Hell On Wheels Hats

[hatflick1]

I enjoy this gritty AMC series and make note of the variety of hats worn by main characters and background
players.
Now they're available.
http://www.knudsenhats.com/Hatdept/HellOnWheels.html
I purchased a Young Guns II from Knudsen. It's a great hat.

 

[TomS]

Interesting. Not really my style, but worth a look!
Thanks,
TomS

 

[Grizzly Adams]

Wow! Some great looking hats! Thanks for the link.

 

[H Weinstein]

I like this TV series a lot, too. The second season just started. They certainly have a wide variety of hats, which is a more accurate depiction of what people actually wore at that time than typical westerns where everyone's wearing a cowboy hat. I love the behind-the-scenes features on costume design, set-building, weapons, etc. on the AMC website.

 

[H Weinstein]

And, just out of curiosity, how is a flat-topped hat made vs. the more typical domed shape?
Presumably, the dome is the natural shape of a basic hat form. Is that round-topped hat then shrunken with heat over a flat-topped hat block? Can any of our hat-makers here provide enlightenment? Thanks!

 

[mayserwegener]

They are made the same way. The problem is the modern ones just like the modern Bowlers (Derbies, Melone, ect) are soft felt hats masquerading as stiff felt hats. As far as I know the ability to make such hats was lost sometime in the 1960s. For example look at the crown on this hat (stiff crown with a some what soft brim) which is from about the same time period (late 19th Century). You will not find hat made like this today.

 

[gtdean48]

And, just out of curiosity, how is a flat-topped hat made vs. the more typical domed shape?
Presumably, the dome is the natural shape of a basic hat form. Is that round-topped hat then shrunken with heat over a flat-topped hat block? Can any of our hat-makers here provide enlightenment? Thanks!

Lounger barrowjh has a posting on how he did the crown of hat similar to Clint Eastwood's hat in Pale Rider...check Resistol Roundup thread.

 

[Blackthorn]

I'm glad I happened to see this thread. I missed the season opener, but I see it comes on again Saturday night.

 

[mayserwegener]

Lounger barrowjh has a posting on how he did the crown of hat similar to Clint Eastwood's hat in Pale Rider...check Resistol Roundup thread.

I thought he was talking about the one in the background?

 

[gtdean48]

I thought he was talking about the one in the background?
....

Right Steve, which looks to me to have that style of flat top that JB did on his Resistol....

 

[mayserwegener]

It looks like a modern stiff felt (Bowler / Derby like) hat but I could be wrong. Some what similar (this one is more rounded) to this stiff felt hat (from French eBay) Garrett posted the other day.

I would guess this one is from the early 1900s.

 

[gtdean48]

From Knudsen's reproduction webpage =

 

[mayserwegener]

It appears to me to be more in the stiff felt style of a Bowler / Derby. The old French stiff felt hat (slightly different block and flange) is how it would have been made in that time period.

 

[Phineas Lamour]

Great show. Awesome hats.

 

[bowlerman]

+1! I want the entire lineup from Knudsen, plus the Irish kid's brown derby. Is there a second season?

 

[gtdean48]

... Is there a second season?

Just started airing Season 2....

 

[1961MJS]

Hi

The Hell on Wheels hats aren't my style, I like the wider brimmed jobs like Clint Eastwood (especially Josey Wales) and John Wayne wore. From several books of period photographs, both the wider brimmed styles and the bowler styles were worn by just about everyone. Some of the later cowboy (1900 even) styles look suspiciously like the hats LBJ wore. I haven't watched the series yet, but may end up with the DVD's.

Later

 

[Chepstow]

Hollywood Hat Maker Mr. Gunner Foxx Shapes A Top Hat

[video=youtube;ZwYHFnTRlCU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwYHFnTRlCU&feature=player_detailpage[/video]

 

[Guttersnipe]

I actually really like this show, but it is very hit-or-miss with costume accuracy.

 

[ScottF]

I actually really like this show, but it is very hit-or-miss with costume accuracy.

Agreed, I'm finishing up season one tonight, and the hats for the most part, are extremely inaccurate for 1865.