Modern custom vs Vintage

[jlee562]

I have more than once considered buying a beaver/ermine felt just to see......but so far have resisted pulling the trigger.

Bob at BSHW has my FEPSA beaver/mink. It has a soft hand but it's a western body and has a very stiff brim. Interesting contrast, Bob thought it was very stiff as well. Will be interesting to see how it turns out as a finished hat. But as is, I probably would not say it was vintage-like. I'm sure Bob will know how to work with it better than I would have.

But in the time honored tradition of Fedora Lounge enabling, I say go for it, treat yourself!

 

[mayserwegener]

I was told by the last technical director Gustav Menschel of Ebreichsdorfer Filzhutfabrik / S. & J. Fraenkel Wien (started as master dyer in the mid 1950s) that nitrate of mercury pickled fur was still available in Europe up to the mid 1960s. Here is a translated excerpt from his unpublished book "Der Hut /The Hat" (production Ebreichsdorfer Filzhutfabrik / S. & J. Fraenkel Wien circa 1971).

"Today only hydrogen peroxide pickling is used, although mercury-pickled hair, stored for half a year (matured), is second to none in quality."

Here is some info regarding pickling / carroting.

"Preparation of a Pickling Fluid": In a cool place where people are not standing, pour into a wide-mouth glass bottle of 12 liters of 8 kg nitric acid of 1.39 spec. And add 1 kg of mercury to it, and let the bottle stand still. The solution will be useful after 6 to 8 weeks. This mixture is intended for the so-called yellow stain; For the White Stain, one has to take more than 1 kg, 130 g of mercury more. For the coating, this concentrated solution must then be diluted with rain or distilled water in such a way that 8 parts of water are used per one part of the same. Since the evaporation of the pickling fluid is disadvantageous to the health, the work of laying the skins should always be carried out only in an airy space. The touch of the same with the bare hand must also be avoided. The skins treated with white stain by hand are then dried at air temperature treated with yellow stain at about 50 ° C. The stained skins are then placed on the side of the hair, pressed firmly together for several days, until cold."

I have a lot information on felting including velour felt production.