Ask a question, get an answer

[Ken David]

I had a general question on custom hats. I know a lot of time goes into making a bespoke hat and some hatters use more "automation" than others e.g. special sewing machines for sweat installation and brim binding, sanders etc but I was just curious if anybody had a "general" idea how many hours go into a custom hat (includes blocking, pouncing, trimming of the brim, creating and sewing crown ribbon, sweat trimming and installation, brim treatment, liner installation, shaping etc etc. I imagine it is a very time intensive process and even for the most experienced hatter with all the "right" tools it is very hard for me to imagine them cranking out more than a couple hats a week? Just curious.

 

[carouselvic]

Possibly, so one would leave the powdery residue on the hat? The hats were lightly used and there aren't any evidence of stains though, so seems a bit odd. Whatever the powder is, appears to me like it was used as more of a preventative thing. I've come across this three completely seperate times now with vintage western fur hats...

It's not that you leave it on, it's that there is so much powder you never get it all back off just by brushing. Also some mfg. will use powders on a new hat to help even out the color if it somehow blotchy. Photos can go a long way in making a question more understandable.

 

[scottyrocks]

I had a general question on custom hats. I know a lot of time goes into making a bespoke hat and some hatters use more "automation" than others e.g. special sewing machines for sweat installation and brim binding, sanders etc but I was just curious if anybody had a "general" idea how many hours go into a custom hat (includes blocking, pouncing, trimming of the brim, creating and sewing crown ribbon, sweat trimming and installation, brim treatment, liner installation, shaping etc etc. I imagine it is a very time intensive process and even for the most experienced hatter with all the "right" tools it is very hard for me to imagine them cranking out more than a couple hats a week? Just curious.

We have a number of custom hatters here. I'd love to see a response from each just for comparative purposes.

 

[cozy d]

It's not that you leave it on, it's that there is so much powder you never get it all back off just by brushing. Also some mfg. will use powders on a new hat to help even out the color if it somehow blotchy. Photos can go a long way in making a question more understandable.

I think you're on to something carouselvic, you don't get it all off. Whenever I acquire a hat I always brush it off and even though the powder may not be noticeable when worn, the stuff keeps coming off when you brush it. Also I just found this quote on a Village Hat Shop ad: https://www.villagehatshop.com/product/all/451139-420053/open-road-6x-fur-felt-western-hat.html
It says "*When brushing your Open Road, you will notice a light powder fly from the hat. Don't fear! Stetson lightly powders the lightly colored felts at the Stetson factory in order to facilitate the cleaning process" That's probably what's going on here, factory powder, makes me wonder what kind of powder they used and curious if it makes sense to put some back on.

 

[Pinč]

Gentlemen, I have a hat size issue and would appreciate your opinion. I wear hats sized 56 and they fit perfectly to me. This is the hat I just got which I bought online, it should be size 56. The size label is correct, but I have strong feeling that the hat is one size too small.

First of all, there is the subjective feeling - after few minutes of wearing it, even slightly laying on my head, the pressure is quite intense, even to the point when the hat feels uncomfortable on my head and I feel the need to remove it.

Secondly, when I measured the circumference with the tape measure, it seems to be just under 55 cm (I know the tape measure's own thickness must be taken into account).

In your opinion, is this size 56 hat?

Thank you very much for your help.

(The brand is blurred in order not to damage the company's good name.)

 

[RJR]

Gentlemen, I have a hat size issue and would appreciate your opinion. I wear hats sized 56 and they fit perfectly to me. This is the hat I just got which I bought online, it should be size 56. The size label is correct, but I have strong feeling that the hat is one size too small.

First of all, there is the subjective feeling - after few minutes of wearing it, even slightly laying on my head, the pressure is quite intense, even to the point when the hat feels uncomfortable on my head and I feel the need to remove it.

Secondly, when I measured the circumference with the tape measure, it seems to be just under 55 cm (I know the tape measure's own thickness must be taken into account).

In your opinion, is this size 56 hat?

Thank you very much for your help.

(The brand is blurred in order not to damage the company's good name.)

It is my experience that there are often differences in size even with new hats.Measuring,cutting and sewing can all have an effect.I would consider a hat jack to adjust and hold the correct size.

 

[Paravians]

Measuring like that does not mean much, you're overthinking it. If the fits is too small to leave a mark on your forehead, or if it feels uncomfortable, you can easily stretch a full size up with a hat jack. Also if the hat is new, it will sort of 'self-adjust' to your head, which is not obviously perfectly round. I once got an Akubra Stylemaster in my usual size and strangely the fit was ridiculously small, it would barely sit on top of my head! I just stretched it and now it fits perfectly, in fact I am using it with a thin cork strip because it's become slightly too big.

 

[cozy d]

Gentlemen, I have a hat size issue and would appreciate your opinion. I wear hats sized 56 and they fit perfectly to me. This is the hat I just got which I bought online, it should be size 56. The size label is correct, but I have strong feeling that the hat is one size too small.

First of all, there is the subjective feeling - after few minutes of wearing it, even slightly laying on my head, the pressure is quite intense, even to the point when the hat feels uncomfortable on my head and I feel the need to remove it.

Secondly, when I measured the circumference with the tape measure, it seems to be just under 55 cm (I know the tape measure's own thickness must be taken into account).

In your opinion, is this size 56 hat?

Thank you very much for your help.

(The brand is blurred in order not to damage the company's good name.)

Just like shoes, jeans, etc. I've found there to be some size variation between makers and styles but if you bought this used, and before putting a hat jack to it, I would suggest you first take a look under the sweatband to see if the previous owner put any reducers in it. They may have if the hat was too big for them.

