Holster plug

[Davem]

If any of you sew in plugs at the bottom of a holster, how do you do it?   I have done a couple- ran the awl at 45 degrees but often the plug is a little too small and there is a gap at the back- "pointy" end.

[RattlesnakeJack]

For what it may be worth, since I am not overly skilled, particularly at the traditional "diagonal stitching" method, and do leatherwork only for personal use anyway, the method I have settled on for a holster toe plug is to sew a narrow strip of leather to the inside bottom edge before sewing up the side seam of the holster, which results in an inner "ledge" inside the bottom opening, against which a snug-fitting plug can be seated, from the top.  No need to glue it or otherwise secure it in place, and the thickness of the "ledge" conceals any slight gaps which might result from the plug not exactly conforming to the inside contour of the holster end.  Of course the "ledge" gets dyed/contoured/polished for a finished look ...

[The original bad bob]

Here is how I do it:

I make holster approx 1/4" longer that perhaps I would if holster did not have a toe plug.

I then use sewn together holster to lay on Leather to mark size of plug.. I then cut 2 plugs out of the leather and glue them together like laminating...I use barge contact cement.. I then wet leather plug and use stitch Grover tool to make stitch groove, then I use modeling spoon to make this stitch groove deeper .. dye toe plug.. then glue toe plug into holster with barge.. let dry for 30 minutes.. then wet toe plug and use awl to poke stitch holes on a 45 dog angle through the holster aiming for the back edge of toe plug stitch groove..one at a time in toe plug and begin saddle stitches

[Marshal Will Wingam]

When I dye a holster, I also dye another piece large enough to cut several toe plugs. Sometimes I glue two thicknesses of leather for the toe plug. I cut the plug slightly oversized then trim to fit. I start stitching straight through the seam side of the toe and into the tip of the plug. If there's a little gap at the seam side, it gets closed at that time. The first stitch in the stitch groove in the plug gets a 45 degree stitch from the rear side then normal double needle stitching on the other (front) side and around it from that point. After the first double needle stitch, I put a temporary stay stitch along the fold side to hold the plug in place. I generally punch the holes from both sides to get the hole at the right angle.

[Coffinmaker]

  Heck, any time I wanted to put a "plug" in something I just went and got a goodly chunk of cork and hammered it home.  Not that this helps the OP.

It did however, give me something to do for a couple of minutes.   

Stupid People are Still Hazardous to yer Health

[Smokey Dave]

The toe plug is my least favorite thing to do. I trace around the end of the holster on a thick piece of leather. Then cut the plug out from that tracing, taking into account the thickness of the leather. I put a stitch groove in it and punch the stitching holes. I count the number of holes around the bottom of the holster and punch the same amount in the groove of the plug. Because it's curved, the hole spacing will not be the same as the holster itself.

Once the holes are punched, I glue the plug into the holster. After it's dry, use an awl to punch through the hole in the plug at a 45 degree angle down through the hole in the holster. Once I have two holes done, I put in the first saddle stitch. Then I just punch through sideways like that for each hole and put in the stitch. I hope I'm explaining this well.

[Cliff Fendley]

I start sewing at the top and when I get to the plug I continue around the front and end back at the bottom corner of the holster. One thread with two needles saddle stitched on the whole holster. You have to keep in mind your stitches are closter on the plug then the holster body. Also I double the toe plug, the thicker plug stays flat that way.

[Smokey Dave]

That looks perfect Cliff.

[Cliff Fendley]

Thanks Dave

[Davem]

Yup, good job. I really like good leatherwork.