The Conversion Corral

[bond]

I don't have a brim cutter yet and don't know if I'd want one for my limited use, I get along fine using the exacto knive though. Just be patient and don't rush it , a good light is also helpful to see where your cutting, the rest is all you.

 

[Joshbru3]

Honestly..........a ROUNDING JACK is worth every single penny. I have done a ton of conversions, restorations, etc....and let me tell you there is NO method that is more even and efficient than a rounding jack. Even if you only convert 2 hats a year, its worth it. Here's why I say that.......I used to use the scissors method.

I measured the desired brim length I wanted, then every 1/8 inch marked with a pencil along the brim just to make sure I got the best cut possible. Then I would spend a ton of time with 100 grit sandpaper just sanding down all those high rough cuts that the scissors left. Even when I got the brim edge super round and even......it never was, because the scissors would take off 1/16 inch - 1/32 of an inch more in some areas than I wanted. Doesn't sound so bad, right?? Well, as most people can attest here on the lounge, 1/8 of an inch can totally change the look of a hat and so does 1/16 of an inch. A rounding jack is used when the block is still in the hat. That way the cupped edge of the rounding jack has a guide as the blade cuts around the brim.

I found my rounding jack on ebay for $75 and I have seen many others sell for around that as well. The first time you use one, TRUST ME, you will never use a pair of scissors again to cut a brim.

 

[Mr.Astor]

You are right Josh concerning the rounding jack! A 1 /8 or 1 /16 difference on a raw edge is unacceptable even to a novice eye, when you do a ribbon edge treatment you end up with a void in the ribbon!! that's worse! Scissors compress the felt in the cutting process which when steamed the felt want's to go back to the original position. With a exacto knife you have to consistently keep a 90 degree angle to the material very difficult.

 

[Mr.Astor]

Thanks bond, I'll try that. Although I've been lucky so far with the scissors I'm not a fan of using them. I'll try the exacto knife. John Galt suggested that too some time back. There's a Western Shop not too far from me I think sells brim cutters. But those only remove 1/8 at a time. Might be better than scissors though.

Tjones go back to a thread that Seabass posted the brim is never consistent with an 1/8" at a time it could end up like peeling an orange!! "Oh boy where do I stop"????

 

[Mr.Astor]

Finally getting caught up. I finished Landman's sweatband replacement tonight.

I should finish Splintercellz' C&K rebuild this weekend. Just took it off the block - it upsized only a bit, and I was able to keep the same profile, brim width & crown height as the original hat.

Hi John, are you using your sewing machine to sew the backs of your sweats? Or freehand? Either way they look professional. Regards

 

[John Galt]

Thank you!

I have always done them by hand. This time I used a small pair of scissors opened about 1/4 inch to mark the spots & pre punch tiny holes evenly spaced, then I used my new stitch awl.

The stitch awl was also very handy in tacking down the hatband & liner. I leave one end inside, then put another hole next to the first, and pull the slack inside, withdraw the awl, cut the thread & tie it off inside.

It's a lot like brad's two needle technique, but with one special needle.

 

[bond]

As much as I hate to give away my secrets all this talk of having to use a proper brim cutter moved me to share a couple of ways that I cut my brims. Both are easy and all one needs is either duct tape or painters tape (preferred as it doesn't leave stickiness on hat ) and any dimensional lumber laying around , plus a good sharp knive(kitchen paring knive in this case)or a box cutter will do too. The second method is what I call the nesting over the top method where you take a finished hat and stack it over an un finished hat body using the top hat as a pattern to trace or use as a cutting guide.
It might not be as pretty as a proper brim trimmer but boy does it work slick.

 

[T Jones]

Tjones go back to a thread that Seabass posted the brim is never consistent with an 1/8" at a time it could end up like peeling an orange!! "Oh boy where do I stop"????

You can stop right there. If some of you guys can afford to shell out the money for a Rounding Jack, more power to you. I'd love to have one but I can't afford it right now. I'd love to have a hat block but I can't afford it right now. I use what I have available. If it's not up to anyone's standards that's too bad. The hats I'm working on are my own. They belong to me. What I do with my own is my business. I would never work on anyone else's with the methods I use. If anyone has information and methods to share I definitely appreciate it, but without the drama. As I've already noted a couple of times in my previous posts, I'm not a fan of using scissors at all, period. I would never suggest anyone using them. The hats I've worked are some that I have very little invested in, and they're only for experimentation. I've been lucky with scissors so far, (the two hats that I cut down turned out nice), but I don't like using them. Now to just those few who wish to criticize and complain about my method of brim cutting have a Rounding Jack or a Hat Block laying around that you wouldn't care to let go of, send me a PM and I'll give you my shipping address. It'll be a win, win for everybody. I'll cut brims the proper way and those few of you who scream blasphemy won't have anything to criticize or complain about. How's that for a deal?

