Wolfbrae Custom Hatters

[belfastboy]

I have a weakness for the Gambler style. Love that full somewhat Boss of the Plains crown. I pulled this old Resistol western hat out of my discards bin. A decent felt worthy of a rework. Size 59cm and likely off to Ebay

 

[tamz0r]

Here is the third hat of the week from the same client. He had his Ebay purchases sent directly to me for an assessment and cleanup. This hat required very little, just a good brushing, some steam and a bit of touch up on the creasing. Client now has three fine Stetsons to add to his collection. Not a bad week's worth of hat hunting.

These are my hats! Thank you Robert for breathing new life into these vintage hats.

Just wanted everyone to know that Robert was very generous with his time and talent in not only restoring these hats, but also in describing to me how I might go about cleaning up vintage hats for myself in the future (though admittedly I doubt I could do nearly as good a job.)

cheers!

 

[belfastboy]

I shipped a hat to a very good customer. It was a "festival style" hat the client wanted to wear at a local summer Blues Fest. He sent it back to me after a while with a request for me to remake the hat, deciding the festival look was just not for him. Here are the before and after pics of the hat. I tore the hat down except for the brim binding. The crown was raised a bit but I blocked it on the same #51 block. The taper on the #51 would not get me the big boxy crown the client prefers but i softened the hard lines of the original creasing. Also the brim was flanged with a slight degree of cupping. Lastly I swapped out the shark's gill for a traditional bow work.

It has a more definite fedora vibe with the wide brim lending a slight western feel to it. First two are the original festival hat, the second two the 'new' look.

 

[belfastboy]

It has been a productive week. Here are 3 hats picked up on Friday by my best lady client.
First hat is a dark grey, Winchester rabbit, open crown just under 5", brim at 3 1/2". Brim is turned down at the front and back, flat on the sides. All 3 hats are trimmed with vintage silk blend grosgrain that was silly expensive. But I wanted to top the hats off with something special. I think it worth the expense.

Second hat is an Usst felt (Ukraine) in black rabbit. Same crown, but sports a dimensional brim 4 1/2" at the front 3 3/4" at the back.

Last is a Grade 2 Panama. Same open crown but with a massive 5" brim turned down in a bell shape all round. My version of a Holly Golightly hat.

 

[belfastboy]

An aspect of custom hatting that I absolutely love and that is the collaborative process with clients. Spent the morning working with a lady client helping her design her hats for this autumn. She supplies the ideas, while I supply the crafting knowledge of how to do, can we do it, and /or do we want to do it.
First is a Winchester 100% beaver felt with an enormouns 8" stove pipe crown, we will likely cut the brim to a stingy. Felt is unpounced and we are considering working the felt to raise the nap even more, looking for a modified 'grizzly' finish.

Second is a FEPSA 120gram rabbit felt in TerraCotta. A very orange felt. Not a colour for everyone but on my client it just popped. We pushed the crown to 6 1/2" open....should get a 2 3/4" brim. Still working on the style but likely we will leave the crown open.

For both hats, the trimming is TBD. We shall see what the felts are calling out in terms of the trimming.

 

[belfastboy]

Shipped this off a few days back. Nutria, dress weight felt, 160grams, Cobalt blue. I pounced it as thinly as I dared to soften/lighten it up.
2 1/2" brim, 4 3/4" crown at the pinch, 5" at the sides. Silver gray vintage grosgrain ribbon.

 

[belfastboy]

I had great fun this weekend running a hat making workshop for two wonderful ladies. They bring their creative ideas, they do the work, and I provide the instruction on the 'how'.
First hat is a Winchester western weight felt in black. 7 1/4" open crown, 4 1/4" brim. Brim is ironed downward around the full 360 degrees, a Holly Golightly vibe or a bell shape.
Instead of pouncing it smooth the felt was agitated with a steel tined dog brush to raise the nap......it created a mild 'grizzly' finish.

Black and burgundy layered ribbon with a double bow. That tall a crown cried out for a dramatic bow. This is a true statement hat, a head turner in the truest sense.

 

[belfastboy]

Here is the hat the second participant created. A Tonak velour rabbit felt in a jade green. A soft pink ribbon gave it a real feminine touch. 4" flat brim and an asymmetrical centre dent crown 4 3/4" at the front, no pinches. An exotic wild turkey feather to complete the look.

 

[belfastboy]

I shipped this out yesterday, headed to eastern Canada...just in time for felt weather. 100% beaver Winchester felt in a mid brown. Matching brim binding with a 2" vintage French silk blend grosgrain on the crown.
Tight pinches and hard edges....4 3/4" crown front, rising to 5 1/2" on the sides and dropping to 4 1/4" at the rear. 2 5/8" brim.
Liner is the last of my pin up graphics. Looking for graphics I can use to make my own transfers and replenish my pin up liner stock.

 

[ILB Frank]

Wolfbrae delivers another winner!
Earlier this week, I received this black nutria western weight from Robert.
He stretched and he pulled but the provided felt would only yield a 6" crown and a 4" brim (I asked him to try to get a 6.5" x 4.5" if he could). Still, it's a beautiful hat.

