Randall Renshaw Restorations

[Rmccamey]

Yep, or use the George Strait theory - find something the girls like and the boys will follow.

In the last 6 years the number of custom hatters in my area has gone from zero to 6. I am the only one making classic fedoras, one other making classic western hats and the other 4 are the modern BoHo distressed hats. The bad news is that they are charging upwards of $1200 for their 'creations'. I have no idea who is buying them but somebody is. So if you wanted to make any money at this endeavour then the BoHo is the way to go.

 

[belfastboy]

So far, my method for blocking hats and this one hat body hasn’t included steam.
Just complete water saturation, work the wet felt over the block and let dry.
Only use steam when putting in creases on the finished hat.
And only use a steam iron on dry felt, as well.
I don’t know if that’s the best way to go, but to this point it’s been working well.

I may check out a few of them YouTube vids.
Thanks.

For me it depends on the felt and the head size. The 95gr FEPSA are easy, just a bit of steam and they turn buttery and easy to block. If I am working with a 230gr Ukraine monster I soak it thoroughly and then steam for 10+ minutes. I steam it until the factory brim break is pretty much gone and it reverts to a cone shape. This works well if I am blocking for a larger size head and then I don't have to wrestle with it so much.

 

[Randall Renshaw]

That would probably work well when trying to upsize a vintage 7X too. I haven’t been able to get much stretch using just warm water.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I think it must be related to the process and batch. I went through a period where Winchester was very bad for mottling and I was afraid everytime I began to pounce. But lately they have been ok. My experience with the mottling of the Nutria was worse. They even warn you not to get it wet and hit it with steam as it will flash out the dye. It is a small operation in Bolivia that he discovered on his travels. So I stopped using them as they were so delicate and finnicky. Interesting interview with him (Willie) on "Hat Makers Podcast" on YouTube. A hatmaker out of Australia interviews a hatter from around the world about once a month. A lot of them are long and boring but once in while they get interesting.

I found the podcast, but I couldn’t watch much of it. Too new-age and generally weird for me. The interviewer’s style of wearing his hat spoke volumes to me as well.

I was an early adopter of Sunrise’s nutria felt. There wasn’t a lot of consistency, and I think every hatter I used other than VS had some legitimate criticisms. Still, most of those early hats came out very nice, and some are top shelf. Sunrise never had a problem accepting returns on felt that demonstrated problems. I really like how Randall is describing this current 160g dress weight nutria felt in playa.

 

[belfastboy]

That would probably work well when trying to upsize a vintage 7X too. I haven’t been able to get much stretch using just warm water.

The steam works wonders. I have a pair of J1 Jiffy Steamers....use a trash bag as an envelope/tent. Works really well.

 

[Blare]

Are you telling me that the Lollapalooza and Burning Man crowd isn’t your target market?

I mean I was at Lollapalooza 1994. Headlined by George Clinton, Beastie Boys and Smashing Pumpkins. I also have a vivid memory of the crew fully setting up the stage, instruments, drum kit everything for Green Day… like 30 to 45 minutes.. for Billie Joe Armstrong to walk on stage and say… “we just played some hippie love fest yesterday… and thanks for THE MAN breaking my bassist arm.. Green Day won’t be playing today… Thank You” and he left. Referring to huge the mud fight that took place during their set at Woodstock.. where a security guard mistook bassist Mike Dirnt for a fan and tackled him to the ground.

but yeah,. I get what you mean.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I mean I was at Lollapalooza 1994. Headlined by George Clinton, Beastie Boys and Smashing Pumpkins. I also have a vivid memory of the crew fully setting up the stage, instruments, drum kit everything for Green Day… like 30 to 45 minutes.. for Billie Joe Armstrong to walk on stage and say… “we just played some hippie love fest yesterday… and thanks for THE MAN breaking my bassist arm.. Green Day won’t be playing today… Thank You” and he left. Referring to huge the mud fight that took place during their set at Woodstock.. where a security guard mistook bassist Mike Dirnt for a fan and tackled him to the ground.

but yeah,. I get what you mean.

Joe, I wish we lived closer…I’d like to hang out with you.

 

[Blare]

Joe, I wish we lived closer…I’d like to hang out with you.

That would be a blast! You’ll probably have to put up with lots of random anecdotes. But that’s how it goes

 

[belfastboy]

I mean I was at Lollapalooza 1994. Headlined by George Clinton, Beastie Boys and Smashing Pumpkins. I also have a vivid memory of the crew fully setting up the stage, instruments, drum kit everything for Green Day… like 30 to 45 minutes.. for Billie Joe Armstrong to walk on stage and say… “we just played some hippie love fest yesterday… and thanks for THE MAN breaking my bassist arm.. Green Day won’t be playing today… Thank You” and he left. Referring to huge the mud fight that took place during their set at Woodstock.. where a security guard mistook bassist Mike Dirnt for a fan and tackled him to the ground.

but yeah,. I get what you mean.

