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[mayserwegener]

I knew there was the “hare-rabbit” distinction but I was just lazy in lumping them both together; should have known it get caught in this crowd. I’ll be more careful with my taxonomy in the future. Thanks for keeping me honest Steve

Brent

Brent, No problem but Wild Hare is the key component to Velour like finishes. Smooth finishing is nothing compared to producing super high end Velour (made from Wild Hare) like you see up to WWII by companies like J.Hückel´s Söhne (JHS). Here are couple of JHS examples. Both are super dense (yes from Wild Hare) with the black having closer cropping.

JHS "Paltin"

JHS "Alpha - Seal Velour"

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Brent, No problem but Wild Hare is the key component to Velour like finishes. Smooth finishing is nothing compared to producing super high end Velour (made from Wild Hare) like you see up to WWII by companies like J.Hückel´s Söhne (JHS). Here are couple of JHS examples. Both are super dense (yes from Wild Hare) with the black having closer cropping.

JHS "Paltin"

JHS "Alpha - Seal Velour"

Beautiful hats! Is anyone making velours of this quality today?

 

[scottyrocks]

I agree with Art, but want to add a point. Americans are obsessed with 100% everything. 100% Cabernet or any other grape ( Carbernet Franc can soften a big Cabernet and adds a wonderful rose hint to the nose) , Single Malt, ( a lot of Single Malt should be blended) and 100% Beaver (Blending furs can make for a better hat then 100% of any fur alone).

Jeff

Mixed grape wines are becoming more and more popular lately. I've had a few very good ones.

 

[Zombie_61]

I agree with Art, but want to add a point. Americans are obsessed with 100% everything. 100% Cabernet or any other grape ( Carbernet Franc can soften a big Cabernet and adds a wonderful rose hint to the nose) , Single Malt, ( a lot of Single Malt should be blended) and 100% Beaver (Blending furs can make for a better hat then 100% of any fur alone).

Jeff

Miss Lizzie's "Boys From Marketing" have worked hard over the years to convince Americans that 100% of anything is better, and most accept that at face value without bothering to do the research for themselves. And, of course, there have always been those manufacturers who will "blend" an inferior product into whatever they're producing in order to reduce production costs and generate more profits, so a lot of people have become wary of such products.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Single Malt, ( a lot of Single Malt should be blended...

I would agree & I have sampled many Single Malts that I will never buy by the bottle. Same thing with Single Grain whiskeys & Single Pot Still whiskeys, etc. But...so many Single Malts, so little time left. I'm not as concerned about the cost as I am finding good whisky.

 

[mayserwegener]

Beautiful hats! Is anyone making velours of this quality today?

No you will not find Velour like this today. The finest Velour came from Austrian and German Felt and Felt Hat producers. The quality was not same after WWII. There are many factors, some discussed in the 1933 article I posted above. Making Velour was very labor intensive even after mechanized hot wet brushing machines were used. The decline in quality of the fur and length of aging were factors. Cost cutting measures and lose of expertise. Also some of the famous companies like JHS were nationalized after WWII. Some like S.J. Fraenkel Wien stopped fur cutting operations (this was a big issue because you had source cut fur). In Europe nitrate of mercury was still be used into the 1960s. As I mentioned Hare is difficult to felt so new pickling processes weren't as effective. I have been in contact with the last technical director (now in his early 80s and started in the mid 1950s -1972) of Ebreichsdorfer Felt Hat Factory - S.J. Fraenkek Wien. They specialized in Velour and were the last major felt producer in Austria. I received a book written in German that he wrote that is copyrighted but I don't believe was published. The book contains all felt production processes at the time of the factory closing in 1972. It's gold mine of related information.

 

[Wyldkarma]

So, I'm thinking this is a wee bit better than my old steam iron or the teapot, while out and about today I stopped into the local Costco and found this gem on sale for under $40.00. Sorry, my camera doesn't show all the steam this puts out (quite a bit) but it works like a champ to steam my hats. I can easily do two hats with the small water tank at the base. Built in stand and just the right height for me. It is available on Amazon also, but goes for about $69. there.

 

[Eliesti]

Anyone ever hear of Saybrooke Hats from Macy’s? If so, are they wool or fur felt?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[scottyrocks]

$6.99 at Stop-n-Shop. Just popped out the whistler, and a full blast of steam is at my fingertips.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Anyone have any history or knowledge on Pilgrim's Carlsbad hat, Sears & Roebuck's Carlsbad hat, or Carlsbad Velour hats? What is their kinship, or is there any? I'm thinking early 1940's.

 

[Art Fawcett]

How can you talk about specialty finishes without mentioning Wild Hare?

My bad Steve , I was speaking to only density and standard finish when compared to rabbit. Frankly, the statement of "cool factor only" is what prompted my post. Of course wild hare has a place in the discussion of "specialty finishes" but that isn't what I was referring to. As you know, beaver has been the "gold standard" seemingly forever and there is a reason for that. It's about the fur itself.

 

[scottyrocks]

Just thinking about what beaver fur has to do on the animal it lives on, is it any wonder why it is valued for its natural properties?

 

[Zombie_61]

Just thinking about what beaver fur has to do on the animal it lives on, is it any wonder why it is valued for its natural properties?

I've had the same thoughts. Beavers are aquatic creatures, certainly more so than rabbits and hares, so I think it's reasonable to assume beaver fur felt would be superior if for no other reason than it's natural ability to shed water.

 

[LevendiPaul]

I have a quirky question ( or not so if many have this anomaly)

When I get a new hat and it is made to true centre with the crown point ect
I find that my head is not at the same centre point as the makers press dye by up to 1/2”

Needing to twist hat to the left for several weeks so the hat forms to my head
Is their an easier and faster way to form the hat fitting to suit my head shape
Anyone else have this anomaly?

Thanks to the brains trust in advance

 

[scottyrocks]

You can pop a hat jack in it at the correct-for-you angle when you're not wearing it.

 

[Bamaboots]

I have a quirky question ( or not so if many have this anomaly)

When I get a new hat and it is made to true centre with the crown point ect
I find that my head is not at the same centre point as the makers press dye by up to 1/2”

Needing to twist hat to the left for several weeks so the hat forms to my head
Is their an easier and faster way to form the hat fitting to suit my head shape
Anyone else have this anomaly?

Thanks to the brains trust in advance

Most hats are symmetrical, our heads are not.

 

[jlee562]

Well, invest in a hat from Art Fawcett and you'll have the option to buy a custom band block, shaped to your head.

Perhaps not the most practical advice, but it will work for all your hats.

 

[LevendiPaul]

Thank you all for the replies - It looks like the consensus is a hatjack/ hat stretcher
As a mechanical engineer I can probably knock one up myself
They are not a rocket science device
Also have a friend in a farm that I can access 40yo timber free

Thinking of something like this

 

[Bamaboots]

I can probably knock one up myself

Maybe you ought to knock one out instead of knocking one up.

 

[scottyrocks]

Maybe you ought to knock one out instead of knocking one up.

Yeah, it's only a hat stretcher. You don't want to be paying for it for the rest of your life.