My first toe plug

[Pappy Hayes]

Finally finished one of my personal holsters with sewn in toe plug. Give me your opinions, but be gentle as this is my first one.

[Camano Ridge]

What a piece of crap! There is only one way to deal with that holster, send it to me

Seriously well done for the first one. I am sure that you learned some lesson doing the first one. The next one will be easier. The incising on the holster also looks pretty good overall nice holster.

[rdstrain49]

I hate doing toe plugs.  Looks pretty good for a first timer Pappy.  Did I mention I hate doing toe plugs.

[Pappy Hayes]

Not sure I want to do too many of them after my own. But according to Packing Iron it looks like that most of the old holsters were done this way. I am a stickler for originality so I will probably start putting them in most of my holsters I make. At least the slim jims.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

That looks great. Very nice work. I agree that they're not a whole lot of fun, but it's historically the way many were done. They add a nice touch of correctness.

[Forty Rod]

I also finished my first one this morning.  I won't embarrass myself by posting pictures, especially after your first attempt.

Mine isn't pretty, but it's functional.

Nice work.

[rdstrain49]

Go ahead Fourty, we all promise we won't laugh.  At least nobody who has ever done one will.  Did I mention I hate doing toe plugs?

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

The first one is always the hardest, you did good Pappy

tEN wOLVES 

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Congrats, 40. There's only one first one. I learned a lot on my first.

[Cliff Fendley]

Nice job Pappy. After about a hundred you wont even think about it any more.

I personally don't mind doing toe plugs at all and only wish I could right now. I cant lift my arm or do any hand stitching right now so my hand stitch and toe plug orders are on hold.

[KidTerico]

Your work is looking real good. KT

[1961MJS]

Hi Pappy

It ain't supposed to look TOO good, that's how come its on the bottom.   

Good job really.

Later

[Forty Rod]

Congrats, 40. There's only one first one. I learned a lot on my first.

Yeah, me too.  I learned I won't do another one if I can help it.   

[Pappy Hayes]

Thanks for all your comments. I have some holsters I did without toe plugs. I think I am going to see if I can add them now. I hope you get well soon Cliff

[Forty Rod]

Thanks for all your comments. I have some holsters I did without toe plugs. I think I am going to see if I can add them now. I hope you get well soon Cliff

Aren't you supposed to add then after the holster is done?

Maybe I'll try one before I finish the rest.

[Pappy Hayes]

Yes 40 but you would have put the stitching holes in the toe of the holster. So I need to decide how hard it will be to make the holes.

[Camano Ridge]

Pappy if you have a holster that is finished and you want to put a toe in it the only real difference is that you are not going to do the main seam and continue through the toe. I would make a double layer toe plug glue it in place run your stitch groover on the outside of the end of the holster then groove the toe plug use your awl to poke your hole from the groove line on the outside of your holster aim for the groove on the toe plug and adjust the awl tip as necassary to get the awl tip to come up through the groove in the plug.

[Forty Rod]

I put the holes in with a drill bit, then enlarged them with an awl.

They don't look too bad if you don't look at them.  

[Cliff Fendley]

I use a saddlers awl to make the holes from the face of the holster out through the plug.

Count the number of stitches around the outside of the holster and keep a mental note of where you need to be as you work around the inside of the plug. The stitches on the plug will be closer together than on the holster body.

Spacing of the holes and keeping the toe plug stitches in a nice line is the biggest challenge.

[David Carrico]

Looks a lot better than my first ones! Glad you are doing toe plugs, most of the originals had them. I punch the holes on the bottom line of my holster body first, then stick in the toe plug. I then use a pencil to mark the holes because they will be closer together. Make sure it is stitch grooved first. Take the plug out, use an awl, and make the hole come out at the bottom edge of the toe plug. I usually lay a scrap piece of leather under it so I don't dull my awl. I always make the last stitch come back through the main seam stitch to tie it all together. I could shoot some pics, but a demo has probably been done before on here? Not saying this is the right way, I'm sure there's better ways. I've only sewn a couple thousand like this, and yes, I still hate them!