Photos of hatters tools

[humanshoes]

I can't imagine the frustration involved in coaxing a century old machine back to life but the products look great.

Thanks RJR. I was warned about the steep learning curve involving this method of hat making. They were so right.

 

[Art Fawcett]

View attachment 80089 View attachment 80090 So, you wake up one morning and decide you want to make straw hats for these brutal Tennessee summers. No problem. First, find a 100 year old straw braid hat sewing machine. Second, source the straw. Third, learn how to use the damn machine. Fourth, brush up on your profanity vocabulary. And last but not least, be prepared to start over about a 100 freaking times. After many, many hours bent over the old Willcox & Gibbs machine, and many failures to launch, a Downton Abbey Milan straw hat for a friend (she plans to use a silk scarf for a hatband) and a hemp braid tobacco brown hat for me (temporary hatband I think).

Welcome to my world Sir!!!!! I'm sure between us, we could fill a book on swear words. I've been doing it 4 years now and still using some choice phrases occasionally.
But at the end, when it comes out right, it's pretty rewarding. Carry on

 

[humanshoes]

Thanks for the encouragement Art! Means a lot coming from you. This process has been like learning to fly a plane blindfolded. Almost nothing out there, at least that I could find, by way of instruction. I actually thought it would be as easy as the guy in the Anthony Peto video makes it look. I was very, very wrong about that. Had I only known about the little tug of war one has to play with the straw and the sewing machine in order to keep the circumference even it might have saved me hours and hours of time and frustration. Still, I did get some nice little Asian looking cone hats for my niece's dolls out of the deal.

 

[Mustang Mike's Hats]

Still, I did get some nice little Asian looking cone hats for my niece's dolls out of the deal.

Thanks for the chuckle! Today, I really needed one!!

 

[humanshoes]

Any time Mike. Like grandma used to say, "Laugh or cry, the choice is yours".

 

[Art Fawcett]

Thanks for the encouragement Art! Means a lot coming from you. This process has been like learning to fly a plane blindfolded. Almost nothing out there, at least that I could find, by way of instruction. I actually thought it would be as easy as the guy in the Anthony Peto video makes it look. I was very, very wrong about that. Had I only known about the little tug of war one has to play with the straw and the sewing machine in order to keep the circumference even it might have saved me hours and hours of time and frustration. Still, I did get some nice little Asian looking cone hats for my niece's dolls out of the deal.

LOL I liken it to learning an instrument, a very difficult one, like the piano. Your right about the tug o war. You are close enough to watch the Ladies in Winchester work. It's worth the trip. They make those hemp bodies in 7 minutes or less. Very impressive and informative.

 

[humanshoes]

Thanks for the tip Art. I didn't even think about them making hemp bodies at Winchester. Definitely a trip I need to take.

 

[Marcelle]

@humanshoes I recently purchase a rounding jack and foot tolliker from Mr Walker as I live in the UK and there is next to non when it comes to hand tools for hatting. I am very very pleased with the purchase and the professionalism I received from Rick. I will most definitely be ordering from him again and recommend his services!

 

[humanshoes]

@humanshoes I recently purchase a rounding jack and foot tolliker from Mr Walker as I live in the UK and there is next to non when it comes to hand tools for hatting. I am very very pleased with the purchase and the professionalism I received from Rick. I will most definitely be ordering from him again and recommend his services!

Thank you for the kind words Marcelle. The world needs more up and coming hatters like you.

 

[humanshoes]

I was told by an old school hatter that one must have an obsessive nature to become an accomplished hat maker. When I decided to add Milan straw hats to the lineup and went in search of the proper sewing machines I may have proven that at least I have the obsessive part of the equation down pat. Hopefully the accomplished part will come with patient and practice. Ended up with two Willcox & Gibbs straw braid machines, one Feldman straw braid zig-zag stitch machine, and one Feldman set up machine for sewing in sweatbands. Blew my budget for this year, but I do love the precision and quality engineering of these old machines.

 

[Marcelle]

I was told by an old school hatter that one must have an obsessive nature to become an accomplished hat maker. When I decided to add Milan straw hats to the lineup and went in search of the proper sewing machines I may have proven that at least I have the obsessive part of the equation down pat. Hopefully the accomplished part will come with patient and practice. Ended up with two Willcox & Gibbs straw braid machines, one Feldman straw braid zig-zag stitch machine, and one Feldman set up machine for sewing in sweatbands. Blew my budget for this year, but I do love the precision and quality engineering of these old machines.
View attachment 81513

wow this is amazing!

 

[Marcelle]

I have a supplier of mine in the UK who is wanting to sell his Singer cylinder arm machine. I'm trying to obtain some pictures. would anyone be interested?

 

[Mustang Mike's Hats]

Ended up with two Willcox & Gibbs straw braid machines, one Feldman straw braid zig-zag stitch machine, and one Feldman set up machine for sewing in sweatbands

WOW! That's outstanding but how the heck did you even find those? Equipment has been SO hard to locate. I've been looking for a block spindle for crown ironing and pouncing with zero luck.

 

[Mustang Mike's Hats]

I have a supplier of mine in the UK who is wanting to sell his Singer cylinder arm machine. I'm trying to obtain some pictures. would anyone be interested?

Love to see the pictures for sure! Hopefully, they would assist in determining how well it would hold up to continued use.

 

[Windsock8e]

Love to see the pictures for sure! Hopefully, they would assist in determining how well it would hold up to continued use.

What is a block spindle? Is it this?

 

[Mustang Mike's Hats]

Sorry, I should have been more clear. I have one of those that I use regularly. I'm referring to a block spindle like a pouncing iron spindle.



If I could figure out HOW, I'd make the spindle portion myself!!
I don't really need the iron part.

 

[ChicagoWayVito]

I don't really need the iron part.

Sure you do. The crown iron with spinner integrated gives you better control on the evenness of ironing and the pressure. Using a modern clothes iron on the crown can be done but it is laborious. Personally I wish I had a crown iron like the one in your picture. I just ordered myself a plating machine for getting the brim break well defined.

 

[Mustang Mike's Hats]

Vito - you and I need to talk .. PM maybe?

 

[ChicagoWayVito]

Vito - you and I need to talk .. PM maybe?

Sure thing, go ahead and send a PM

 

[Windsock8e]

Sorry, I should have been more clear. I have one of those that I use regularly. I'm referring to a block spindle like a pouncing iron spindle.

View attachment 81574

If I could figure out HOW, I'd make the spindle portion myself!!
I don't really need the iron part.

Sorry, just engaged my brain and realised that the spindle thing I posted is such an obvious and basic tool that any hatter would easily have that; my apologies for a brain dead post on my part.