Hat making?? Learning Millinery..

[deadlyhandsome]

Possibly. He is still in Central Pointe but getting close to his move to Florida. With the border still closed I am beginning to think that ship is about to sail. I could fly to Portland, rent a car and drive down but that would add about a thousand dollars to the cost.

Sounds like a trip to Florida in the winter might be in the cards. Could be worse.

 

[belfastboy]

Sounds like a trip to Florida in the winter might be in the cards. Could be worse.

Yes, I could fly to Florida for cheaper!

 

[sebastian czentner]

Im tyring tp learn millenery my first steps was convert a couple of fedoras in pork pie keaton style. My litle sister is disposed to help me, she works in the textil industrie.

 

[belfastboy]

Im tyring tp learn millenery my first steps was convert a couple of fedoras in pork pie keaton style. My litle sister is disposed to help me, she works in the textil industrie.

Have you watched the YouTube video of Art Fawcett/Vintage Silhouettes? An edited 30 minute video on the making of a fur felt fedora. It is brilliant.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Im tyring tp learn millenery my first steps was convert a couple of fedoras in pork pie keaton style. My litle sister is disposed to help me, she works in the textil industrie.

Here’s a link to the YouTube video of Art Fawcett making a hat:

 

[sebastian czentner]

Its a good video, but at first i wouldnt have so much machinery, the blocks of couse but something more handmade?

 

[Frunobulax]

Its a good video, but at first i wouldnt have so much machinery, the blocks of couse but something more handmade?

True, but each pieceof the machinery he uses can be recreated by hand. The brim press has been reasonably recreated by Robert (@belfastboy) using plywood and some good Canadian improvisation. I think a rotating table for pouncing would be nice, though.

 

[belfastboy]

Its a good video, but at first i wouldnt have so much machinery, the blocks of couse but something more handmade?

I am a hatter. My shop has minimal equipment...certainly nothing on the magnitude of a full custom shop such as Art's. However it is possible to do it all by hand. It is much more time consuming but still possible. I use Art's video to show me the steps/stages of making a fedora. How I do each step is or has been a matter of improvisation.......and that is the part that I love.

 

[jlee562]

Its a good video, but at first i wouldnt have so much machinery, the blocks of couse but something more handmade?

Yes, it's very possible to make hats with a minimum of tools. Of course having a brim press would allow one to make more substantially built hats, it's not strictly necessary.

You would need a block; flange; an iron; good source of steam; and an assortment of hand tools. The brim tolliker is pretty crucial. The puller downer and pusher downer are nice things to have, but if we wanted to do this in the cheapest way possible, these two tools can be improvised. You'll need some various grits of sandpaper. A rounding jack is the best to cut the brim, but it can be done by hand or with cheaper tools. I use a stitch awl for the sweatband, but that also can be done with needle and thread.

 

[sebastian czentner]

Thanks all for the answer, fornow my budget is limited, but i would procured the necesary tools.

 

[belfastboy]

Yes, it's very possible to make hats with a minimum of tools. If course having a brim press would allow one to make more substantially built hats, it's not strictly necessary.

You would need a block; flange; an iron; good source of steam; and an assortment of hand tools. The brim tolliker is pretty crucial. The puller downer and pusher downer are nice things to have, but if we wanted to do this in the cheapest way possible, these two tools can be improvised. You'll need some various grits of sandpaper. A rounding jack is the best to cut the brim, but it can be done by hand or with cheaper tools. I use a stitch awl for the sweatband, but that also can be done with needle and thread.

Yes, this pretty much lists what I have in my shop. I made my tolliker and initially my other tools but have since upgraded to better looking ones made my craftsmen. By far the biggest expense are the blocks and flanges....with thousands of $$$ invested so far and it still seems my assortment is missing so much. I have an improvised brim press using 2'x2' plywood sheets with holes cut out to accommodate the various sizes. I then steam, press, and sandwich the brim between the plywood sheets using 4 clamps....pressing it for 24 hours.

 

[ChicagoWayVito]

Thanks all for the answer, fornow my budget is limited, but i would procured the necesary tools.

If you end up being very serious about this craft then it will be a lifetime of procuring tools
Luckily, a lot of vintage tools have been recreated.

Additionally, you can use your own ingenuity to fill in the gaps for tools and or budget. I made my own block spinner for pouncing the crown which serves to give the felt a nice hand and orient the fur in one direction and it looks beautiful. You could however use an orbital random sander just be careful though.

 

[sebastian czentner]

If you end up being very serious about this craft then it will be a lifetime of procuring tools
Luckily, a lot of vintage tools have been recreated.

Additionally, you can use your own ingenuity to fill in the gaps for tools and or budget. I made my own block spinner for pouncing the crown which serves to give the felt a nice hand and orient the fur in one direction and it looks beautiful. You could however use an orbital random sander just be careful though.

