I have looked and cant find

[mikieson]

Really interested in how fedoras are made from the material, to cutting it, to molding it..start to finish. I cant seem to find a good complete video anywhere. Ive searched Google and youtube for hours and only found a couple..and neither show the material cutting or prep.

Thanks for any help INDY fans..

[jnicktem]

You probably won't find a complete video. Many custom hat makers are secretive when it comes to making hats. They don't want their tricks to escape and get used by another hatter. But a good thread to look at is this one by Adventurebilt's very own Marc Kitter:

indylounge.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=fedora&action=display&thread=330

[bendingoak]

Remember these are broad strokes.

[mikieson]

I can understand I guess, but there are billions of people out there and you would figure someone would have some good videos..lol

AND by broad strokes.."gigidy"..what you talking about?

ALSO I have an official indy hat I bought in the mall this summer. Its one ive looked at online a 100x. BUT it has the bowl crown. OR what ever its called. Can I reshape it if I steam it? AND can I steam it on the stove over water somehow? Its a really nice hat and my 1st real hat. BUT would like the top to be more original.

Thanks guys..

[bendingoak]

Broad strokes as in there are many more detailed steps.

[mikieson]

so you know if any "secret" video where I can see it done start to finish? I have always been interested in how things are made..

[jnicktem]

Nope... I know of no such video. Although in answer to your questions about your "official" hat... you could do much better. It's not very SA. Although all that matters is if you're happy with it. That's what's really important.

[mikieson]

Jul 26, 2011 20:37:08 GMT -5 jnicktem said:

Nope... I know of no such video. Although in answer to your questions about your "official" hat... you could do much better. It's not very SA. Although all that matters is if you're happy with it. That's what's really important.

yea the hat is fine..Im just a "do it yourself" kind of a guy. Always have been.

You know those DDR arcade games you see? Where you dance on the arrows?...I build those and have never played on anything bought or premade..I build everything..OF course I did construction for 14 years and when I was a kid I always tinkered around and did things..building ramps,club houses,taking my bikes apart and rebuilding..SO..its just a fascination of mine..

[mikieson]

trying to shape my hat today..just placed a couple balled up towels inside..then some heavy cereal bowls to weight it down..held it over some boiling water..and now have it setting upright on a big jug with balled up towels in it..keeping it "rounded"..

NOW to let it sit and dry..YEA..I DO THINGS crazy sometimes, but hey it was only 65$ and I will buy a better one if this messes up..

[wheresabner71]

Something that is worth noting is that these guys are craftsmen in an extremely rarified trade: the making of Golden Era-quality felt fedoras. By comparison, I wouldn't expect much if you popped onto Youtube and put "how to make a Stradivarius-level quaility violin" either. At this level, hat making is very much an artists trade and the guys that are serious about it do it for the love of these hats and the love of creating them. Having said that, it is also a business and because of that and the pride taken in their work, trade secrets are and should be closely guarded.

I've never tried to make a hat myself, but I imagine it begins with a very long period of trail and error, learning from mistakes, etc. I certainly cannot speak for blokes like John, Steve and Marc but those are my impressions.

Cheers!

[mikieson]

Jul 27, 2011 12:15:02 GMT -5 wheresabner71 said:

Something that is worth noting is that these guys are craftsmen in an extremely rarified trade: the making of Golden Era-quality felt fedoras. By comparison, I wouldn't expect much if you popped onto Youtube and put "how to make a Stradivarius-level quaility violin" either. At this level, hat making is very much an artists trade and the guys that are serious about it do it for the love of these hats and the love of creating them. Having said that, it is also a business and because of that and the pride taken in their work, trade secrets are and should be closely guarded.

I've never tried to make a hat myself, but I imagine it begins with a very long period of trail and error, learning from mistakes, etc. I certainly cannot speak for blokes like John, Steve and Marc but those are my impressions.

Cheers!

I understand where you are coming from. BUT shouldnt a trade like this be available for all to see so we can carry on the tradition? Like I stated, im a very big DIY kind of guy. How else do we learn to do this art if we arent able to view it? Probably too expensive for trial and error..or maybe not?

