Question on hat bodies

[Maduma]

I am looking for sources of good quality rabbit and beaver felt hat bodies and cones as would like to experiment with making my own Indie Raiders type fedoras. I have located some block suppliers but am having difficulty identifying the right hat body suppliers as I am not sure about felt weight etc, any help would be really appreciated. Thanks

 

[TheDane]

Living in Spain you should look at FEPSA in Portugal. They make very fine felt bodies. They have a webstore, but with a very limited range. If you can't find the right body for your purpose (and you probably can't), they have a minimum of 25 bodies per type/color. You will probably be looking for a beaver body, weighing about 110-150g - depending on size

 

[bloc]

Just put my first order in with Fepsa the other day. Good quality felt and good service. Definitely worth a look.

 

[Maduma]

Thanks for the advice, the Fepsa site looks good

 

[Mustang Mike's Hats]

I am restarting my hat business and I'm looking for sources for men's fur felt hat bodies. Semi-finished would be best. (Not wool.) Appreciate the help in advance!!

 

[Bob Roberts]

I am restarting my hat business and I'm looking for sources for men's fur felt hat bodies. Semi-finished would be best. (Not wool.) Appreciate the help in advance!!

Tonak or Winchester

 

[Cane Rod Maker]

I don't think there is any semi-finished felt from Winchester. Those take a full pounce. However, Tonak you can buy "fully pounced" dress it, and send it off, or buy partially finished. IMHO it's all I can offer.

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[Mustang Mike's Hats]

Thanks guys! I had no luck with finding a website for Tonak. Any idea how I can reach out to them? Maybe they have product here in the U.S. (a distributor maybe?) I did work with Winchester back in the day and will contact them. BTW - no problem if I need to pounce the felt. I've done that in the past. (It's manual labor but worth the effort, right??) Much appreciate the feedback!

 

[ruvort]

Thanks guys! I had no luck with finding a website for Tonak. Any idea how I can reach out to them? Maybe they have product here in the U.S. (a distributor maybe?) I did work with Winchester back in the day and will contact them. BTW - no problem if I need to pounce the felt. I've done that in the past. (It's manual labor but worth the effort, right??) Much appreciate the feedback!

I know this is an old thread... but I think this is the website you were looking for: https://www.tonak.cz/hatbodies-en/?search=offset:0|articlesCount:0|category:13|page:1

 

[Mustang Mike's Hats]

Not sure how you located it, but I've filed it for future reference. Thanks!

 

[KCarroll]

I'm sure this question has been asked many times, if so I apologize. I'm trying to find the best place to buy beaver hat blanks. I've been googling for an hour now with little luck! I've heard Winchester Hat Co. out of Tennessee is a good one, I reached out a few weeks ago and haven't heard anything back from them yet. Any other good ones for western hat making? Thanks in advance guys!

 

[Matt Deckard]

I'm sure this question has been asked many times, if so I apologize. I'm trying to find the best place to buy beaver hat blanks. I've been googling for an hour now with little luck! I've heard Winchester Hat Co. out of Tennessee is a good one, I reached out a few weeks ago and haven't heard anything back from them yet. Any other good ones for western hat making? Thanks in advance guys!

There are three factories that focus on western hat bodies. Winchester, Hatco, and Fepsa. Hatco does not sell to the public, Fepsa takes large enough orders, and Winchester... call them again as they do take time now and again to get back to people. Being in the US, the ease of meeting them with a small flight is worth the business.


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[KCarroll]

Ah, that makes sense as to why I've turned up little information. I appreciate the reply, I'll give Winchester Hat Co. a call tomorrow. Thanks again!

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I'm sure this question has been asked many times, if so I apologize. I'm trying to find the best place to buy beaver hat blanks. I've been googling for an hour now with little luck! I've heard Winchester Hat Co. out of Tennessee is a good one, I reached out a few weeks ago and haven't heard anything back from them yet. Any other good ones for western hat making? Thanks in advance guys!

I heard (unverified) that Winchester isn’t taking on any new customers. FEPSA will sell single hat bodies, but the shipping is expensive and the website isn’t user friendly, at least not if you don’t speak Portuguese.

Have you considered the nutria hat bodies that recently showed up on Etsy from a seller out of Australia?




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[Matt Deckard]

I heard (unverified) that Winchester isn’t taking on any new customers. FEPSA will sell single hat bodies, but the shipping is expensive and the website isn’t user friendly, at least not if you don’t speak Portuguese.

Have you considered the nutria hat bodies that recently showed up on Etsy from a seller out of Australia?




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I have a handful of those. I do wish it was more in vogue to make them. We just need a facility to render the fur off of them here in The US


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[KCarroll]

There are three factories that focus on western hat bodies. Winchester, Hatco, and Fepsa. Hatco does not sell to the public, Fepsa takes large enough orders, and Winchester... call them again as they do take time now and again to get back to people. Being in the US, the ease of meeting them with a small flight is worth the business.


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I heard (unverified) that Winchester isn’t taking on any new customers. FEPSA will sell single hat bodies, but the shipping is expensive and the website isn’t user friendly, at least not if you don’t speak Portuguese.

Have you considered the nutria hat bodies that recently showed up on Etsy from a seller out of Australia?




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I appreciate your reply. I haven’t considered Nutria yet but I’ll go check them out now. Thanks for the lead!

 

[Mustang Mike's Hats]

I heard (unverified) that Winchester isn’t taking on any new customers.

Pretty much spot on. It took my daughter, who is a hatter, a year to get an account. I do know that they are about to go on their summer furlough in about a week and I'm certain they are working hard to fill outstanding orders. I can't recall the dates exactly but I do have the postcard they sent me at the house. (I'm typing this from my day gig)