Yes im serius and i starting thinking how to get the tools or use my ingenuity, would be nice some kind of tutoriaal. Here in Argentina is dificutl to get the tools i hope the vaporizer i can get were suficient, im thinking in get and old pottery torn, i have a sister that can help me with that my llitle sister a a fshion designer that is interesed in my proyect. At least im not alone in this, but with litle money and a budget very limited. But i hope with time i can get aheaad.

 

[belfastboy]

If you end up being very serious about this craft then it will be a lifetime of procuring tools
Luckily, a lot of vintage tools have been recreated.

Additionally, you can use your own ingenuity to fill in the gaps for tools and or budget. I made my own block spinner for pouncing the crown which serves to give the felt a nice hand and orient the fur in one direction and it looks beautiful. You could however use an orbital random sander just be careful though.

That is my next step....I have been hand sanding and next step is to buy a small palm sander and attempt to machine pounce at least the brims.

 

[belfastboy]

Yes im serius and i starting thinking how to get the tools or use my ingenuity, would be nice some kind of tutoriaal. Here in Argentina is dificutl to get the tools i hope the vaporizer i can get were suficient, im thinking in get and old pottery torn, i have a sister that can help me with that my llitle sister a a fshion designer that is interesed in my proyect. At least im not alone in this, but with litle money and a budget very limited. But i hope with time i can get aheaad.

I very much used the incremental approach. Learning through experience in other endeavours the risk of going out and purchasing ALL that I thought I needed. Buying the items, or upgrading as your skills improve is the prudent way to go. Alas, other than Art's video there is very little available on line in terms of tutorials. Much of what is available is by millinery folks geared to women's fashion and it is a very different field....

 

[ChicagoWayVito]

Yes im serius and i starting thinking how to get the tools or use my ingenuity, would be nice some kind of tutoriaal. Here in Argentina is dificutl to get the tools i hope the vaporizer i can get were suficient, im thinking in get and old pottery torn, i have a sister that can help me with that my llitle sister a a fshion designer that is interesed in my proyect. At least im not alone in this, but with litle money and a budget very limited. But i hope with time i can get aheaad.

Sebastian feel free to send me direct messages here on the lounge if you have questions about making hats. I am sure others here are willing to share their knowledge as well.

As you start sourcing materials and supplies, please do let us know if you find a South American supplier of Nutria felt, I think the animal is called Carpincho in Argentina but I have otherwise seen it called Capybara. I would be surprised if there wasn't a fur felter in Argentina that uses Carpincho.

 

[sebastian czentner]

Sebastian feel free to send me direct messages here on the lounge if you have questions about making hats. I am sure others here are willing to share their knowledge as well.

As you start sourcing materials and supplies, please do let us know if you find a South American supplier of Nutria felt, I think the animal is called Carpincho in Argentina but I have otherwise seen it called Capybara. I would be surprised if there wasn't a fur felter in Argentina that uses Carpincho.

Carpincho and nutrias are diferent ani.als being the carpinchos much larger and under protections laws however most of the fur felt are made of hare and lesser extent nutria. Thanks meanwhile i will be saving and purchasing tools i will message you. I apreciated your input.

 

[sebastian czentner]

I very much used the incremental approach. Learning through experience in other endeavours the risk of going out and purchasing ALL that I thought I needed. Buying the items, or upgrading as your skills improve is the prudent way to go. Alas, other than Art's video there is very little available on line in terms of tutorials. Much of what is available is by millinery folks geared to women's fashion and it is a very different field....

Thanks for tbe advice and in certain way is the path ill following.

 

[jlee562]

Yes im serius and i starting thinking how to get the tools or use my ingenuity, would be nice some kind of tutoriaal. Here in Argentina is dificutl to get the tools i hope the vaporizer i can get were suficient, im thinking in get and old pottery torn, i have a sister that can help me with that my llitle sister a a fshion designer that is interesed in my proyect. At least im not alone in this, but with litle money and a budget very limited. But i hope with time i can get aheaad.

I have no experience with this company, more like I was sent some unsolicited Instagram DMs, but they are in Bogotá and apparently have blocks, flanges, hatting tools, and Panama hat bodies. A little bit closer to you than the other US based sources I know of.
https://www.instagram.com/superior_hats/?hl=en


another excellent resource is the Scientific Hat Finishing and Renovation pamphlet, which is available online free:
https://archive.org/details/scientifichatfin00erma

 

[sebastian czentner]

I have no experience with this company, more like I was sent some unsolicited Instagram DMs, but they are in Bogotá and apparently have blocks, flanges, hatting tools, and Panama hat bodies. A little bit closer to you than the other US based sources I know of.
https://www.instagram.com/superior_hats/?hl=en


another excellent resource is the Scientific Hat Finishing and Renovation pamphlet, which is available online free:
https://archive.org/details/scientifichatfin00erma

Thanks for the information , also i found in facebook a chilean with blocks and tools, but they didnt respond me. In Argentina Mercado libre (E-Bay like site) i could found some tools at affordable prices, mostly blocks. i would test if the humidizer/vaporizer of my parents could be of some use for me.