Looking at ordering last thimbles in bulk, (5,000 minimum order quantity) and wanted to make sure I get some that are widely useable. The ones I’m looking at right now are 9.5mm inner diameter, presumably for a 9mm pin. Curious if people have tools this would be too small for/if I should keep looking for a 10.5mm like from 3dshoemaker.
Man, that’s a lot of thimbles
I know I don’t have nearly that many fingers
There are almost as many names for these things as sizes for them. Notes here: https://shoemaking.wiki/Thimble
For low-volume hand work, I’m not sure inner diameter matter all that much, so long as it’s wide enough to get posts you have into the hole. It’s not the end of the world if a post criss-crosses the hole at a little angle. You can always wrap a rag around your post to fill out a slightly wider thimble.
For factory and volume-production fixtures and machines, I take it compatibility matters more. You don’t want uppers flopping around in a wide sweep of angles in a carousel-style outsole injection machine, for example.
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Most people are gonna have 1/2” posts in the US.
Why order in bulk? @Customboots carries them in stock.
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I keep 12mm and 14mm in stock. The thimble needs to be slightly bigger than the post, but not a lot bigger or the last will wobble around while you’re working. There isn’t a “standard” size for thimbles – the thimble size depends on the last size and also what style of last it is. A shoe last has a narrower top than a cowboy boot last, for instance.
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I’m making and selling climbing shoe lasts, so $4 a pair would eat up 10% of revenue. Hey Lisa 
I actually have some of your 12mm thimbles. I have a couple questions - I’ll send you a message
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