long Cheyenne styles for a 22 and the other was a different color.

[GunClick Rick]

Yesser that be it.. This is the set Ned did,still lookin for the toe pic..

[ChuckBurrows]

One hint - if you've only got 8/9 oz or so leather to work with glue two piece together for the toe plug, many of the old originals I've seen in person used thicker saddle skirting for the toe plug, but gluing two piece does about the same and teh thicker plug just works better. I glue my plugs in most of the time as well for the CAS crowd, but when making a copy of an original I don't since I've never seen an original glued in place - if you do glue the seam and toe I recommend a drain hole in the plug, mine otherwise become water tight and that isn't good for the ole shooting iron.
Also on most originals I've seen the toe plug is sewn in separately from the main seam and often with a finer thread. When I sew at 6 SPI  I use 5 cord for the main seam and 3 cord for the plug. It's why you often see old ones with a good main seam but no toe plug - this is especially true with machine sewn seams and hand sewn toe plugs.
For me I'd rather do plugs then sewn through toes.

[Ned Buckshot]

Thanks Rick, I never could decide on whether to call taht one a scabbard or holster!

Here's a pic of the toe plug.

Ned

[GunClick Rick]

I was hopin youd had that picture Ned.....Nice to see ya back on here,post some more.

I'm real partial to that rig too Ned..Fits the gun very well !

[Tallbald]

Hi and thank you all for the help. Worked the last few days, and haven't been here. I did get a few minutes to look through Packing Iron, which Amazon got to me in 3 days though. Ideas just keep popping up in my head. I love the look of toe plugs and will work to learn to put them in some of the holsters I hope to make. Don

[Cliff Fendley]

I became a hater of open toe holsters for my revolvers many years ago when the muzzle of a gun I was carrying on a hunting trip got bumped into a rock pretty bad. It was a factory holster but the first thing I did when I got home was sew up the toe and unless I'm making an authentic looking copy of something or a concealed carry holster I always close the toes.

Personally I don't like to punch holes in a plug and even a tightly stitched plug without glue will hold once the leather gets wet and swells. My thought is why would anyone care if a holster will hold water or if the dirt can get out.

You can dunk the end of your barrel in a bucket of water and pull it out and shoot it. We must remember that all of the water or dirt that gets in the toe of that holster has to make it around the rest of the action. Unless your holding your gun over your head while wading a creek but in any case like this your going to be drying things out at some point fairly soon. You can dump dirt into a holster until it builds up on the barrel and it's not going to go up in it. There is always a little room in the end of the holster and if you get that much dirt in it on one outing the rest of the gun is going to be a mess.

I do excavating work as my real job and carry a gun every day. My carry guns get filthy but the dirt that gets past the action and to the barrel is the least of my worries.