Trying to block a hat.

[Erehwon]

Hi,

I am interested in blocking a hat, my very own hat. I go to university, as you can imagine, my financial resources are not very much.

I made a hat, which crease wasn't very good, but I liked the bow I made. My problem always was the brim. As far as i don't have any brimforms, I search for a way to get my brim right.

This is my hat block, some of you may know these:

This is a hat, which I had nearly finished, only the brim was just ironed flat... can't do anything else.

But I like my bown, my first try.

After that I stopped with blocking, because of frustration ov not getting the brim right. Until today. I started ironing again, and that, what is the result, is giving my bravery again:

I just folded the brim on the crown and ironed it from the inside of the crown... Just see this hat as a theoretic construct . But what i could see today, was the beginnig of a brim, which lookes much more like a brim.

What do you think? Any ideas of how to iron a brim without a brim-block? And don't laugh about the crease or whatever, it's just.... theoretic..


Regards,

Arne

 

[CircuitRider]

Hi,

I am interested in blocking a hat, my very own hat. I go to university, as you can imagine, my financial resources are not very much.

I made a hat, which crease wasn't very good, but I liked the bow I made. My problem always was the brim. As far as i don't have any brimforms, I search for a way to get my brim right.

This is my hat block, some of you may know these:

This is a hat, which I had nearly finished, only the brim was just ironed flat... can't do anything else.

But I like my bown, my first try.

After that I stopped with blocking, because of frustration ov not getting the brim right. Until today. I started ironing again, and that, what is the result, is giving my bravery again:

I just folded the brim on the crown and ironed it from the inside of the crown... Just see this hat as a theoretic construct . But what i could see today, was the beginnig of a brim, which lookes much more like a brim.

What do you think? Any ideas of how to iron a brim without a brim-block? And don't laugh about the crease or whatever, it's just.... theoretic..


Regards,

Arne

Probably just needs some stiffener sprayed on .

 

[scottyrocks]

I like to spray my brims with water, put the hat on my head, and mold them by hand, pushing the edge in and up, sliding my hands from front to back a few times, and push the front down. The back usually takes care of itself when I do this. I then place the hat on a form or motorcycle helmet to dry. The brim shouldn't be touching anything.

 

[gtdean48]

Probably just needs some stiffener sprayed on .

No need to repost all of Arne's photos...
Looks like a flange for the brim is needed to go with the shaper. Lots of fun in the learning...

 

[Erehwon]

No need to repost all of Arne's photos...
Looks like a flange for the brim is needed to go with the shaper. Lots of fun in the learning...

Hey, do you have got another word for "flange"? Can't find it here, but I want to understand it.

 

[gtdean48]

Hey, do you have got another word for "flange"? Can't find it here, but I want to understand it.

http://hatsupply.com/flange.htm

 

[Erehwon]

Yea, right. Thank you. I know that I need it, but the most builders for flanges are quite expensive, arn't they?

 

[Rabbit]

Arne, if you haven't done so already, you might want to read this book, available for free download here on the Internet Archive. Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in hat work, be it for practical or academic reasons.

Ermatinger, Henry L. (1919): Scientific hat finishing and renovating; a complete and profusely illustrated course of instruction, enabling the novice to acquire the art of finishing and remodeling hats of all varieties according to tested and approved methods. New York.

 

[Erehwon]

Rabbit, thank you, this looks quiet nice! Never heard of this one, but I hope, it will will make me wiser!

 

[Rabbit]

Rabbit, thank you, this looks quiet nice! Never heard of this one, but I hope, it will will make me wiser!

It's a delight to read and very informative. Despite its age, this work hasn't lost its relevance. What makes it especially valuable for amateurs as well as professional hatters is the abundance of do-it-yourself tips for those who don't have all the equipment.

Actually, I believe the Internet Archive link to this title should appear in the stickies somewhere. Many folks don't know that this work is in the public domain, free to download for everyone.
Original printed copies appear on ebay every now and then.