Photos of hatters tools

[humanshoes]

A pair of tollikers I just finished for a fellow mad hatter.

 

[humanshoes]

http://s1328.photobucket.com/user/humanshoes/media/IMG_0094_zpsnvu5csi3.jpg.html?sort=2&o=10

 

[Frunobulax]

http://s1328.photobucket.com/user/humanshoes/media/IMG_0094_zpsnvu5csi3.jpg.html?sort=2&o=10

Those are suitable for display!

 

[RJR]

http://s1328.photobucket.com/user/humanshoes/media/IMG_0094_zpsnvu5csi3.jpg.html?sort=2&o=10

Beautiful,Rick.

 

[humanshoes]

Thanks fellas!

 

[Redfokker]

+1 with gusto. Those are a true work of art!

 

[humanshoes]

Appreciate you saying so Redfokker.

 

[Frunobulax]

I tried my hand at making a puller downer today, out of poplar. It's not perfect, but I think it'll likely get the job done for now. Question for those of you who have done this before: Should it be treated at all? I hesitate to put something on it that would eventually translate to the felt.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Celia]

I am staying with my 92 year old grandmother at the moment. When she was young, she trained to be a dressmaker, and after that took evening classes in millinery for 4 years until she qualified (second best of her class). She then got married and became a housewife, making clothes and hats for the whole family, but never working professionally as a milliner. She still made clothes for me when I was a kid, but had unfortunately given up making hats. This is her old hat block, dating from around 1950/early 50s. It's the only one she owned as they were very expensive, and any other blocks she needed could be rented quite cheaply at the time. She said she wants me to have it when she passes away, but of course that's not something I want to happen in the near future...

 

[Frunobulax]

I am staying with my 92 year old grandmother at the moment. When she was young, she trained to be a dressmaker, and after that took evening classes in millinery for 4 years until she qualified (second best of her class). She then got married and became a housewife, making clothes and hats for the whole family, but never working professionally as a milliner. She still made clothes for me when I was a kid, but had unfortunately given up making hats. This is her old hat block, dating from around 1950/early 50s. It's the only one she owned as they were very expensive, and any other blocks she needed could be rented quite cheaply at the time. She said she wants me to have it when she passes away, but of course that's not something I want to happen in the near future...

View attachment 63750

Cool.


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[humanshoes]

I tried my hand at making a puller downer today, out of poplar. It's not perfect, but I think it'll likely get the job done for now. Question for those of you who have done this before: Should it be treated at all? I hesitate to put something on it that would eventually translate to the felt.

Thanks in advance.

I treat my hat making tools with a mixture of 1/2 Boiled Linseed Oil and 1/2 Denatured Alcohol. Apply with clean cotton rag, let dry for a day or so after application, and then hand rub. This suggestion originally came to me from JW at JW Hats. This solution penetrates and seals the wood and I've never had any transference to the felt.

 

[Frunobulax]

I treat my hat making tools with a mixture of 1/2 Boiled Linseed Oil and 1/2 Denatured Alcohol. Apply with clean cotton rag, let dry for a day or so after application, and then hand rub. This suggestion originally came to me from JW at JW Hats. This solution penetrates and seals the wood and I've never had any transference to the felt.

Great! That's exactly what I needed to know. Thank you.


Sent directly from my mind to yours.

 

[Frunobulax]

A few photos of my feeble attempt at making a puller downer and a foot tolliker.

I still have some finishing work to do on the tolliker, but I have the base where I think I like it. I have to remove some additional wood from the middle and make the handle a little smaller, in addition to some finish sanding and the treatment suggested by humanshoes, above.

I have a question on tolliker use, however. Am I to assume the brim of the hat should be wet or freshly steamed (maybe repeatedly during the process, while using the tolliker to help define the brim break? The Scientific Hat finishing book refers to brass tolliker, which I would assume to be heated, but one with a wooden base cannot be used this way. There is a Tom Gomez video on using a tolliker, which is good for technique, but the example used is a straw hat.

So I'm still a little confused. I'm in the middle of a project right now, so any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[Redfokker]

A few photos of my feeble attempt at making a puller downer and a foot tolliker.

View attachment 64202 View attachment 64203 View attachment 64204 View attachment 64205 View attachment 64206

I still have some finishing work to do on the tolliker, but I have the base where I think I like it. I have to remove some additional wood from the middle and make the handle a little smaller, in addition to some finish sanding and the treatment suggested by humanshoes, above.

I have a question on tolliker use, however. Am I to assume the brim of the hat should be wet or freshly steamed (maybe repeatedly during the process, while using the tolliker to help define the brim break? The Scientific Hat finishing book refers to brass tolliker, which I would assume to be heated, but one with a wooden base cannot be used this way. There is a Tom Gomez video on using a tolliker, which is good for technique, but the example used is a straw hat.

So I'm still a little confused. I'm in the middle of a project right now, so any advice would be much appreciated.

Following the answers with great interest! Cool beans!

 

[humanshoes]

Looks like you've crafted perfectly functional tools there Fruno. Good job. Check out this video for the proper use of the tolliker.

 

[Frunobulax]

Looks like you've crafted perfectly functional tools there Fruno. Good job. Check out this video for the proper use of the tolliker.

Thank you. Again, exactly what I needed.

I'll post the finished product in a day or so. Next step: improving my sewing skills.


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[Xylophile]

A few photos of my feeble attempt at making a puller downer and a foot tolliker.

View attachment 64202 View attachment 64203 View attachment 64204 View attachment 64205 View attachment 64206

I still have some finishing work to do on the tolliker, but I have the base where I think I like it. I have to remove some additional wood from the middle and make the handle a little smaller, in addition to some finish sanding and the treatment suggested by humanshoes, above.

I have a question on tolliker use, however. Am I to assume the brim of the hat should be wet or freshly steamed (maybe repeatedly during the process, while using the tolliker to help define the brim break? The Scientific Hat finishing book refers to brass tolliker, which I would assume to be heated, but one with a wooden base cannot be used this way. There is a Tom Gomez video on using a tolliker, which is good for technique, but the example used is a straw hat.

So I'm still a little confused. I'm in the middle of a project right now, so any advice would be much appreciated.

If you're not too far along on the toliker my advice would be to make a new one with the grain turned 90 degrees from the one in the picture.
That way the tool will be unlikely to break on the ends during use, due to short vertical grain, after you give it that cool toliker shape. Also I believe it will be easier for you to get a good smooth working surface on the bottom of the tool and may make it easier to shape as well.

 

[Frunobulax]

If you're not too far along on the toliker my advice would be to make a new one with the grain turned 90 degrees from the one in the picture.
That way the tool will be unlikely to break on the ends during use, due to short vertical grain, after you give it that cool toliker shape. Also I believe it will be easier for you to get a good smooth working surface on the bottom of the tool and may make it easier to shape as well.

Point taken; however, as I am making these out of "scrap" boards, that's how these will be. I have enough for two more polar's for practice, then a piece of hickory for when I get serious.


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[ChicagoWayVito]

Point taken; however, as I am making these out of "scrap" boards, that's how these will be. I have enough for two more polar's for practice, then a piece of hickory for when I get serious.


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Here is a video of someone making a tolliker with power tools, thought you might be interested:

 

[Frunobulax]

Here is a video of someone making a tolliker with power tools, thought you might be interested:

Thanks Vito. That's the one I used as my basic guide.

I love the dramatic slo-mo portions of cleaning off the band saw with the blower.

Seriously, though, that vid taught me a lot.


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