Ask a question, get an answer

[RSuave]

Hi

I'm a newbie here but love the space.

Where can I ask a question about recommendations on finding a specific trilby?

Thanks
Rico

 

[jlee562]

Hi

I'm a newbie here but love the space.

Where can I ask a question about recommendations on finding a specific trilby?

Thanks
Rico

Right here, but be aware that most vintage hat model names have been lost to history; without a shot of the inside liner it may not be possible to identify a specific brand.

 

[RSuave]

Great! I guess I should clarify...

I am looking to purchase a new/current Trilby with some specific features. I have trouble finding fedoras that are a good fit, since I have a rather small stature.

Looking for:
-Dark Gray
-Stingy Brim (1-1/4 to 1-3/4 in.)
-Low (3-1/2 in. or less), Teardrop Crown
-Size (6-1/4 to 6-3/4 in.)
-Thinner Wool.

Any suggestions other than having a hatter design and create a custom trilby?

Rico

 

[jlee562]

3 1/2 is exceedingly low for a fedora style hat. Is there a particular reason you want something this small? Seems like something that small would be a child sized hat.

I don't know of any variation in the thickness of wool felt. Frankly, I don't think that much thought gets put into the creation of most modern wool hats.

 

[Qvist]

My head is quite tall so that it very easily touches the top of the crown when I wear a hat. That means that I easily run out of felt when creasing my hat. Even a senter dent tends to get too low and a C -rown / teardrop has to have very tall "teardrop". My Akubra Campdraft has tall enough crown but just. Even with CD my head allmost touches the top of the crown no matter how I crease it.

So, my question is: is there any modern good quality hat that has taller crown than Campdrafts? Of course there is allways custom hatters but those beauties are a bit too expensive for me...

 

[John Galt]

My head is quite tall so that it very easily touches the top of the crown when I wear a hat. That means that I easily run out of felt when creasing my hat. Even a senter dent tends to get too low and a C -rown / teardrop has to have very tall "teardrop". My Akubra Campdraft has tall enough crown but just. Even with CD my head allmost touches the top of the crown no matter how I crease it.

So, my question is: is there any modern good quality hat that has taller crown than Campdrafts? Of course there is allways custom hatters but those beauties are a bit too expensive for me...

You might buy a lightweight cowboy hat with a high crown and cut the brim down. You can get a new or vintage one at a good price, and can probably have it trimmed at your local western store.


"Faint hat never won fair lady."

 

[EmreYOrhan]

what kind of hat is this. (could you also give me the brand aswell?)

 

[Landman]

EmreYOrphan,

Welcome. There is no way to tell the manufacturer from that picture but that hat looks a lot like the new Stetson Runabout discussed in post #196 of the thread below. Since the Runabout is very new I doubt that is what it is but the Runabout could be a good substitute for the one on the picture.

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...-Stetsons-A-Call-(Plea)-to-Retailers!!/page20

 

[bloc]

Would it be foolish to attempt to make, from scratch, leather sweatbands if you had a free supply of quality calfskin?

 

[John Galt]

Would it be foolish to attempt to make, from scratch, leather sweatbands if you had a free supply of quality calfskin?

Bloc, look JW hats up on YouTube. JW makes them and there are videos. For $4.00 though, you can't beat his quality for the price, and he'll stamp them for free if you have a custom die made ($70). Also, you can buy in smaller quantities than a gross, which is very nice.


"Faint hat never won fair lady."

 

[TheDane]

Would it be foolish to attempt to make, from scratch, leather sweatbands if you had a free supply of quality calfskin?

High quality sweats are usually made from roan leather (vegetable tanned sheepskin) - or (quite seldom) some rare exclusive skin like kangaroo or ostrich. I know that some late 1800 early 1900 sweats were made from calfskin, but I don't think anyone use it anymore. Anyway, the vegetable tanning of the leather is important.

If you want to make your own sweats, you will have to get a sewing machine that can provide the proper stitching for reeding. You will also need a special guide and the proper monofilament and reeding tape. I would probably wait making sweats and concentrate on the (many) other aspects of hatting, but you surely could do it

 

[bloc]

Bloc, look JW hats up on YouTube. JW makes them and there are videos. For $4.00 though, you can't beat his quality for the price, and he'll stamp them for free if you have a custom die made ($70). Also, you can buy in smaller quantities than a gross, which is very nice.




"Faint hat never won fair lady."