Again, not a huge deal as these hats cost little to nothing online. I kind of screwed mine up a little messing with it. BUT I will buy another one thats more authentic later anyways. AND im sure that most hats are machine made now days. Just like everything else. AND im sure from China..;D

[bendingoak]

I'm trying to write this as not to come off like a jerk. Most of the very few true handmade/custom hatters that are left aren't going to share their trade secrets because you are just going to create a competitor. That's not real smart is it. The other thing is most of the real good ones just didn't take what they were taught by another, they did a lot of experimenting (trail and error) to really test what was taught to the. Or at least that was my way. I spent a lot of time and Monet doing this. Why should I give it away and make another hatter?...

John

[mikieson]

Jul 27, 2011 15:16:49 GMT -5 bendingoak said:

I'm trying to write this as not to come off like a jerk. Most of the very few true handmade/custom hatters that are left aren't going to share their trade secrets because you are just going to create a competitor. That's not real smart is it. The other thing is most of the real good ones just didn't take what they were taught by another, they did a lot of experimenting (trail and error) to really test what was taught to the. Or at least that was my way. I spent a lot of time and Monet doing this. Why should I give it away and make another hatter?...

John

So the art lives on. I honestly think thats why people have apprentices? I could be wrong?
And there is no need to "come off as a jerk" I mean we're all here for the same reasons I think? WE love Indy and the clothes ,style,ect and want to either buy them or try and make them?
Its just my opinion on the subject.

[jnicktem]

But the art DOES live on. If you want to be a true hatter and have the money to do so then go for it. The resources are out there. You will need to use trial and error, just like John did, just like Steve Delk did, and just like Marc Kitter did. They are started making hats through trial and error. They went out and bought every book they could find about making hats. They went out and talked to every hatter who would talk to them.

[mikieson]

Been eyeballing this hat for a while..What you all think? Decent price and the look seems to be pretty spot on.
www.toddscostumes.com/product/353310/Coyles-Downtowner-Fedora/

[Pennsylvania Jones]

The ribbon color is the only thing that looks wrong with the Todd's. That and the stiffness of the felt.

Steven

[mikieson]

Jul 27, 2011 23:30:45 GMT -5 Pennsylvania Jones said:

The ribbon color is the only thing that looks wrong with the Todd's. That and the stiffness of the felt.

Steven

I want the top part to be stiff so that will be good..BUT the brim I want less stiff..Im sure I can mess with it enough to loosen it up right??

[patchcamel]

Jul 27, 2011 23:37:07 GMT -5 mikieson said:

Jul 27, 2011 23:30:45 GMT -5 Pennsylvania Jones said:

The ribbon color is the only thing that looks wrong with the Todd's. That and the stiffness of the felt.

Steven

I want the top part to be stiff so that will be good..BUT the brim I want less stiff..Im sure I can mess with it enough to loosen it up right??

Yes, the brim will loosen up after you work it a bit, I would just sit and watch tv and curl it a bit a few times the first week I had it and it is much more pliable.

[mikieson]

Jul 27, 2011 23:39:05 GMT -5 patchcamel said:

I want the top part to be stiff so that will be good..BUT the brim I want less stiff..Im sure I can mess with it enough to loosen it up right??[/quote]

Yes, the brim will loosen up after you work it a bit, I would just sit and watch tv and curl it a bit a few times the first week I had it and it is much more pliable.[/quote]
awesome..I bought an "official Indy" hat this past summer. Its one that most here wouldnt like. IT was stiff at first "gigidy"..but now its lots more lose..I like the hat its just that the top is not made like a real Indy hat..its more of the bowl kind or whatever thats called.

[bendingoak]

Jul 27, 2011 16:37:43 GMT -5 mikieson said:

Jul 27, 2011 15:16:49 GMT -5 bendingoak said:

I'm trying to write this as not to come off like a jerk. Most of the very few true handmade/custom hatters that are left aren't going to share their trade secrets because you are just going to create a competitor. That's not real smart is it. The other thing is most of the real good ones just didn't take what they were taught by another, they did a lot of experimenting (trail and error) to really test what was taught to the. Or at least that was my way. I spent a lot of time and Monet doing this. Why should I give it away and make another hatter?...

