Hat making?? Learning Millinery..

[Darrell2688]

I was planning on posting today. It did not help. It just made the dark spot darker. I flipped the hat inside out and started it all over again. The problem was a weird one. It appeared to me that the felt had 4 small flakes of undissolved shellac embedded in the felt. I tried: steam, alcohol to melt and remove them but it did not budge the shellac much, only darkened the felt. I ended up scraping the flakes out with an exacto blade. Never seen undissolved shellac flakes before and never want to see them again.
This was on a western weight felt that I had already blocked inside out, pounced a lot to soften it some. So this is the 3rd blocking on this felt.

That sounds like a big problem, looks like you're going to stick with it, let us know how it turns out, I hope you beat this problem. I am not real happy about the surprise problems, it always throws me off. I almost tossed my brown hat into a gallon of denatured alcohol to wash out all of the shellac then start over, the only thing that kept from doing that was how was I going to mark the crown-brim break.
Good Luck, I hope you beat this problem.

 

[belfastboy]

I'll have to check out the gravity steam iron. Here's the workshop. I just started this journey about a year ago.

Nice clean shop! I wish I had a band saw to cut out band blocks. It would make it easier/quicker than using my skil saw.

 

[dmeist]

Nice clean shop! I wish I had a band saw to cut out band blocks. It would make it easier/quicker than using my skil saw.

It works good to trim it down, but the sander is awesome.

 

[belfastboy]

It works good to trim it down, but the sander is awesome.

I have a decent edge sander in my shop but cutting with the jig saw is slow and tedious and requires lots of time on the sander to get it right. But it is always the case of desiring the next tool.......and then the next........it is a deep rabbit hole.

 

[Darrell2688]

I recently purchased a miter chop saw with a laser light, it would take several cuts to make a band block but it would cut down the time needed for sanding. My other saw is a Ryobi jigsaw, good saw but there is one big problem, the blades will pop out of the guide at times and cut the wood at an angle. My sander is a belt sander and I had to make a setup so I could use the shop vac to collect the dust, the other option was a gas mask.

 

[dmeist]

Anybody use a Laser to etch the Hat Band or do illustrations on the Brim? Been researching the lasers and they seem very capable.

 

[belfastboy]

Anybody use a Laser to etch the Hat Band or do illustrations on the Brim? Been researching the lasers and they seem very capable.

Never tried it. I have only ever seen it with a wood burning pen used to draw or a hot knife to draw lines. Rand's Hats out of Billings has a person who paints pictures on the crowns.....pyrography of the highest standard.

 

[K.U.Hack]

Any advice on how to close the ends of this "reed tape"? I HATE plastic, so I'm experimenting with alts. I have some real reed on order, so this one has the fishing line in it. Thanks y'all. I've learned a lot from you.

 

[belfastboy]

Any advice on how to close the ends of this "reed tape"? I HATE plastic, so I'm experimenting with alts. I have some real reed on order, so this one has the fishing line in it. Thanks y'all. I've learned a lot from you. View attachment 499506 View attachment 499507 View attachment 499508

Hatters using the standard plastic reeds use an aluminum ferrule. Tim at Purebeaverhatsupply.com sells them in small quantities as well as leather sweat bands.

 

[TWKundrat]

What was the reed tape made from in the old pre-war hats anyway?

 

[K.U.Hack]

What was the reed tape made from in the old pre-war hats anyway?

Exactly!? I like the cotton, changes the whole feel on the head. There is an Etsy shop the sells off-cuts of pure silk that I use for liners...maybe I'll give that a try, once my real reed (reel read?) arrives. Leather (I have leather tape) is just too bulky.

 

[belfastboy]

What was the reed tape made from in the old pre-war hats anyway?

The reed was an actual reed. The tape was some type of natural fabric, a cotton, a light duck, light canvas material..hence it would rot.

 

[Frunobulax]

And some were unreeded.

