Fur felt production

[TWKundrat]

I'm really interested in the production processes of fur felt for hats. There is a lot of information throughout this forum on felt production such as the Winchester tour video and the old Stetson film that is I believe from the 1920's. A lot of the detailed processes can be fairly hard to find information on though. I thought it would be cool to start a thread to get as much of this info as possible in one place.

I'm thinking everything from the way the pelts are stretched and dried, to the carroting process (old and new), cutting the fur from the hides, the details about the blowing machines, the machine that forms the cone, all of the shrinking and felting processes, etc.

It would also be cool to see the differences between the old methods of bowing the fur and doing everything by hand compared to the more modern mechanized methods.

Not sure if other people find this kind of stuff as interesting as I do but I work in manufacturing and I've always been really fascinated with production processes. Let's see what you all can dig up. I'll post the YouTube link to the Winchester tour (not my video) to get things started.

 

[shopkin]

https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/47090/pg47090-images.html

 

[One Drop]

https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/47090/pg47090-images.html

Amazing document, thanks for the link !

 

[TWKundrat]

I'm trying to find patent drawings for some of this equipment mentioned in that book but I'm not having much luck. I was specifically looking for the machine that removes the long hairs from the pelts and also the blowing machines. Maybe someone else might have better luck finding patent drawings. I know I have seen some for the blowing machines before but for some reason I can't find them now.

I'm also curious if the pelts are treated with anything after the animal is skinned? I know I've heard about salting hides before drying them but I don't know if that's just for pelts that are to be tanned with the fur on or if it would also apply to pelts that will be shaved.

 

[mayserwegener]

Translated to English from "Der Hut" Gustav Menschel Copyright © 2009 by Eigenverlag, Wien. This information is based on production information circa 1971.

 

[belfastboy]

I'm really interested in the production processes of fur felt for hats. There is a lot of information throughout this forum on felt production such as the Winchester tour video and the old Stetson film that is I believe from the 1920's. A lot of the detailed processes can be fairly hard to find information on though. I thought it would be cool to start a thread to get as much of this info as possible in one place.

I'm thinking everything from the way the pelts are stretched and dried, to the carroting process (old and new), cutting the fur from the hides, the details about the blowing machines, the machine that forms the cone, all of the shrinking and felting processes, etc.

It would also be cool to see the differences between the old methods of bowing the fur and doing everything by hand compared to the more modern mechanized methods.

Not sure if other people find this kind of stuff as interesting as I do but I work in manufacturing and I've always been really fascinated with production processes. Let's see what you all can dig up. I'll post the YouTube link to the Winchester tour (not my video) to get things started.

On my list is a trip to Portugal to visit FEPSA. I think they have the most modern plant and would be a great comparison to the very old school approach of Winchester.

 

[mayserwegener]

On my list is a trip to Portugal to visit FEPSA. I think they have the most modern plant and would be a great comparison to the very old school approach of Winchester.

Mayser Ulm moved their felt production to Portugal around 1990. This put FEPSA on the map because Mayser Ulm was the world leader. Mayser Ulm moved their fur pelt cutting and pickling to Portugal in the mid 1960s. FEPSA is a customer of Bahner Hat Machines.

 

[TWKundrat]

Very interesting. I'm trying to picture how the skins are fed into the plucking machine without being pulled into the rollers.

 

[mayserwegener]

Very interesting. I'm trying to picture how the skins are fed into the plucking machine without being pulled into the rollers.

I saw fur cutting when I first visited the Tonak factory in 2011. They are the only factory left that does everything (fur cutting, felt production, hat production) at the same location (factory goes back to the 1860s).

Here is my FL post on 220 Anniversary from 2019. This is the Tonak board room. The guy standing up is Hans Hückel who was born in Nový Jičín / Neutitschein and after WWII ended up in Montreal (in 1950) where he still resides. I am the bald guy with my hand out at the end of the table.

Tonak Factory, September 6, 2019

Tonak Factory, September 6, 2019 This was my second visit to the Tonak factory. I toured the factory back in May of 2011. Unfortunately this time we didn't tour the Fur processing (Cutting, Pickling, Blowing) section possibly due to time constraints. I met Hans Hückel who was born in Nový...

www.thefedoralounge.com

 

[mayserwegener]

Translated to English from "Der Hut" Gustav Menschel Copyright © 2009 by Eigenverlag, Wien. This information is based on production information circa 1971.

 

[TWKundrat]

Great stuff. Thanks for posting it. I'll bet that Tonak factory was very interesting to see too.

 

[mayserwegener]

Great stuff. Thanks for posting it. I'll bet that Tonak factory was very interesting to see too.

Tim, Thanks. I have a lot of information but it needs to be translated. I was lucky to tour Tonak twice. Tonak is the last of the large scale (Fur Cutting, Fur Felt Production, Hat Production) factories.