Anyway, Ole, John Galt, bond, DOGMAN, gtdean, and there's been a few others, you guys have been great. I really appreciate all the help and information you guys have shared. Never once did any of you come across arrogant or talk down to me, but you guys were rather more interested in teaching than in showing off. ...if I misunderstood the intentions of anyone, my apologies.

bond, interesting methods. I'm going to try that one. Thanks for sharing...until one of those guys sends me a Rounding Jack!

 

[bond]

Tjones I am with you man. Use what you have and if any one else doesn't like it then that's their problem.
Pics I posted are not to be taken seriously. They are meant as a JOKE. Point is its not so much about the method as it is about the results . A skilled person is just as capable as one who might have all of the correct tools or gadgets but without skill, would it be nice to have a rounding jack sure, but I don't and that's not going to stop me from working on hats. On a side note I've worked on quite a few other hatters hats here in the lounge and I can tell you I haven't been impressed with their brims or how they were cut specifically and I am sure they have rounding jacks at their disposal or one would think they would anyway.
Good luck with your hats T.

 

[TheDane]

On a side note I've worked on quite a few other hatters hats here in the lounge and I can tell you I haven't been impressed with their brims or how they were cut specifically and I am sure they have rounding jacks at their disposal or one would think they would anyway.

That is very surprising to me! What type of flaws are we talking about here?

 

[LoveMyHats2]

You can stop right there. If some of you guys can afford to shell out the money for a Rounding Jack, more power to you. I'd love to have one but I can't afford it right now. I'd love to have a hat block but I can't afford it right now. I use what I have available. If it's not up to anyone's standards that's too bad. The hats I'm working on are my own. They belong to me. What I do with my own is my business. I would never work on anyone else's with the methods I use. If anyone has information and methods to share I definitely appreciate it, but without the drama. As I've already noted a couple of times in my previous posts, I'm not a fan of using scissors at all, period. I would never suggest anyone using them. The hats I've worked are some that I have very little invested in, and they're only for experimentation. I've been lucky with scissors so far, (the two hats that I cut down turned out nice), but I don't like using them. Now to just those few who wish to criticize and complain about my method of brim cutting have a Rounding Jack or a Hat Block laying around that you wouldn't care to let go of, send me a PM and I'll give you my shipping address. It'll be a win, win for everybody. I'll cut brims the proper way and those few of you who scream blasphemy won't have anything to criticize or complain about. How's that for a deal?

Anyway, Ole, John Galt, bond, DOGMAN, gtdean, and there's been a few others, you guys have been great. I really appreciate all the help and information you guys have shared. Never once did any of you come across arrogant or talk down to me, but you guys were rather more interested in teaching than in showing off. ...if I misunderstood the intentions of anyone, my apologies.

bond, interesting methods. I'm going to try that one. Thanks for sharing...until one of those guys sends me a Rounding Jack!

We would love to own a rounding jack, but at some points of time when searching for one that was a reasonable price, have not yet found one. If my Husband does get a bit more "up and about", I think he will maybe just make one and see how it works. It does not seem that a rounding jack would be really hard to make? Perhaps just having some sort of way to "lock" a razor knife blade into place would be one of the issues to solve and of course to have the adjustment of what amount you'd like to trim off may also have to be dealt with but following what may be seen in a picture of one, should aide in fixing the jack to work.

If the making of one is not so bad, perhaps a few extra ones could hit the work bench and be sold for a not so steep price to other loungers? I think really to make one from hard wood, the cost of the wood may be the most expensive part of the entire thing. There are two hats here I am sure my Husband would love to cut down the brim and convert the hat from a "stage coach" to a nice fedora.

Another idea I have just now, why not have a rounding jack that can be "shared" by others on the lounge? No matter what anyone could think of that idea, I know if we had one here already, we would not mind for one moment to either have a hat sent here to "cut" a brim, or to mail it to someone else for use. The majority of everyone on the Lounge are worthy trusted people. Just a few thoughts....

 

[Joao Encarnado]

My only comment would be: why... why trimming brims. Specially from westerns.
:\

 

[LoveMyHats2]

My only comment would be: why... why trimming brims. Specially from westerns.
:\

At times a nice regular looking "Fedora" can be made from a high crown western hat, to do that for a real great looking "conversion" hat.

 

[T Jones]

At times a nice regular looking "Fedora" can be made from a high crown western hat, to do that for a real great looking "conversion" hat.