 

[belfastboy]

And some were unreeded.

I have just one unreeded vintage. The leather is not in the best shape but I am keeping for as long as possible. Love the unreeded.

 

[Darrell2688]

I have been working on a rounding jack when the weather permits. My work shop is a small shed out back and even tho it is now Spring, the temps are nuts, 50's and below and then one day 70 degress, looking forward to steady weather. Today I was able to do a little more work on my project and I am still waiting on some items that I had to order. Any way here are a few photos of the work so far. I plan to add a steel ruler, Helmsman urethane, brass sheet on the back and a few other things, work in progress.

 

[K.U.Hack]

Looks awesome. Much better than mine.

 

[Darrell2688]

I am still working on my rounding jack when the weather permits or when I can do a little wood work in the house. I made my rounding jack so I could put the utility blade in with the cutting edge facing forward or back, this way I can set the jack up to either push or pull the rounding jack around the block to cut the brim to size. The utility blade is 1 1/2" back from the leading edge with the center section pushed forward. I have a small brass piece to add to the rounding jack to act as a depth or width pointer when adjusted to the cutting size. I put two thumb screws in the clamping section so the blade can not slip out and cause injury. There is a piece of aluminum 1/16" thick and 1/2" wide in between the brass sheet and the wood to brace and strengthen the end section and help the two thumb screws when they are turned in to hold the center section steady when cutting the brim. Here are a few more pictures, I still need to apply a few coats of Helmans Urethane and make a few more touch ups.

 

[belfastboy]

I am still working on my rounding jack when the weather permits or when I can do a little wood work in the house. I made my rounding jack so I could put the utility blade in with the cutting edge facing forward or back, this way I can set the jack up to either push or pull the rounding jack around the block to cut the brim to size. The utility blade is 1 1/2" back from the leading edge with the center section pushed forward. I have a small brass piece to add to the rounding jack to act as a depth or width pointer when adjusted to the cutting size. I put two thumb screws in the clamping section so the blade can not slip out and cause injury. There is a piece of aluminum 1/16" thick and 1/2" wide in between the brass sheet and the wood to brace and strengthen the end section and help the two thumb screws when they are turned in to hold the center section steady when cutting the brim. Here are a few more pictures, I still need to apply a few coats of Helmans Urethane and make a few more touch ups.

Looking good.

 

[belfastboy]

I love restoring vintage hats but boy do I see some strange stuff.

Working on a nice StetsonSovereign that has/had a nice overwelt brim treatment. The previous owner covered up the overwelt with a horrid light blue brim binding using Petersham ribbon. I removed the binding and eliminated the stitch holes with copious water, steam and ironing. A simple fix back to a great vintage hat.

The next one is a great Wormser with an unreeded sweat band. For some inexplicable reason an owner sewed in the sweat, upside down , with the little bow sitting at 3:00 o'clock instead of 12. Bizarre. This is an easy fix and luckily the sweat is in great shape. It will just take time to resew it by hand using the existing holes. Another simple fix to restore a great vintage lid.

 

[Darrell2688]

I love restoring vintage hats but boy do I see some strange stuff.

Working on a nice StetsonSovereign that has/had a nice overwelt brim treatment. The previous owner covered up the overwelt with a horrid light blue brim binding using Petersham ribbon. I removed the binding and eliminated the stitch holes with copious water, steam and ironing. A simple fix back to a great vintage hat.

The next one is a great Wormser with an unreeded sweat band. For some inexplicable reason an owner sewed in the sweat, upside down , with the little bow sitting at 3:00 o'clock instead of 12. Bizarre. This is an easy fix and luckily the sweat is in great shape. It will just take time to resew it by hand using the existing holes. Another simple fix to restore a great vintage lid.

I like it when you post information like this, I thought the holes from stitching couldn't be removed until you posted this information, another copy and paste into a Microsoft Word document. The little hat bow sitting at 3 O'clock position is a weird one.