Musty old hat blocks

[feltfan]

Hi All,

Recently I picked up a couple of hat block pieces.
I'm looking to get more, but I realize I don't know
enough about 'em. I am looking to use these pieces
to work a bit on hats I have around here. Appreciate it
if anyone can answer these questions:

- How do you clean them before use?
Many of these things look pretty dirty and might
transfer years of dust to my hats. Surely this
goes double for the ones covered with felt?

- Were they standardized? That is, can I expect
any brim block to fit on that stand thing they mount
on, using the same mounting holes? Will the crown
block always fit in any brim block (of compatible size)?
Will the holes at the bottom of the crown block match
the holes on other crown blocks?

Any other tips?

Thanks.

 

[Fedora]

If you are looking for standardized sizing of all flanges and blocks-forget about it. I have blocks marked 7 1/4 that are too large. This happens in all sizes. Mad hatters disease also affected the block makers. I had to measure all of mine, and then write the circumference on the bottoms. Of course in making hats you must learn how to drum the sweat, in order to make use of the old vintage blocks. That is nothing new, and is as old as the business itself. Fedora

 

[Prairie Shade]

I knew there was some reason I never wanted to block my own hats!!!!!

 

[feltfan]

If you are looking for standardized sizing of all flanges and blocks-forget about it. I have blocks marked 7 1/4 that are too large.

Ouch. Thanks. I hadn't even anticipated that.
Makes sense, though- vintage hat sizes do vary.

How do you clean them before using them?

And BTW, are the brim blocks what people call "flanges"?

Thanks.

 

[Fedora]

How do you clean them before using them?

And BTW, are the brim blocks what people call "flanges"?

Normally vintage brim flanges are a dark brown in color. I just cleaned mine with a little soapy water mixture and have had no problem with any color transfer, even when flanging light colored hats.

I have heard both terms used in reference to this tool. I hear the term flange used more often. But there may be another arachaic term for them. I call the crown blocks-blocks. But, I have read of them be referred to as sinkers. They were probably called sinkers back in the old days. Fedora

 

[mthatter]

erased by mt

 

[feltfan]

Thanks so much to mthatter and fedora for clearing
up my questions. That's what I love about this forum.

And Prairie Shade, I don't plan to do anything too ambitious.
My sewing skills aren't equal to the task of removing and
replacing the sweat band. But having a few blocks around
to straighten out a brim or take the creases out of an old
hat can be useful. If I knew of a reliable local cleaning and
blocking service here in the SF Bay Area, I might not bother.
But for simple stuff, maybe I can learn to do it myself...

 

[Fedora]

Most of our old blocks are either true to size or have shrunk due to our low humidity

I have some of those as well, but what about a block size listed as 7 1/4 on the bottom but is 23 1/2 inches in circumference? Or a size 7 1/2 block that 24 5/8 ? :eusa_doh: I discovered these as I was sizing the sweat to fit a 7 1/4 hat size and then had the sweat to drop inside the hat!!! LOL. That led me to measuring all of my blocks and writing the circumference on the bottoms. Like I said, I think mad hatters disease affected the blockmakers as well. Fedora

 

[feltfan]

I have some of those as well, but what about a block size listed as 7 1/4 on the bottom but is 23 1/2 inches in circumference?

An English 7 1/4 is just over 23", right? Maybe that's what you have?
As for the other one...

 

[mthatter]

erased by mt

 

[Fedora]

Steve, that is a large 7 1/4, I just looked at my 7 1/4's and they range from 22 13/16 - 23 1/4" circ.. I guess it was a good thing tolerances were maybe not exact-I like the variety.

Yes, I have some that run that way as well. All of the new blocks that I had made have a 3/8 inch difference, that is 3/8 added to the normal head size, instead of the common 1/2 inch. It all works out of course. Tricks of the trade.

An English 7 1/4 is just over 23", right? Maybe that's what you have?

Logical I guess, but my blocks are all American blocks in the US sizing. Fedora