Ebay Hats: Victories, Defeats, Gripes & Items of Interest

[fedoracentric]

I have one made in... Spain.

You have a Japanese Stetson made in Spain?



I have seen Stetsons from Spain, Germany, Mexico, Canada, and Australia, but this was the first time I saw one from Japan.

 

[viclip]

Hat blocks are oval - not circular. They were chiseled out and sanded - today they are CNC-milled. To my knowledge, hat blocks have never been turned on a lathe.

Do you think hat blocks may have been turned on a lathe initially to get the rough shape, and then made oval by hand? It would save much time & effort to rough-turn them first on the lathe (or perhaps on a turntable).

 

[dnjan]

Though I have never made a hat block, my woodworking experience suggest that the shortest path to final results would be a band saw followed by a belt sander.

 

[TheDane]

Do you think hat blocks may have been turned on a lathe initially to get the rough shape, and then made oval by hand? It would save much time & effort to rough-turn them first on the lathe (or perhaps on a turntable).

No, I don't think so. As said: "To my knowledge, hat blocks have never been turned on a lathe". This guy uses the traditional method:

[video=youtube;BxHJk03Uvqg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxHJk03Uvqg[/video]

Even if a 7 1/4 block was initially turned on a lathe, the craftsman wouldn't have anything to use calipers and the "diameter" 7 1/4" for. A 7 1/4 block is not 7 1/4" long or wide.

Though I have never made a hat block, my woodworking experience suggest that the shortest path to final results would be a band saw followed by a belt sander.

Exactly!

 

[viclip]

No, I don't think so. As said: "To my knowledge, hat blocks have never been turned on a lathe". This guy uses the traditional method:

...

Even if a 7 1/4 block was initially turned on a lathe, the craftsman wouldn't have anything to use calipers and the "diameter" 7 1/4" for. A 7 1/4 block is not 7 1/4" long or wide.




Exactly!

OK, good to know, but now we're back to where we were with no good explanation for non-circumference hat sizes :-(

 

[John Galt]

You see it often with stiff felts. They will bow and will not lay flat. It is so common (stretching, tweaking) that some believe this is how they were made.

This is a great point, and one I was thinking about recently. Stiff hats were made and/or conformed to fit a particular head. They are rarely going to (and in my experience, rarely do) fit another head well.

 

[Mystic]

Champ Vintage Felt Mens Fedoria Style Clean Hat 7 1/8 Estate no reserve l@@kie!!

Here's a rare one on ebay......a Fedoria Style. lol

 

[viclip]

This is a great point, and one I was thinking about recently. Stiff hats were made and/or conformed to fit a particular head. They are rarely going to (and in my experience, rarely do) fit another head well.

Yes, well, I sport the "Yul Brynner" hairdo (or lack thereof) & rest assured that I quickly learned to abhor stiff hats

 

[Mr.Astor]

You see it often with stiff felts. They will bow and will not lay flat. It is so common (stretching, tweaking) that some believe this is how they were made.

Also a hatter friend of mine in Germany told me women are more accepting of padding and tweaking regarding fit. It's all about visual appearance.

I agree with you as far as women's hats! Borsalino Como is a perfect woman's hat! It can be manipulated to what ever you want! apply the right ribbon embellishment you gotta a sale! I've pulled to many stitches off a man's hat around the brim than I wish too count! I'll buy every Como that comes on the market just because they are so versatile!

 

[mayserwegener]

This is a great point, and one I was thinking about recently. Stiff hats were made and/or conformed to fit a particular head. They are rarely going to (and in my experience, rarely do) fit another head well.

If you stretch a stiff felt too much you will see it in the brim. I am pretty sure all of mine have marked sizes. Many of the ones without self conforming sweatbands were conformed or stretched. Back in the day they must have reworked the entire hat to some degree because you don't see the brim issues.

 

[TheDane]

OK, good to know, but now we're back to where we were with no good explanation for non-circumference hat sizes :-(

You may be, but I don't feel without explanation. The diameter of the corresponding circle is good enough for me. Most older standards are like that. My guess is, that many older Canadians still use Fahrenheit - and maybe even inches. Talking about weird definitions

 

[TheDane]

Back in the day they must have reworked the entire hat to some degree because you don't see the brim issues.

That's the whole trick in conforming a hat. After heating the break-line, you put the formillion in the opening and work over the brim with a foot tollicker - at least the part closest to the crown. That is the way to get around the "wavery" or "flaring" brim, you'll get on both soft as stiff hats, if you stretch them.

 

[mayserwegener]

I had an old JHS stiff felt that was nearly round but the brim was fine. It was marked 6 1/2 Point but fit front to back like a 6 Point (big gaps on the side). I wish I still had it so I could see if someone today could change it back.

 

[TheDane]

I wish I still had it so I could see if someone today could bring it back to it's original overall shape.

Yes, but that'll take a hatter, who's used to stiff hats. "Back in the day ..."

 

[mayserwegener]

Yes, but that'll take a hatter, who's used to stiff hats. "Back in the day ..."

Yes most definitely!

 

[John Galt]

Yes, but that'll take a hatter, who's used to stiff hats. "Back in the day ..."

Contact Hatter 4 - Oliver is still doing these the old way...

 

[mayserwegener]

Contact Hatter 4 - Oliver is still doing these the old way...

It's too bad I recently sold it. This would be a difficult one. Does he have experience with old stiff felts?

 

[Garrett]

wow

http://www.ebay.com/itm/rare-vintag...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

 

[TheDane]

wow

http://www.ebay.com/itm/rare-vintag...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

2-1/2" ribbon ... now that's a FAR!

 

[alanfgag]

And I thought the caps were going to be the story of the day.