Wolfbrae Custom Hatters

[belfastboy]

Very interesting. Creative and resourceful!

And a wee bit o laziness!

 

[belfastboy]

I guess the color of this FEPSA 95g is ebony. If you have seen or worked on a Charcoal color FEPSA 95g body, is it similar to the Charcoal from Winchester?
I am in need of a Country Gentleman hat for formal attire events (for whcih I dress in dark colors), and a 'plain black' hat does not attract me as much as Charcoal.
Thanks,
Raul

I just received a new shipment of FEPSA felts. Ebony is black but not a true 00 black. Charcoal is a very dark grey, a true charcoal I would say. Granite is a very nice dark grey....a lighter charcoal perhaps. Granite is nothing like the Winchester or Ukraine granite's chameleon like qualities but is a true dark grey. I like the FEPSA granite a lot.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

FEPSA in granite…100% beaver?

 

[chivaceae]

I just received a new shipment of FEPSA felts. Ebony is black but not a true 00 black. Charcoal is a very dark grey, a true charcoal I would say. Granite is a very nice dark grey....a lighter charcoal perhaps. Granite is nothing like the Winchester or Ukraine granite's chameleon like qualities but is a true dark grey. I like the FEPSA granite a lot.

I would love to see a side comparison photo of those FEPSA beaver bodies in Ebony Black, Charcoal and Granite. I need to make-up my mind for a second hat. I've got the bug!

Thank you,

Raul

 

[belfastboy]

FEPSA in granite…100% beaver?

Yes, it is their 95gram 100% beaver....but they have been running small so I would need to check to see if I could get a hat for out of one of them.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Yes, it is their 95gram 100% beaver....but they have been running small so I would need to check to see if I could get a hat for out of one of them.

Thanks, Robert. I’ll look forward to hearing if any of them are big enough for me.

 

[belfastboy]

Thanks, Robert. I’ll look forward to hearing if any of them are big enough for me.

I blocked that old black Borsalino for you today. At least 6" crown and 3 1/4" brim. The felt is nice with a bound brim. Blocking it LongOval you get a slightly dimensional brim but only about 1/8 difference from front/back - side/side.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I blocked that old black Borsalino for you today. At least 6" crown and 3 1/4" brim. The felt is nice with a bound brim. Blocking it LongOval you get a slightly dimensional brim but only about 1/8 difference from front/back - side/side.

Perfect! Can’t wait to see them…feels like it’s been too long since I’ve received a new Wolfbrae.

 

[belfastboy]

I ran a class on hat making this weekend. Three full days where we covered about everything. I am exhausted! The student worked on two hats, completed one and almost completed the second. Here is the one complete. Winchester beaver in a light brown, matching vintage dark brown binding and crown ribbon, vintage Japanese silk liner in a rich rust colour. I would say the student knocked it our of the park and now I want one like this!!

Bow is on the right......not so much as the maker is female but because she is left handed!

 

[chivaceae]

Robert, this hat made by your student is really good looking!

 

[belfastboy]

Robert, this hat made by your student is really good looking!

I think it is most wonderful when the student surpasses the teacher! Thank you. She will complete the second one in the next day or two. It will be fun to see how she completes it.

 

[belfastboy]

I ran a class on hat making this weekend. Three full days where we covered about everything. I am exhausted! The student worked on two hats, completed one and almost completed the second. Here is the one complete. Winchester beaver in a light brown, matching vintage dark brown binding and crown ribbon, vintage Japanese silk liner in a rich rust colour. I would say the student knocked it our of the park and now I want one like this!! View attachment 521405 Bow is on the right......not so much as the maker is female but because she is left handed!

I neglected to mention we were able to work on two hats over the 3 days as the student came up a week earlier and we blocked the hats so they were dry, set and ready to go right at the beginning Friday morning.

 

[Blare]

I ran a class on hat making this weekend. Three full days where we covered about everything. I am exhausted! The student worked on two hats, completed one and almost completed the second. Here is the one complete. Winchester beaver in a light brown, matching vintage dark brown binding and crown ribbon, vintage Japanese silk liner in a rich rust colour. I would say the student knocked it our of the park and now I want one like this!! View attachment 521405 Bow is on the right......not so much as the maker is female but because she is left handed!

That is fantastic

 

[belfastboy]

That is fantastic

She really wants to become a hat maker. We covered a ton of ground in the 3 days.....full days. Her work ethic is great. She showed up each day on time and stayed late. That impressed me and based on her work in the 3 days the lady has a future.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

She really wants to become a hat maker. We covered a ton of ground in the 3 days.....full days. Her work ethic is great. She showed up each day on time and stayed late. That impressed me and based on her work in the 3 days the lady has a future.

Does she want to make men’s hats, women’s hats, or both?

 

[belfastboy]

Does she want to make men’s hats, women’s hats, or both?

She is still finding her way. She tends toward western stylings. She has hats to make for friends and family as her first stage and we shall see what develops from there. Also, accumulating the needed equipment is an ongoing process. Lastly finding a good felt source at pricing that allows for some return on the labour is always a hurdle. It will be fun to watch her develop. On the plus side, even as a young person, she cannot abide the currently popular BoHo distressing of hats..........so she gets major props for that!

 

[Darrell2688]

I ran a class on hat making this weekend. Three full days where we covered about everything. I am exhausted! The student worked on two hats, completed one and almost completed the second. Here is the one complete. Winchester beaver in a light brown, matching vintage dark brown binding and crown ribbon, vintage Japanese silk liner in a rich rust colour. I would say the student knocked it our of the park and now I want one like this!! View attachment 521405 Bow is on the right......not so much as the maker is female but because she is left handed!

That is some really outstanding work, she has the touch that is for sure. What is the height on that crown? You are a great teacher, that shows.

 

[belfastboy]

That is some really outstanding work, she has the touch that is for sure. What is the height on that crown? You are a great teacher, that shows.

It is a full 6" on a vintage #52 block.

 

[belfastboy]

I just mailed this one out to the client. Ukraine rabbit in Granite.
2 1/2" brim, 4 1/2" crown at the pinch. Charcoal vintage grosgrain. Vintage Japanese silk liner. The Charcoal is the most popular colour I sell as it is so versatile. I could sell more in the beaver if I could get the supply of felts. But the Rabbit felt is pretty good too.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I just mailed this one out to the client. Ukraine rabbit in Granite.
2 1/2" brim, 4 1/2" crown at the pinch. Charcoal vintage grosgrain. Vintage Japanese silk liner. The Charcoal is the most popular colour I sell as it is so versatile. I could sell more in the beaver if I could get the supply of felts. But the Rabbit felt is pretty good too. View attachment 526317 View attachment 526318

Sharp hat. Love the liner.