Originally Posted by 63rickert

There's an item called screw nails. Old old ones are square nails that were twisted a few turns. Your local cobbler may have them, a quick google search says they are still widely available. My original supply was handed to me by Othon Ochsner Sr. so this is a vintage approved.

I gave up on cleats a while ago and switched to pedal patches. Two ways to do it. Make and locate a rectangle of sole leather that fits between front and rear plates of your quill pedal. Attach that rectangle with barge cement, nails not needed. Or an oversize patch of leather and allow the pedal cage to wear into the leather. I will suggest a short easy ride to make a mark and then encourage the grooves with a piece of sandpaper. Long or hard rides your shoe will slide deeper into the toe clip and the grooves will be too far forward. Either way you do not need a deep or sharp edged pair of grooves.

Edit: That should be your foot will be too forward. The grooves will be too far back.