Shelby's Fine Fedoras...

[gtdean48]

I posted the work in progress photo earlier this week but wanted to follow up with the details...
This is a custom made hat by Jack Walls, jwalls. It is from his select stock of aged felt blanks that he procured from a hatter that went out of business. The felt was 6 to 8 years old in 2008 when Jack got them & he has applied his personal technique to further enhance the aged effect.
This one is a beaver/rabbit blend in a dress weight that has a hand just like the beaver felt out of Winchester Hat Factory of another custom.
Jack flanged it on his vintage 1941 Stratoliner flange.
Lovely liner with a nose art type, delightful image.
Very nice reeded sweatband with my name embossed.
Sorry but had to use the phone, camera batteries are dead.
Color: Silver Belly
Crown: 6"
Brim: 2 5/8" bound with 5/8" ribbon
Ribbin: 5/8" Antique Silver Belly color
Out of the box:

The guts:

Close up of liner image:

 

[gtdean48]

Now for the creasing...

I did a quick dry hand shaping...
Front:

Side:

Noggin shot:

 

[RBH]

Very very nice Tom.

 

[handlebar bart]

That looks great.:eusa_clap

 

[CRH]

Man, I could sure make some saucy comments about having that liner around your nog - but I won't. :eusa_doh:

Love the lid!

 

[buler]

Great hat Tom! Nicely done jwalls. Would like to see a picture of this Strat flange. Is it marked like mine?

B

 

[hasselhoff]

Nice hat, and awsome lining!

 

[Duper]

Sweet!:eusa_clap And I really like the liner.

 

[Dewhurst]

Wow. Great liner image to boot.

 

[jwalls]

Tom,
I really like the crease you put in your hat. I've been waiting to see it since you wanted it shipped open crown. well done.

 

[Razzman]

Fantastic Hat! :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap Great liner too!

 

[gtdean48]

Tom,
I really like the crease you put in your hat. I've been waiting to see it since you wanted it shipped open crown. well done.

Thanks but that is just a quick dry creasing. I'll get the steamer out & do it right shortly. Photos to come.

Jack, can you give any details on the very nice sweatband?

 

[jwalls]

The sweatband is roan leather (sheepskin). Since I've used this type in my personal hats and the only one that I have ever replaced was twenty years old, I only use this chocolate brown 2" sweatband.

 

[Spats McGee]

gtdean, this is one fine-looking lid!

. . . .
Out of the box:

In fact, this may be my favorite liner ever!

Close up of liner image:

Well done, jwalls! :eusa_clap

 

[Richard Warren]

Lovely.

If I understand right, the flange is what gives the brim the curl. It also seems to me that modern hats have a lot more curl than many hats used to have. For example the pictured hat seems to be relatively flat in the brim. Would a vintage flange produce a flatter brim?

 

[jwalls]

Thanks, Spats. Richard, the flange does indeed create the brim profile. there are many different styles of flanges from almost flat, to the jam flange which has a pronounced cup.

 

[mayserwegener]

It depends on the type / style hat. For example Homburgs had mucho brim curl and they were extremely popular back in the day. To me the most amazing brim and binding work is on vintage Homburgs (Toppers and Bowlers are similar but not soft felts. ).

 

[jimmy the lid]

That lid looks great on you, Deputy. Well done! :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[Richard Warren]

Thanks, Spats. Richard, the flange does indeed create the brim profile. there are many different styles of flanges from almost flat, to the jam flange which has a pronounced cup.

Thanks. All my fedora style hats (which are all relatively modern) have too much curl for my taste. Can they be re-flanged (or maybe deflanged)?

Is there a reason for the ubiquitous curl?

 

[jwalls]

Thanks. All my fedora style hats (which are all relatively modern) have too much curl for my taste. Can they be re-flanged (or maybe deflanged)?

Is there a reason for the ubiquitous curl?

Richard,
The brim of any hat can be re-flanged, the problem is in finding the proper size and type of flange. Over the years I have acquired a large number of flanges, but my collection is far from complete. Flanges are sized by hat size and brim width.