 

[Pinč]

Thanks guys. It's a new hat. So it seems that I will have to get one of those hat jacks. Could you please link me some info about hat jacks and how to use them?

Also, I am a little confused about the expanding vs. shrinking thing. Most of sources say that the hats shrink a bit by time. If this was the case, I'd be quite worried. What is your experience?

 

[jlee562]

If you just bought it and it hurts your head, return it. It's probably sized incorrectly.

 

[Pinč]

If you just bought it and it hurts your head, return it. It's probably sized incorrectly.

I already wrote to the manufacturer about the issue, I wonder what solution will he suggest. Sending the hat back is the last thing I want to do, but perhaps there won't be other way...

 

[Orvil Newton]

I already wrote to the manufacturer about the issue, I wonder what solution will he suggest. Sending the hat back is the last thing I want to do, but perhaps there won't be other way...

Just get a hat jack. You'll need one anyway if you are going to own good felt hats.
http://www.hatsunlimited.com/hat-jack-hat-stretcher/

 

[Pinč]

Just get a hat jack. You'll need one anyway if you are going to own good felt hats.
http://www.hatsunlimited.com/hat-jack-hat-stretcher/

OK, so should I get S or M hat jack? (56 cm should be 7 in US units.)

 

[deadlyhandsome]

OK, so should I get S or M hat jack? (56 cm should be 7 in US units.)

I refuse to speak to anyone with a hat size below 7 3/8. Ahh, the wonderful vintage hats I'd own....

There are several manufacturers of hat stretchers and no standardization in sizing. I'd recommend that you try one in a shop to see what fits. For a shot in the dark, I'd say your a size small (lucky dog).

 

[Pinč]

I refuse to speak to anyone with a hat size below 7 3/8. Ahh, the wonderful vintage hats I'd own....

There are several manufacturers of hat stretchers and no standardization in sizing. I'd recommend that you try one in a shop to see what fits. For a shot in the dark, I'd say your a size small (lucky dog).

You mean I should be glad to be below 7 3/8?

 

[deadlyhandsome]

You mean I should be glad to be below 7 3/8?

Sadly, so few of the excellent vintage hats on the market are in large sizes (the "why" would fill volumes). A size seven means the vintage hat market is overflowing with great options that I can only dream of. My envy is a palpable thing.

Sggestions in using the hat stretcher: don't try to make more than 1/2 to maybe one full size adjustment. Go slow. I dampen the felt with distilled water and condition the sweat. Then I take 2-3 days to stretch out the hat giving the jack a quarter turn (or less) every 12ish hours. I also go a bit beyond the point where it fits perfectly because the hat will shrink back a bit. I also, when not wearing it, store the hat with the hat stretcher in it for a couple weeks. A band block could also be used but I don't have any yet. Just remember that hat stretchers are not magic and you can ruin a hat if you're not careful.

Good luck and post photos of your hats.

 

[Richard Morgan]

Any suggestions on cleaning the liner from this Champ? Already removed.


View attachment 97887

Bill there are several posts that suggest Woolite or similar in cold water and just swirl the water with your hand, don't rub it. I've faded two liners using that approach lately. A Stetson had a clear plastic liner protector and a Resistol had an oilskin liner protector. The logos were relatively clear when I put them in and for the first couple of minutes but when the water got inside the protector the print faded on the Stetson and ran together on the Resistol. Both are illegible now.
Others swear by this approach but it certainly didn't work for me. I'm not being helpful in getting your liner clean but that is my experience.

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

Greetings fellow loungers. I too have had issues with Woolite fading liner crests. Specifically, Stetson 100 and 50 7x. Really bummed me out. Both were vintage with the gold crest. I’m not sure if it was just that type crest but i don’t intend to experiment with others.
After research i found a product used by antique quilt collectors to remove yellowing etc. from age seen on antique quilts and clothing. The product is called “Retro Clean”. It is a soak powder added to water. I suggest you Google it and read the testimonials and specifics. It’s pricey but so are my hats. I ordered online as it doesn’t seem to be sold elsewhere.
I used it on an uber old Borsalino Gargasu liner that was so fragile it was shredding and yellow like an old window curtain and a two toned embroidered Dobbs Rainbow liner. Fabulous results! No fading or bleeding of the Dobbs and the Borsa seemed much less friable. I think it prudent to use less powder than called for to be cautious. I will def use it in the future but please use your own discretion.
I don’t know how it works on ink marks, hair crease or other unknown crud but would be interested in hearing others experiences in this topic. Be well. Bowen

 

[Fivesense]

I picked up a couple more Irish caps this week- I love them because they are lightweight, and they are great to wear even in high mountain windy conditions. These two new additions are a combination of tweed barleycorn and herringbone. But, as I do like a bit of a brim to block the sun (when I'm not wearing my cowboy hats) I do like an Irish walking cap.

I'm venturing into fedora territory when I get beyond the 1 1/2" brim. Any basic, starting point recommendations? I'm looking at wool, felt, wool/felt.

Stylistically, I trend toward "outdoorsish" rather than town square.

I look forward to your suggestions!

 

[scottyrocks]

If you haven't yet, take a look through the 'What Hat Are You Wearing Today' thread. You'll want to determine what type of fedora you think you will be comfortable with on your head. That is, brim and crown sizes on actual heads, which is important. From the pictures you may be able to tell whose head and face are shaped similar to yours. Hats on tables only tell half the story.

Then, take a look on ebay, even if you're not ready to buy. There are always dozens of fedoras for sale there, of varying quality.

And I'd be looking at fur felt. They're generally better quality, durability-wise, than wool. But, you may want to go with a woolie first, as they are generally much less expensive than furs, and will give you a good idea of what looks good on you.