Brad Bowers
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 4,187
Sure, guys. Also, check out my Derby Deconstruction article if you haven't already.
Two things are an issue with the felt that is produced today. First, unless the right amount of shellac is impregnated into the felt before the dyeing process, the felt won't react or wear the same. Yes, you can add tons of shellac to the inside of the crown after blocking, but not to the brim because both sides of the brim are visible. A properly stiffened Derby is a lot more difficult to block by hand on a wooden block, which is why manufacturers in the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries switched to machine blocking. The other issue is that most modern felt is too thick to give the desired streamlined look to the hat. In the US, the thickest felts were generally reserved for equestrian hats, as dressweight Derbies were preferred for most other occasions. Still, the felt weight is a minor quibble compared to the other issues.
Bowler and Derby brims were bound with ribbon to hide the shellac on the raw edge of the hat. Because of the extreme amount of shellac used in the felt, it shows very easily. It's yellowish or whitish, and very unsightly, hence the need to cover it up. Up until the Derby Revival in the 1950s, utmost care was taken to conceal the stitches on the brim binding on both the inside and outside of the curl. From the 1950s onward, however, machine stitching all the way through brim became standard practice for convenience, removing a labor-intensive step of the process, but delivering an inelegant, rather ugly solution. This practice continues today, sadly, and draws one's eye away from whatever other features might be done well.
Modern blocks used for Derbies also tend to have an awkward profile, with none of the panache or elegance of the originals.
Proper D'Orsay curls require a front/rear tolliker, a tool which isn't produced today, and almost impossible to find on the used market.
i don't think that hatters today realize that Derbies are an entirely different creature from most other hats, and should be treated as such in the care of their creation.
Brad
~The Hatted Professor
Two things are an issue with the felt that is produced today. First, unless the right amount of shellac is impregnated into the felt before the dyeing process, the felt won't react or wear the same. Yes, you can add tons of shellac to the inside of the crown after blocking, but not to the brim because both sides of the brim are visible. A properly stiffened Derby is a lot more difficult to block by hand on a wooden block, which is why manufacturers in the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries switched to machine blocking. The other issue is that most modern felt is too thick to give the desired streamlined look to the hat. In the US, the thickest felts were generally reserved for equestrian hats, as dressweight Derbies were preferred for most other occasions. Still, the felt weight is a minor quibble compared to the other issues.
Bowler and Derby brims were bound with ribbon to hide the shellac on the raw edge of the hat. Because of the extreme amount of shellac used in the felt, it shows very easily. It's yellowish or whitish, and very unsightly, hence the need to cover it up. Up until the Derby Revival in the 1950s, utmost care was taken to conceal the stitches on the brim binding on both the inside and outside of the curl. From the 1950s onward, however, machine stitching all the way through brim became standard practice for convenience, removing a labor-intensive step of the process, but delivering an inelegant, rather ugly solution. This practice continues today, sadly, and draws one's eye away from whatever other features might be done well.
Modern blocks used for Derbies also tend to have an awkward profile, with none of the panache or elegance of the originals.
Proper D'Orsay curls require a front/rear tolliker, a tool which isn't produced today, and almost impossible to find on the used market.
i don't think that hatters today realize that Derbies are an entirely different creature from most other hats, and should be treated as such in the care of their creation.
Brad
~The Hatted Professor