Green Day is playing the3 half time show at the Canadian version of the Super Bowl....our Grey Cup. When I first heard I thought....aren't they dead! But I am guessing they work cheap!

 

[Blare]

Green Day is playing the3 half time show at the Canadian version of the Super Bowl....our Grey Cup. When I first heard I thought....aren't they dead! But I am guessing they work cheap!

They had a good amount of success a few years back when they produced a Broadway musical American Idiot.

 

[belfastboy]

semi biographical?

They had a good amount of success a few years back when they produced a Broadway musical American Idiot.

 

[belfastboy]

semi biographical?

obviously I don't follow Green Day nor Broadway.

 

[Blare]

obviously I don't follow Green Day nor Broadway.

Now back to Randall’s Three R’s

 

[Randall Renshaw]

I think it must be related to the process and batch. I went through a period where Winchester was very bad for mottling and I was afraid everytime I began to pounce. But lately they have been ok. My experience with the mottling of the Nutria was worse. They even warn you not to get it wet and hit it with steam as it will flash out the dye. It is a small operation in Bolivia that he discovered on his travels. So I stopped using them as they were so delicate and finnicky. Interesting interview with him (Willie) on "Hat Makers Podcast" on YouTube. A hatmaker out of Australia interviews a hatter from around the world about once a month. A lot of them are long and boring but once in while they get interesting.

I listened to about 8 of those vids last night.
Some I skipped through, but a few of those interviewed were entertaining enough.
I found it interesting, as well. Heard several hatters say they won’t ever share their knowledge, techniques and tricks with anyone. I’m sure that’s “smart business” but comes across insecure or selfish to me.
Most everything I’ve learned in hatting was through trial and error, but also learned a lot from reading FL post and watching YT vids.
Same with guitar. Most folks learn what they know by the hunt and peck method, as did I, but these days we can go to YT videos and learn plenty.
Doesn’t mean all of us utilizing these new forms of info dumps will guarantee instant greatness.
To be really great at anything one has to take what they’ve learned and choose to apply and dedicate themselves to their craft.
Further, to be one of the few with true and/or stylistic greatness it seems to take some sort of inborn talent.
It’s my opinion that those who will be great will be great with or without help.
And those who will be mediocre, or even terrible, will be so with or without help.
Therefore, I don’t mind sharing guitar, carpentry, art, writing or hattery info with anyone.
Plus, I enjoy helping.
Life is but a vapor.

 

[Rmccamey]

Building a hat is simple. Building a great hat, however, requires extraordinary skills and craftsmanship. In tribute to Art Fawcett, he did not build great hats because we wanted him to. He built great hats because he wanted to.

I listened to about 8 of those vids last night.
Some I skipped through, but a few of those interviewed were entertaining enough.
I found it interesting, as well. Heard several hatters say they won’t ever share their knowledge, techniques and tricks with anyone. I’m sure that’s “smart business” but comes across insecure or selfish to me.
Most everything I’ve learned in hatting was through trial and error, but also learned a lot from reading FL post and watching YT vids.
Same with guitar. Most folks learn what they know by the hunt and peck method, as did I, but these days we can go to YT videos and learn plenty.
Doesn’t mean all of us utilizing these new forms of info dumps will guarantee instant greatness.
To be really great at anything one has to take what they’ve learned and choose to apply and dedicate themselves to their craft.
Further, to be one of the few with true and/or stylistic greatness it seems to take some sort of inborn talent.
It’s my opinion that those who will be great will be great with or without help.
And those who will be mediocre, or even terrible, will be so with or without help.
Therefore, I don’t mind sharing guitar, carpentry, art, writing or hattery info with anyone.
Plus, I enjoy helping.
Life is but a vapor.

 

[Randall Renshaw]

Got my new sewing machine in today!
This one works great. Sewed this gold decorative stitching on about 12 sweat bands and finished sewing the decorative stitching on the brim edge of a hat where my first machine stopped when it broke down.
Back in biz!

Hopefully this sweat band stitching of my own conjugation is appreciable enough so as to set me apart from other hatters.
Well this little thing and hopefully other things, as well.

 

[hambone71]

finished sewing the decorative stitching on the brim edge of a hat where my first machine stopped when it broke down.

Does this mean what I think it means???

 

[Randall Renshaw]

Yes, means I’ve been able to get back to building your hat AND be able to use a fresh tricked out sweatband and liner in it!

 

[hambone71]

Yes, means I’ve been able to get back to building your hat AND be able to use a fresh tricked out sweatband and liner in it!

Great news! I know it's gonna be sweet!

 

[Randall Renshaw]

Great news! I know it's gonna be sweet!

Overheard you talkin the other day and guess what? I trained at Fort Leonardwood
Back in 1986 at their Army heavy equipment school. A small Air Force detachment trained separately on all the various huge pieces of earth movers. Had a blast there.
Great memories, except Army mess halls suck!