I dig the US Constitution liner.

The felt is soft and it took a bit of time and patience to get the crown shaped the way I wanted. I also used an 8mm bolo cord as the hatband. (I still need to work on fraying the cord ends and I'm not sure exactly what to do with the brim.)

Black is hard to photograph with good detail (plus I suck at photography.)
Crappy pics aside, this is a terrific hat created by a terrific hatter. I'll be wearing this on the job tomorrow.
Thanks Robert!

 

[belfastboy]

Wolfbrae delivers another winner!
Earlier this week, I received this black nutria western weight from Robert.
He stretched and he pulled but the provided felt would only yield a 6" crown and a 4" brim (I asked him to try to get a 6.5" x 4.5" if he could). Still, it's a beautiful hat.
View attachment 645696

I dig the US Constitution liner.
View attachment 645697

The felt is soft and it took a bit of time and patience to get the crown shaped the way I wanted. I also used an 8mm bolo cord as the hatband. (I still need to work on fraying the cord ends and I'm not sure exactly what to do with the brim.)
View attachment 645701 View attachment 645700 View attachment 645699 View attachment 645698
Black is hard to photograph with good detail (plus I suck at photography.)
Crappy pics aside, this is a terrific hat created by a terrific hatter. I'll be wearing this on the job tomorrow.
Thanks Robert!

Thank you for your kind words. It was a pleasure working with you on this hat. Enjoy!

 

[Gregory Wilde]

Good Day All. Robert has done it again.! Hit another home run out of the park.

Now that we here in Canada have had or Thanksgiving feasts I was delighted to receive my newest Wolfbrae creation......yesteday from Belfast boy in the post.

Now I am not as adventurous as some of you hat lovers (Brett comes to mind..ha ha)..I find a certain style of hat is to my taste....Some of you surprise me with your willingness to get so many styles of hats..but I respect your decisions...and realize that we all have our own tastes...viva la difference!

I had been very lucky to find our Robert on a Tri City news article in British Columbia Canada a few years ago. I had not ventured into the custom hat genre previously but I set about to obtain some of the fedoras I had seen in the movies and dreamed about getting

I have several retail off the shelf wool fedoras in greys and browns that have a forties look to them.. but I was looking for specific styles of hats..namely a tall boy 1930's ..not unlike you see Harriison Ford wearing in the Indy films..(but without the floppy brim.)..more a George Raft thirties tall boy hat. That was my first bespoke that I collaborated with Robert on.... It was beaver...5.5 inch C crown height ..2 inch vintage grosgrain ribbon..2 7/8 inch brim width. He was so patient and so helpful when it comes to creating the special hat that I had envisioned. The result was incredible and spot on to the image I had in my head...I was taken aback with his accuracy and his amazing craftmanship...real quality. So I decided to carry on.... and dream hat number two from our Robert was a copy of the Casablanca film Bogart hat..Again I was even more impressed with his work.. The 3rd hat starting this year was a festival hat for our annual Blues and Jazz celebration in my town in June... Unfortunately it was entirely my fault but I led Robert astray...requesting quite a low brim in a gold color beaver (not my usual conservative colors but nice for festivals) When I got the hat...I found that the brim was too low for me. Realizing my error.. I sent it back and Robert accepted that I had made a foolilsh mistake and he completely rebuilt that hat for me.....It came back with the taller brim and voila I was pleased again. This one had a matching black ribbon band and binding....a real festival country...mmm...almost a cowboy look..I have been getting a lot of wear out of it...It does not have the tight pinch crease in front like the Bogart and the tall boy as it's a different style for me not my urban gangster look.

I plan on getting another country type rancher fedora at some point as well..They are nice changups for different activities I find. Now what I thought might be my last custom hat...(I had read in the pages of the lounge that the Bogart was not grey and that to make it appear crisper in the black and white films...it was actually brown someone said. I have no idea if that is true or not but some say Warner Brothers says it is brown.) Well I realized I just had to have another Bogart made in a light brown...Robert had the just the right brown beaver for me ..again of course my usual 2 inch ribbon this one black..and a neutral binding..This Bogart has a slightly higher crown and profile and I find I like it even more than the first Wolfbrae.

Please take a look at all four of Roberts creations for me...Slugger Robert knocked all four of them out of the park...My friends and Robert himself...all know me more than I know myself....This will not be the last custom....His hats are so well made.. A warning to you all...Watch out I have found that one can get addicted to them as I surely must be..ha ha ha..

I don't always put likes on posts but I want you all the contributors in the lounge to know that I really enjoy reading about hats just like all of us hat lovers...

Cheers all!

 

[belfastboy]

Here are two hats picked up this morning by my client. Pork Pies, I think this is the 7th & 8th I have made this year....strange as that is double the number I have made in total.
Left: An Usst Burnished Copper 120gr rabbit felt. 2" brim and a 4 1/4" crown all around. Completed with a burgundy vintage grosgrain ribbon.
Right: a Tonak heathered felt in a light Sand colour. Slightly lower crown and narrower brim by about 1/8". Completed with a matching ribbon a few

shades darker for contrast.

