Busted Hat Company

[deadlyhandsome]

I would need a 63CM long oval block 7" tall to make a hat and a beaver fur felt hat body that would have enough felt to make a 3 1/2" wide brim. I think that I can get the block made, where to get the beaver felt would be the problem.

This just came up with another hatter. Some block makers size and mark their blocks based on the finished hat size and some use the outside circumference so you have to size up to accommodate the sweatband. It’s cost me a couple hundred dollars.

 

[belfastboy]

Clearly, 7 ¾ (62cm) long oval is the most common and is what all hats should be made in…61.5cm LO is also acceptable.

Just add a few spacers!

 

[belfastboy]

This just came up with another hatter. Some block makers size and mark their blocks based on the finished hat size and some use the outside circumference so you have to size up to accommodate the sweatband. It’s cost me a couple hundred dollars.

And don't get me started about the difference between Imperial and metric....some block makers assume they are the same.....that a 7 3/8" is a 59cm etc etc. It ain't so. Then you get into flange makers....do they mark them to the hat size or to the block size needed to make that size hat. I am working with the 3D print guy as he is not a hat guy he is an engineer/mathmetician.....getting the dimensions right has been a vexing issue. I give him actuals and he comes up with disagreements as they don't meet the theoretical.

 

[Darrell2688]

When I make a hat in 7 3/8" size, I use a 60 CM block 6" or 5.5" tall in regular oval and that works great with the leather sweatbands that I use in my hats. Using a spacer under a 6" tall block would also work to get the 7" tall open crown, my problem is I am working in limited space, so having a block that is 7" tall would work better for me, of course that would be a block that wouldn't get that much use. I could add a shelf for spacers, and my other tools.

 

[Bill Hughes]

Fedora, yes dress blues tunic color with scarlet accents. @Bill Hughes commissioned such a hat a few years ago by Art Fawcett i believe. Outstanding example!
I think a blue Smokey would look weird, unUSMC, diminish the iconic tradition of the DI cover, maybe cool though, idk.
Just spitballing a thought, that’s all.
B

Ps: I totally love the DI campaign hat. Best brush busting hat ever!!
M14…old Corps.

It was made by Esther Weis.

 

[belfastboy]

It was made by Esther Weis.

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I wonder, from time to time, how Esther is doing.

 

[Darrell2688]

It was made by Esther Weis.

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I like your fedora. There was a lot of work put into the hat band, really nice outstanding work, the brim binding would be a bit tough for me, all of my sewing is by hand.

 

[Bill Hughes]

I like your fedora. There was a lot of work put into the hat band, really nice outstanding work, the brim binding would be a bit tough for me, all of my sewing is by hand.

Esther did all her sewing by hand.

 

[Darrell2688]

I finished work on another hat today. I made it in an Indiana Jones style fedora, I used a brim flange for this hat, but I only used it to shape the back of the brim. The hat band is 1 1/2" Espresso, the sweatband is 2" wide, Chestnut color, white satin liner with silver piping, the brim has a dimensional cut, 3" width front and back, 2 3/4" wide on the sides, crown is 4 1/2" high at the front pinch, 5" high on the sides and 4 1/8" at the back of the crown, hat size is 7 3/8". I am getting ready to post it on Ebay, to see if I can sell it. This will be my 3rd. hat on Ebay, I haven't had this many hats on Ebay since July 2023. Here are a few photos of the hat. The dimensional cut is always a bit of a pain, I could turn the back brim down so it is a little closer to the Raiders style fedora.

 

[belfastboy]

I finished work on another hat today. I made it in an Indiana Jones style fedora, I used a brim flange for this hat, but I only used it to shape the back of the brim. The hat band is 1 1/2" Espresso, the sweatband is 2" wide, Chestnut color, white satin liner with silver piping, the brim has a dimensional cut, 3" width front and back, 2 3/4" wide on the sides, crown is 4 1/2" high at the front pinch, 5" high on the sides and 4 1/8" at the back of the crown, hat size is 7 3/8". I am getting ready to post it on Ebay, to see if I can sell it. This will be my 3rd. hat on Ebay, I haven't had this many hats on Ebay since July 2023. Here are a few photos of the hat. The dimensional cut is always a bit of a pain, I could turn the back brim down so it is a little closer to the Raiders style fedora.
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How did you get the snap brim with just flanging the back of the brim?

 

[Darrell2688]

I put the hat into the brim flange and steamed the part of the brim that I want to shape, then just worked on the steamed felt until it was in the shape that I wanted. Then removed the hat and let it dry until the next day, then steamed any area that wasn't shaped right, when I was happy with the shape, I put a band block inside the hat so the leather sweatband held a shape. I made a band block that is close to the shape of my head.

