My first toe plug

[rdstrain49]

The only wrong way to do a toe plug is to sew a finger to it.  Other than that, there's more than one way to skin a cat.  Do what works best for you.

[bedbugbilly]

That's a nice job Pappy!  You ought to be proud of that! 

David - thanks for those tips on how you do it - those will help a lot of us out.  I've done a number of toe plugs but every one of them is a "learning experience".  I've tried doing it a number of ways and every time I've learned something new.  My biggest problem is getting the smaller sticking spacing on the toe so that it looks good.  At least on mine, there's no doubt that it was done by hand!   

[ChuckBurrows]

Another trick for putting in toe plugs I learned a long time ago and has helped prevent much frustration is to use thicker leather (say 12/14 oz) or just glue two pieces together for the toe plug...

Also most of the originals used a lighter weight thread for the toe plug (maybe why so many are missing? - also once the machines came into more usage in the 1880's the main seam was often machine sewn on the main seam and the toe plug was hand stitched - The Meanea holster on the cover of Packing Iron is made thusly...) - depending on whether I am making a "modern" CAS version or a period/museum replica one - modern I use 5 cord thread at 6 SPI for the main seam and 3 (18/3) cord for the toe plug. For period/museum replicas, I use I use 3 cord (18/3) for the main seam at 8-10 SPI and the toe pug is 3 cord (25/3) at 8 SPI
while both are 3 cord the 18/3 is three cords of 18 gauge and 25/3 is 3 cords of 25 gauge - the lower the gauge number the thicker the cord...thus 18/3 is slightly thicker

[KidTerico]

Pappy a outstanding job on the toe plug. Keep it up. KT