 

[The Shoe]

Here are two hats picked up this morning by my client. Pork Pies, I think this is the 7th & 8th I have made this year....strange as that is double the number I have made in total.
Left: An Usst Burnished Copper 120gr rabbit felt. 2" brim and a 4 1/4" crown all around. Completed with a burgundy vintage grosgrain ribbon.
Right: a Tonak heathered felt in a light Sand colour. Slightly lower crown and narrower brim by about 1/8". Completed with a matching ribbon a few View attachment 657132 View attachment 657133 shades darker for contrast.

I’m not surprised your Pork Pies are so popular. I seriously considered getting you to make one for me after seeing the one you made for @Steve1857. I believe that one was also a Tonak felt, but with a bit wider brim. It was a great advertisement for your hats in general, and your Pork Pies in particular.

 

[belfastboy]

I’m not surprised your Pork Pies are so popular. I seriously considered getting you to make one for me after seeing the one you made for @Steve1857. I believe that one was also a Tonak felt, but with a bit wider brim. It was a great advertisement for your hats in general, and your Pork Pies in particular.

Thank you. It is weird....I am drawn to the pork pie style BUT tome it is the only style that does not look good on my head. They always look toooo small and even if they fit perfectly look like a too small hat perched atop my head. So I have to make them for others and live vicariously through them!!

 

[Rmccamey]

I agree Gary. That copper is to die for and I've been itching for another pork pie myself.

Gannon Triple Deuce

Here are two hats picked up this morning by my client. Pork Pies, I think this is the 7th & 8th I have made this year....strange as that is double the number I have made in total.
Left: An Usst Burnished Copper 120gr rabbit felt. 2" brim and a 4 1/4" crown all around. Completed with a burgundy vintage grosgrain ribbon.
Right: a Tonak heathered felt in a light Sand colour. Slightly lower crown and narrower brim by about 1/8". Completed with a matching ribbon a few View attachment 657132 View attachment 657133 shades darker for contrast.

I’m not surprised your Pork Pies are so popular. I seriously considered getting you to make one for me after seeing the one you made for @Steve1857. I believe that one was also a Tonak felt, but with a bit wider brim. It was a great advertisement for your hats in general, and your Pork Pies in particular.

 

[The Shoe]

Thank you. It is weird....I am drawn to the pork pie style BUT tome it is the only style that does not look good on my head. They always look toooo small and even if they fit perfectly look like a too small hat perched atop my head. So I have to make them for others and live vicariously through them!!

I've only ever owned one, and that was at the start of my hat journey. It was a cheap Bailey Litefelt wool hat, and once I got myself a couple of decent hats, I came to the conclusion that it looked terrible on me. It wasn't until I saw a Steve's one that I ever really considered another. Do you recall how wide the brim was? If not, I'm sure Steve will chime in?

 

[belfastboy]

I've only ever owned one, and that was at the start of my hat journey. It was a cheap Bailey Litefelt wool hat, and once I got myself a couple of decent hats, I came to the conclusion that it looked terrible on me. It wasn't until I saw a Steve's one that I ever really considered another. Do you recall how wide the brim was? If not, I'm sure Steve will chime in?

If my memory serves me Steve's is a 2" brim. I try to steer my clients towards that marker. Some want a narrower brim but I think it it too narrow. The Copper felt is for a guy that is 6' tall and I boosted the brim to about 2 1/8" with a medium cupping on the brim so it was the full 2" after the flanging.

 

[Steve1857]

I’m not surprised your Pork Pies are so popular. I seriously considered getting you to make one for me after seeing the one you made for @Steve1857. I believe that one was also a Tonak felt, but with a bit wider brim. It was a great advertisement for your hats in general, and your Pork Pies in particular.

I've only ever owned one, and that was at the start of my hat journey. It was a cheap Bailey Litefelt wool hat, and once I got myself a couple of decent hats, I came to the conclusion that it looked terrible on me. It wasn't until I saw a Steve's one that I ever really considered another. Do you recall how wide the brim was? If not, I'm sure Steve will chime in?

If my memory serves me Steve's is a 2" brim. I try to steer my clients towards that marker. Some want a narrower brim but I think it it too narrow. The Copper felt is for a guy that is 6' tall and I boosted the brim to about 2 1/8" with a medium cupping on the brim so it was the full 2" after the flanging.

I'm so happy to hear I've "inspired" you to delve further into the joys of the Pork Pie hat, Gary

Robert is correct when he says the one he created for me has a 2" brim. The crown height is 4".

I have several Pork Pies with different brim widths and crown heights.

Robert's Tonak heather felt is one of my favourites and my first custom made hat. He was a joy to work with and always gave helpful and expert advice.

I love the look of the burnished copper felt and burgundy ribbon, Robert.