 

[Darrell2688]

Esther did all her sewing by hand.

My wife said that Esther is a very good seamstress and I have to agree, how in the world did she sew the brim binding in that manner, when I looked at it, I thought that it was sewn in place using a sewing machine. I have tried to use a sewing machine and I can't sew in a straight line even with a guide plate, sewing a brim binding on, I would have to have each spot needle point marked to do the job that she did, and even then I am sure that I would mess it up.

 

[belfastboy]

I put the hat into the brim flange and steamed the part of the brim that I want to shape, then just worked on the steamed felt until it was in the shape that I wanted. Then removed the hat and let it dry until the next day, then steamed any area that wasn't shaped right, when I was happy with the shape, I put a band block inside the hat so the leather sweatband held a shape. I made a band block that is close to the shape of my head.

Does the brim snap up now? Or does it stay permanently down?

 

[Darrell2688]

Does the brim snap up now? Or does it stay permanently down?

It stays down, that is the way that I wanted the brim to be in the front and gradually curve up in the back, I could have done the same thing all the way around with a snap brim, but with the snap brim in the front the forward tip of the brim has a small dip that stays turned up slightly. To make it more Indy shape than what it is, I could have made it flat brim all around, then steamed the front and bent it downward, steamed the sides a little and curved the sides up just a little, and steamed the back a little and slightly bent the back of the brim down a little to form a gentle slope. However I think that the way that I shaped the brim is better, with this frame you can keep it on your head while driving. If someone wants a Indy fedora hat shaped in another fashion, I can do the work. This hat is for sale on Ebay right now. I applied some fractioned coconut oil to the hat since I posted the photos here and on Ebay. Here is the Ebay Link,
https://www.ebay.com/itm/3054158689...7M3KP7&hash=item471c3451f6:g:66UAAOSwrw9l2-Ov
I have already received a couple of offers on this hat on Ebay.

 

[hatsRme]

It stays down, that is the way that I wanted the brim to be in the front and gradually curve up in the back, I could have done the same thing all the way around with a snap brim, but with the snap brim in the front the forward tip of the brim has a small dip that stays turned up slightly. To make it more Indy shape than what it is, I could have made it flat brim all around, then steamed the front and bent it downward, steamed the sides a little and curved the sides up just a little, and steamed the back a little and slightly bent the back of the brim down a little to form a gentle slope. However I think that the way that I shaped the brim is better, with this frame you can keep it on your head while driving. If someone wants a Indy fedora hat shaped in another fashion, I can do the work. This hat is for sale on Ebay right now. I applied some fractioned coconut oil to the hat since I posted the photos here and on Ebay. Here is the Ebay Link,
https://www.ebay.com/itm/3054158689...7M3KP7&hash=item471c3451f6:g:66UAAOSwrw9l2-Ov
I have already received a couple of offers on this hat on Ebay.

What was the purpose of the coconut oil? Would you be so kind as to post a photo or 2 after the application?

 

[belfastboy]

What was the purpose of the coconut oil? Would you be so kind as to post a photo or 2 after the application?

 

[belfastboy]

The results shows up best on a black or dark brown felt. The application of the coconut oil is to replentish the natural oils in the felt that have leached out during the processing, steaming etc of the felt. It puts a wonderful sheen back into the felt. The fractionated just means the coconut odour has been removed and that it stays in its liquid state. You can use the solid coconut oil ...just melt it as it has a very low melt point. It also helps if you have a small amount of unevenness in the dye......evening it out making it more uniform.

 

[hatsRme]

You know, when I first woke up this morning I thought to myself that “I probably won’t learn anything new today.”
But you have changed that wonderfully, thank you very much @belfastboy!!!

 

[belfastboy]

You know, when I first woke up this morning I thought to myself that “I probably won’t learn anything new today.”
But you have changed that wonderfully, thank you very much @belfastboy!!!

The process needs a better name.....calling it 'luring' seems a bit creepy to me!

 

[Darrell2688]

I have to agree, luring sounds really creepy, you always get a funny look when you mention that to someone.
Any way you ask for some photos, and here they are. I posted the hat on Ebay yesterday evening and it is sold, I have to box it up and take it to the post office tomorrow. Maybe I should raise the price on the next one and or start selling on Etsy too. It sold for the price that I listed it for, surprised me when it sold in less than 24 hours. The coconut oil works great on dark colors to even out the mottling from the pouncing, I have also used it on lighter colors, just apply a very small amount at a time and rub it in until the color is the same all over, always using light applications. I don't know if you can see the difference in these photos.