Whip-stitched sweat bands

[jpdesign]

I saw this on ebay(auction is now closed) and called singer to check it out. All they could tell me at the time was that it had something to do with sewing hats.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...MEWN:IT&viewitem=&item=110110114980&rd=1&rd=1

Since the listing said it was for sewing sweatbands and I had never seen anything that looked like it I decided to take a chance.

In looking the machine over it seems to be intact, and whats more, seems to be a whip-stitch machine for sweat bands.

For those who don't know, a whip-stitched sweat band is where the leather is stitched straight to the Felt, with no reed, like in many Borsalinos.

I am going to slowly start cleaning this machine and then take it to a place in Fort Worth that repairs them. I hope to have it up and running by this fall.

Jimmy

Edit: I just found more info here
http://www.industrialsewmachine.com/webdoc1/used/used-brochures/46-100.htm

 

[Joel Tunnah]

sweet!

I haven't seen a sweatband attached this way before. Is the backside of the leather raw, or coated with something?

 

[Jerekson]

Nice find, Jimmy.

 

[Dinerman]

Cool. Would you be able to do repairs on existing sweatbands with this do you think?

 

[DOUGLAS]

Wow, thats a great score!! Will you experiment with it?

 

[Duck]

Very nice score, Jimmy. I have a weakness for the old Singer sewing machines.

 

[jpdesign]

I too have a weakness for the old machines, aside from this one I have a 108 for my bound edges, an a 29k60 long arm machine for leather patching(which is still tredle operated).

I hope to get it cleaned up and running to use on my beaver fedoras.

If I get it running well I dont see why I cant do repairs, I will certainly be willing to try once I get used to using the machine.

Jimmy

 

[ideaguy]

And i just saw a Borsalino listed on ebay that had a whip-stitched band; thought it looked suspect, and stayed away from bidding. Nice hat too...
great score-Singer's are so collectable-an old antiques friend of mine who
normally dealt in good late 19thc furniture used to scour New England's auctions
for the small, hand held machines. When he'd get one, he was one happy guy-evidently they were worth quite a bit, and that was 15yrs ago...

 

[DOUGLAS]

The prospect of repairs to hats with no reeding is fantastic!! I have many that are in need of this type of repair.

 

[Dinerman]

same.

 

[Orgetorix]

What is reeding? Something in between the felt and the sweatband?

 

[scotrace]

So those Borsalinos with the sweat stitching that cannot be reproduced therefore you cannot remove the sweat for cleaning - this would possibly address that problem?

Let's see, I have a good pic somewhere....

Ah -here we go:
(the bottom photo shows the breathing room Borsalinos allow at the front - amazing craftsmanship)

If you are able to do this stuff, JP, you'l not want for friends.

 

[DOUGLAS]

I wonder if this machine is also used for brim stitching like this

 

[DanielJones]

Cool! That is a sweet score!:eusa_clap
I would love to learn how to use one of those, that would be a most useful devise and talent. The more we learn the more we grow. I must keep an eye out for one of these.

Cheers!

Dan

 

[Joel Tunnah]

I was just going to suggest that Douglas, and there's also a picture Marc took showing the whip-stitching on a 20's Stetson brim that looks very close to that Borsalino sweatband stitch.