Uh Oh...you did it now! Joao looks at converting Westerns into fedoras in the same light that we see someone distressing a vintage fedora to look like a Johnny Depp hat. Joao's a collector of Westerns. To him, cutting down a nice Western like a Resistol Stagecoach ain't cool...

 

[LoveMyHats2]

I am sure he would have a view point like this, however, some western hats are just nice as they are right from the maker to one's head. We purchased a few stagecoach hats just for doing to some sort of conversions at some point in time, as they have some really high crowns. Just is they are still gathering a "shelf rash" just sitting there. My Husband a long time ago, turned a nice Dobbs 15 to look more like a regular fedora simply by doing a wide ribbon install on the hat, it actually looked not so bad at the time. No brim trim was necessary as the brim was just shy of 3 inches I think.

But no matter what, as time comes and goes if one is into hats, sooner or later you will see a hat and just know you could turn it into a really nice looking hat...if you have some of the tools needed to do so.

I just looked at some rounding jacks for sale on etsy. Price on cheapest one was about $275.00 and made by the seller (per order) he has none already made. Nice looking rounding jack but wow, what a price!

 

[Joao Encarnado]

Uh Oh...you did it now! Joao looks at converting Westerns into fedoras in the same light that we see someone distressing a vintage fedora to look like a Johnny Depp hat. Joao's a collector of Westerns. To him, cutting down a nice Western like a Resistol Stagecoach ain't cool...

If it is in good condition, then I don't like it to be trimmed.
I too don't like Johnny Depp hats. To me it's destroying a hat, western or fedora. If it were "natural" distressing, then it is OK. Now Depp's hats looks too clean and clearly the distressing was done on purpose.

 

[T Jones]

I am sure he would have a view point like this, however, some western hats are just nice as they are right from the maker to one's head. We purchased a few stagecoach hats just for doing to some sort of conversions at some point in time, as they have some really high crowns. Just is they are still gathering a "shelf rash" just sitting there. My Husband a long time ago, turned a nice Dobbs 15 to look more like a regular fedora simply by doing a wide ribbon install on the hat, it actually looked not so bad at the time. No brim trim was necessary as the brim was just shy of 3 inches I think.

But no matter what, as time comes and goes if one is into hats, sooner or later you will see a hat and just know you could turn it into a really nice looking hat...if you have some of the tools needed to do so.

I just looked at some rounding jacks for sale on etsy. Price on cheapest one was about $275.00 and made by the seller (per order) he has none already made. Nice looking rounding jack but wow, what a price!

I have a couple of Stagecoaches that have been converted too. The felt on those are awesome and they make great conversions. There's another lounger on here who does conversions that likes the Stagecoaches as well.

But $275 for a Rounding Jack! Wow! Like you said, What a price! I guess it's scissors and what ever else I can find to use until some rich old Uncle I never met leaves me a million dollars in his will.

 

[T Jones]

If it is in good condition, then I don't like it to be trimmed.
I too don't like Johnny Depp hats. To me it's destroying a hat, western or fedora. If it were "natural" distressing, then it is OK. Now Depp's hats looks too clean and clearly the distressing was done on purpose.

There was guy who was a Johnny Depp impersonator that popped in on the lounge some time back and was asking what kind of hat that Johnny Depp wore. He wanted to buy a fedora and distress it like Johnny Depp's. I stayed away from that conversation...also, sometime ago, I read on another site where Freddy Krueger fans were buying Whippets and Whippet clones and distressing them to look like Freddy Krueger's hat. In the original "Nightmare On Elm Street", Robert Englund wore a Whippet like fedora. It was the only movie of the sequels that followed where Freddy's fedora had a ribbon and brim binding.

 

[Joao Encarnado]

There was guy who was a Johnny Depp impersonator that popped in on the lounge some time back and was asking what kind of hat that Johnny Depp wore. He wanted to buy a fedora and distress it like Johnny Depp's. I stayed away from that conversation...also, sometime ago, I read on another site where Freddy Krueger fans were buying Whippets and Whippet clones and distressing them to look like Freddy Krueger's hat. In the original "Nightmare On Elm Street", Robert Englund wore a Whippet like fedora. It was the only movie of the sequels that followed where Freddy's fedora had a ribbon and brim binding.

I remember that. He asked in two places. I was going to reply he wouldn't find help here but didn't do it.

 

[TheDane]

It's no doubt a lot easier to cut a brim with a rounding jack, but it would not be my my first choise of tools. I could do fine with a pair of scissors - and would prefer to throw money after a couple of good blocks and flanges, if I had to prioritize.

Bond got me pretty curious, though. I wonder which "quite a few other hatters" can't do a decent brim-cut - which flaws he is talking about - and how many hats are the basis for his observations? To me it's very surprising to hear, that contemporary hatters are that incompetent.