Want to buy or sell something? Check the classifieds
  • The Fedora Lounge is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Photos of hatters tools

John Galt

Vendor
Messages
2,080
Location
Chico
Having a lot of difficulty finding canton flannel here in the UK (and yes, I saw the ebay listing you refer to John and gave that a miss). Is there a British term for it?

I believe this is also called cotton "duck," but I don't know if that term is used on your side of the pond.
 

John Galt

Vendor
Messages
2,080
Location
Chico
Olė, I think we are on the same page. I think you are also right about my word choice.

As for irons, here are some examples. I am still looking for the little oval iron.

ese5y2es.jpg


The two on the far left are "standard" sad irons. They are larger, heavier & wider, with sharp tips.

u9u6yvyp.jpg


The next one is a French style iron that is a little wide, but I've seen in hatter's collections & often sold as a hatter's iron. Probably is, based on the rounded front edge.

egedajab.jpg


The next three are similar to a standard sad iron but have rounded fronts & are smaller/narrower.

uda6uma9.jpg


Then there's the Mahoney, and two brim irons.

mymepemy.jpg


zysemyqu.jpg


One of those is scalloped on the edge so as not to burn a ribbon, and is for renovating. The other is not, and was for the first build.

9aqynysu.jpg


epyjeju6.jpg
 
Last edited:

TheDane

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,670
Location
Copenhagen, Denmark
As Olė pointed out, the bottoms are often rounded on hatter's irons, front to back and /or side to side

Well, those two actually are convex, John. What were they used for? I can't see, why you would want that curve - at least not for fedora work.

Could it be for ironing the brim (of a stiff hat) on a curling board?
 

John Galt

Vendor
Messages
2,080
Location
Chico
Well, I honestly don't know. I've never used either. They were too rusty until yesterday. The Mahoney is often identified as a polishing iron, and has diamond shaped divots in the bottom. I've sanded it, but am still having trouble getting rust out of the divots.

It is rounded front/back and side/side.

The other is only slightly curved on the bottom, and only front to back. Maybe they were used on a particular board or other basement of some kind, I've never seen discussion of this in any of my books.
 

Hatter4

One of the Regulars
Messages
226
Location
East Petersburg, PA
John, Two good books on sad irons are 1 A Collector's guide of Pressing Irons & Trivets by Ester S. Berney. and 2 The Evolution of the sad Iron by A.H.Glissman. Both books also have a section on hat irons, worth checking out.
 

John Galt

Vendor
Messages
2,080
Location
Chico
Thanks for the photo, which raises a question I've always had: Why don't hatters wear hats? I've seen so many of these photos, and in the vast majority (probably all) of them, no hats. I'm thinking it was a superstition...
 
Messages
17,483
Location
Maryland
I think it's just official formality.

Here is one for you. From the same JHS photo series.

5622331069_9f990f7e56_b.jpg


From same JHS photo set, at work. These simple hand made styles were common (in Europe) for the workers.

5627391377_34c8f6162f_b.jpg


At Borsalino.

12739989863_123e571ed8.jpg
 
Last edited:

Miamibruno

One Too Many
Messages
1,018
Location
Milton, MA
JG - Thanks for your response to my query about the irons. Very much appreciated. I love to learn as much as I can. Thank you.

Hatter4 - Those were great rounding jacks. I do love when there is something of the person who used it (wore it) left behind.
 

John Galt

Vendor
Messages
2,080
Location
Chico
I love to share & learn here.

Here's your pusher downer, teak oil over poplar. It still needs polyurethane.

u8y6y3e9.jpg


ru6y8a6u.jpg


Tomorrow the runner downer.

I like to make tools that are a pleasure to hold.

I was thinking of a slogan like:

Manhandled Hat Tools - "You can handle our Junk" or

"Can you handle our Junk?" Or

"You'll love handling our tools." Or

"Our tools are a pleasure to hold."

"You'll love the feel of our Tollickers."

"You won't believe our Tollikers"

"You'll love holding our Wood"

TM & Copyright

5y7y9y2e.jpg
 
Last edited:

John Galt

Vendor
Messages
2,080
Location
Chico
Here's the prototype of the new Tollicker in progress. I first oiled it with teak, but then did stain the poplar base to match the handle.

It's drying before the handle is attached and will then be sealed & finished.

I traced the shape from an old foot tolliker, and scalloped the edge a bit. It's hand sanded at 150, 220 & 320, so it's very smooth and hard.

Manhandled Hat Tools - "Ask to see our Tollickers!"

Should work nicely.

benuqy4a.jpg


rybubena.jpg


ehe4etup.jpg
 

Forum statistics

Threads
109,127
Messages
3,074,644
Members
54,105
Latest member
joejosephlo
Top