Hat Block Haven

[delectans]

I am captivated by the sculptural beauty of vintage hat blocks, particularly those which were used in the making of the fur felt and Panama hats we all covet, and thought I would start a thread to display their timeless, functional charm.

Starting off with my antique mall find from this past Saturday, an old optimo crown block with beautiful, inletted crease of contrasting beech wood. The #182 crown is 5", which seems fairly typical for optimo blocks, and is a size 7-1/2. The well matched flange is a 7-3/8 with 2-1/4" brim.


























Now, I just need to find myself a size 7-1/2 vintage optimo Panama! lol

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Great job Al shows off the workmanship of the wood makers who built these hat blocks.

 

[BR Gordon]

I am captivated by the sculptural beauty of vintage hat blocks, particularly those which were used in the making of the fur felt and Panama hats we all covet, and thought I would start a thread to display their timeless, functional charm.

delectans, you're absolutely right, the craftsmanship and beauty of these blocks stand on their own, regardless of their function.

 

[hatophile]

That's real purty, Al!

 

[Aureliano]

Cool idea, Al. Here, some of my blocks.

 

[delectans]

Thanks, Ed, BR, Perry, and Ale, I appreciate your kind comments.

Great looking flange and group of blocks, Ale. What are the markings?

 

[Aureliano]

Great looking flange and group of blocks, Ale. What are the markings?

I have many more flanges, too. Don't have an optimo yet though!
Which markings, Al? in the flange or in the blocks? (the stand I made myself, it's kind of hideous but it does the job)

 

[delectans]

I have many more flanges, too. Don't have an optimo yet though!
Which markings, Al? in the flange or in the blocks? (the stand I made myself, it's kind of hideous but it does the job)

I was wondering about the markings on the blocks. It looks from the photo like one of them may be the desirable #52 or #952 block.

 

[Aureliano]

Yes, the darker one on the left has a 52 marked in the bottom. I've had this thing for years and never cared about the 52, what does it mean? why is it desirable, Al?

 

[Jedwbpm]

Is there a thread here about the Block numbers. I don't know what a #52 or 952 are. Great looking blocks guys

Jeff

 

[HatsEnough]

Well, here are my hat blocks and such...

 

[danofarlington]

I admire handwork craft. Can't do it, but admire it.

 

[danofarlington]

But now I have a question. If hat blocks look like that, how do you get a standard shape of any hat? Let's say a Stetson Sovereign. Hatco must make thousands of those. How do you shape the crown on a mass basis, if it's not part of the block? Or do they have blocks with the specific crown shape, which is the only way I can imagine it to be?

 

[HatsEnough]

As far as I know, the rounded blocks are just to shape the open crown. As to factory settings, I am pretty sure these wooden blocks are not used in that setting. In a mass producing factory, they have machines that they shove the hat blank into and it forms it automatically. I think I've seen that on some of the old videos of hat making process. Seems to me these old wooden ones are for one at a time hat making on a smaller scale than something Stetson might do with its big industrial machinery. I hope some of the more informed Loungers confirm this for me, but this is my impression.

 

[RBH]

Yes, the darker one on the left has a 52 marked in the bottom. I've had this thing for years and never cared about the 52, what does it mean? why is it desirable, Al?

A 52 is the most common ''high crown... open crown'' block that was used in the day.
It is still used now ...when the hatters can find them.

 

[Aureliano]

A 52 is the most common ''high crown... open crown'' block that was used in the day.
It is still used now ...when the hatters can find them.

I see. I never knew what that meant. Thanks for the info, Rusty.

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Wonder what the 52 means? I can understand the 7 marking.

 

[cookie]

I am captivated by the sculptural beauty of vintage hat blocks, particularly those which were used in the making of the fur felt and Panama hats we all covet, and thought I would start a thread to display their timeless, functional charm.

Starting off with my antique mall find from this past Saturday, an old optimo crown block with beautiful, inletted crease of contrasting beech wood. The #182 crown is 5", which seems fairly typical for optimo blocks, and is a size 7-1/2. The well matched flange is a 7-3/8 with 2-1/4" brim.


























Now, I just need to find myself a size 7-1/2 vintage optimo Panama! lol

I'd slap a bit of linseed oil onto that FWIW.

 

[Aureliano]

Wonder what the 52 means? I can understand the 7 marking.

Rusty just explained it a post or two above. It indicates the type/style of crown.

 

[DJH]

Here's my (one and only) block. I bought it to use for hat photos, but it has also proven to be very useful to help get hats back to open crown if I don't like the crease. I've not done anything with the flange thingy - that part's just for decoration in my hat world.