Thank you John, I'll have a look. You're right, at that price and stamped it hardly seems worth the effort. Having said that, I have a huge bag full of calfskin off cuts so I'm having a go this afternoon. Leather hat bands might be a better use for it, cheers.

 

[bloc]

High quality sweats are usually made from roan leather (vegetable tanned sheepskin) - or (quite seldom) some rare exclusive skin like kangaroo or ostrich. I know that some late 1800 early 1900 sweats were made from calfskin, but I don't think anyone use it anymore. Anyway, the vegetable tanning of the leather is important.

If you want to make your own sweats, you will have to get a sewing machine that can provide the proper stitching for reeding. You will also need a special guide and the proper monofilament and reeding tape. I would probably wait making sweats and concentrate on the (many) other aspects of hatting, but you surely could do it

Thanks for the advice. Why is the vegetable tanning important? And why not calfskin?

(I have so many questions...)

I have lots of brim reed (plastic) that appears to be the same stuff and more brim wire than I can use in my lifetime. But how about unreeded sweatbands? Is that a possibility? And can you make reeded sweatbands by hand?

Leather sweatbands are clearly available cheaply enough but I like the idea of using all this leather that gets burnt otherwise. Recycling etc etc..

I appreciate you all taking the time to reply, this is all so fascinating

 

[TheDane]

bloc: If you haven't read this thread, you should bookmark it. On this page Jim makes sweatbands

 

[hatsRme]

Why is the vegetable tanning important? And why not calfskin?

The presence of Chromium salts in conventionally tanned leather is the reason we should specify only veggie tanned sweats. Many people, myself included, (I am a very sensitive man) are allergic to the chromium component. This aspect of hat construction was addressed in the now obsolete U.S. Mil. Spec. S3577G, titled, "SWEATBAND, HEADWEAR, LEATHER.

 

[EmreYOrhan]

EmreYOrphan,

Welcome. There is no way to tell the manufacturer from that picture but that hat looks a lot like the new Stetson Runabout discussed in post #196 of the thread below. Since the Runabout is very new I doubt that is what it is but the Runabout could be a good substitute for the one on the picture.

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...-Stetsons-A-Call-(Plea)-to-Retailers!!/page20

Awesome!, thanks for the reply.

Edit, btw it's Orhan not orphan, just pointing it out

 

[dnjan]

The presence of Chromium salts in conventionally tanned leather is the reason we should specify only veggie tanned sweats. Many people, myself included, (I am a very sensitive man) are allergic to the chromium component. This aspect of hat construction was addressed in the now obsolete U.S. Mil. Spec. S3577G, titled, "SWEATBAND, HEADWEAR, LEATHER.

There is also a significant difference in how the leather absorbs water. Vegetable-tanned leather absorbs water (a significant feature of a sweatband). Chrome-tanned leather is much more resistant to water absorption.

 

[TheDane]

Ooops ... didn't see your latest post, bloc. Sorry

As HrM wrote, the chromium-issue is one - and an important - reason. Actually, it has been an issue in Scandinavia, and in the Swedish parliament it has been discussed to ban chromium tanning altogether - and/or at least to treat discarded chromium tanned leather as "environmentally dangerous material". I'm not sure, but I think the latter actually was adopted and made part of the law.

There are other non-organic tanning processes, but vegetable tanned leather still holds better up to the salty, humid environment. Why not to use calfskin, I'm not sure. Again it could be due to the rather special conditions a sweatband is living under - or due to other features such as flexibility, etc(?) I just know, it's not in great use anymore - if any at all.

Using unreeded sweats, you will need a special sewing machine to mount them in the hat. Borsalino may still use some unreeded sweats, but I don't think any other manufacturers do. The stitching on a reeded sweat doesn't as easily irritate the forehead skin, as the stitches are drawn away from the head - almost out under the brim. Another of the unreeded sweatband's drawbacks is easier "bleeding" of sweat to the felt (staining) - due to the direct stitching of the leather into the felt.

Hope, that helped a little

 

[bloc]

bloc: If you haven't read this thread, you should bookmark it. On this page Jim makes sweatbands

Thank you so much, that is a fantastically clear and informative thread and now I'm late to watch my boys play rugby. Oops. Better go...

 

[Frispel]

Hi there, I just watched an episode of Married with Children and this guy was in a shot:

Now, can anyone point me out to where I can order a fedora that resembles the one he is wearing?