Gary White-The Custom Hatter

[TheDane]

Have you ever looked into whether the same or similar effect could possibly be reproduced with a needle felting sewing machine, proper foot and adhesive?

As I understand it, glue and shellac has been tried without pleasing results. Needle felting could in theory be used, but the result would not look like a felted edge.

A true felted edge is made at a very early stage of the felting process and is felted along with the rest of the hat body. Aside from thickness there is very little difference between the the edge and the rest, and the transition is soft and unbroken.

No matter how well you needle felt a welted edge, it will always be - and look like - a fusing of two pieces of felt. Unfortunately it's impossible to mimic a true felted edge with needle felting.

 

[Brad Bowers]

Yeah, I can't see the needle felting working, either. For one thing, the felt is already tightly felted, which would make it less likely to felt a welt together. Years ago, I actually tried to unfelt the edge of a hat body, and refelt a welt into it. Didn't work at all. lol

Ole, some of the adhesive welts on Hat Corporation of America hats from the late-1960s and early-1970s aren't too bad, and you have to look real close to discern that they are not felted, but by that point in time it didn't matter, and even that technique was dropped in favor of the standard sewn welt. I've got a Cavanagh from that period with what they called the "Cavart Edge," just a glued-overwelt, and it looks pretty decent for what it is. But you're right, they still don't have the same plump, pleasing profile of a true Cavanagh Edge. Richard Beene, from Winchester, who worked there when it was still a Hat Corporation of America factory, called them "Stuck Edges" because of the adhesive. I thought it was both funny and apropos.

Brad

 

[TheDane]

Ole, some of the adhesive welts on Hat Corporation of America hats from the late-1960s and early-1970s aren't too bad

I stand corrected, then. I have only heard of two or three bad examples, so I may very well have projected their results to widely.

I too have tried to epoxy half a dozen felting needles onto one shaft and felt a welt on a sewing machine with a modified plate and no bobbin. It looked very convincingly absolutely wrong - and the edge had the strength of a piece of well boiled lettuce [huh]

I don't know if you saw the old Resistol I linked to the other day. I've seen nicer and better hidden stitches on the underside, but the edge has oviously been ironed with a grooved iron (or something in that style), which results in a very nice effect on the upper side - pretty close to a felted edge

 

[Landman]

Thanks for posting the video Alan.

Is Gary responsible for all the hats on Boardwalk Empire? If so, that seems like a lot of work for a one man shop. I did notice in a past episode that one of the hats appeared to be a true vintage hat. I can't remember the hat brand or episode but you could see a brief shot of the liner. Maybe Gary makes custom hats for the main stars and they use true vintage hats when possible.

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

I posted a link in the boardwalk thread in the media section a year ago. With an interview with the clothing designers for the show. The main actors have custom hats and clothes. While all the background actors wear vintage.

 

[RBH]

..... Richard Beene, from Winchester, who worked there when it was still a Hat Corporation of America factory, called them "Stuck Edges" because of the adhesive. I thought it was both funny and apropos.

Brad

Brad I have also met Richard...he is a fount of information and a really nice guy.
But you need to be sure and buckle up if he is driving!!!!

 

[alanfgag]

Thanks for posting the video Alan.

Is Gary responsible for all the hats on Boardwalk Empire? If so, that seems like a lot of work for a one man shop. I did notice in a past episode that one of the hats appeared to be a true vintage hat. I can't remember the hat brand or episode but you could see a brief shot of the liner. Maybe Gary makes custom hats for the main stars and they use true vintage hats when possible.

I would guess there are other hatters involved in Boardwalk Empire as well. I remember Gary first made a movie splash with his work on Dick Tracy.

 

[alanfgag]

An article from our locally produced Buffalo Spree... Gary going by his given Polish name.

 

[bowlerman]

Excellent!

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[Mr.Astor]

Gary is a great guy! He got an iPad for Christmas hope we can send pics. of ideas

 

[hatsRme]

He's been sending and receiving pictures for a couple of years on his phone.

 

[Mr.Astor]

Text only!!

 

[hatsRme]

Then he's gone retro to some extent. When I worked with him on the two I bought two years ago, he was able to send and receive photos. Not the best photos, but color pictures at least.

 

[John Galt]

Just received, my new GW (Gary White) The Custom Hatter. Shipped open crowned. It is a tan/nutmeg color. It has a true Cavanagh edge to it. It is super lightweight. The hat blank weighed 2 ounces before liner and sweat. The total weight now of the hat is 3.8 ounces. The hat is so lightweight that I could not get it to keep my center or side dents from popping back. So, I did a terrible thing and sprayed some felt stiffener to the top of the hat. Gary can make any hat or ribbon you want. What a guy!

Looking back through this thread. Love this shark gill - great job & unique.


"Faint hat never won fair lady."

 

[bowlerman]

I had the marvelous opportunity last month to visist Gary at his shop. I stayed a night or two under Alanfgag's roof in Buffalo, and my visist to Gary's shop was an impromptu one, after Alan and his wife reminded me that it was there in town.

I was fortunate to spend at least a good hour in there, and see examples of his fine work, as well as the machines of antiquity that he uses to perform his craft.

Gary was a gentle man with a gleam in his eye, and readily shared his knowledge, passion, and dedication to the art of hatting.

He recognized the one I wore into the shop as one that was made by a sort of apprentice of his, our good friend and lounger Dennis Brooks. My hat, having been out in the heavy rain, needed a bit of a flange and steam to blow some new life back into it, and Gary insisted that I partake in the process of flanging and steaming.

Pictorial to follow!

 

[bowlerman]

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[bowlerman]

Gary had tons of vintage blocks, flanges, even vintage cavanaugh bodies and an impressive collection of vintage ribbon.

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[bowlerman]

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[bowlerman]

There were a lot of terrific looking works in progress. I took the liberty of trying a few. A favorite of mine was the silver belly derby .

Whomever will be the recipient of this black cherry with patina'd ribbon is lucky indeed!

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[RJR]

Most interesting,thanks for the "tour".