John

So the art lives on. I honestly think thats why people have apprentices? I could be wrong?
And there is no need to "come off as a jerk" I mean we're all here for the same reasons I think? WE love Indy and the clothes ,style,ect and want to either buy them or try and make them?
Its just my opinion on the subject. [/


I said I don't want to come off like a jerk. Take a step back for a moment and please try to understand what I was trying to get across.

There are no classes to learn this stuff. It is normally handed down generation to generation. I was lucky that I had two people who handed down their secrets and I put a lot of trail and error into it. You must do both. I doubt very much they would have put time into me if they didn't see that I had did a lot of the work on my own.

Maybe near the end of my hat making days I will Look for an apprentice but I'm not ready for that.

I doubt very much you will find a hatter that you can just drop a line and ask him for the knowledge that took years to get.

[jnicktem]

Jul 28, 2011 14:18:34 GMT -5 bendingoak said:

Maybe near the end of my hat making days I will Look for an apprentice but I'm not ready for that.

*Raises hand*

[mikieson]

Jul 28, 2011 14:18:34 GMT -5 bendingoak said:

Jul 27, 2011 16:37:43 GMT -5 mikieson said:

Jul 27, 2011 15:16:49 GMT -5 bendingoak said:

I'm trying to write this as not to come off like a jerk. Most of the very few true handmade/custom hatters that are left aren't going to share their trade secrets because you are just going to create a competitor. That's not real smart is it. The other thing is most of the real good ones just didn't take what they were taught by another, they did a lot of experimenting (trail and error) to really test what was taught to the. Or at least that was my way. I spent a lot of time and Monet doing this. Why should I give it away and make another hatter?...

John

So the art lives on. I honestly think thats why people have apprentices? I could be wrong?
And there is no need to "come off as a jerk" I mean we're all here for the same reasons I think? WE love Indy and the clothes ,style,ect and want to either buy them or try and make them?
Its just my opinion on the subject. [/


I said I don't want to come off like a jerk. Take a step back for a moment and please try to understand what I was trying to get across.

There are no classes to learn this stuff. It is normally handed down generation to generation. I was lucky that I had two people who handed down their secrets and I put a lot of trail and error into it. You must do both. I doubt very much they would have put time into me if they didn't see that I had did a lot of the work on my own.

Maybe near the end of my hat making days I will Look for an apprentice but I'm not ready for that.

I doubt very much you will find a hatter that you can just drop a line and ask him for the knowledge that took years to get.

I get ya man..dont mean to come off the wrong way. I know some people are sensitive about some things. I work on PCs and have other things im knowledgeable about..Built homes for 14 years..AND sometimes you have someone ask "how is this done"..and you tend to not want to help them because that is taking money and food away from you. Although I dont make a lot of money messing with PCs its still information you want to keep to yourself..

Please dont take this thread as any disrespect to you or any other person here..I just love this "dress" and love diy projects..

[bendingoak]

In a nut shell. Would you invest time and knowledge that took you some $$$$$$$$ and a heck of a lot of hard earned time to learn to anyone who came up and asked? No, it would be a waste of time. How would you know that person was going to put a effort into it. Most people don't have it in them. You have to be a bit nuts. Or should that be mad?

[mikieson]

Jul 28, 2011 19:20:29 GMT -5 bendingoak said:

In a nut shell. Would you invest time and knowledge that took you some $$$$$$$$ and a heck of a lot of hard earned time to learn to anyone who came up and asked? No, it would be a waste of time. How would you know that person was going to put a effort into it. Most people don't have it in them. You have to be a bit nuts. Or should that be mad?

LOL...well im a little both....Would be nice to see some of your work. Have any pics to share? I know im late in the game here. IM sure most of you have been here 20 years..But would be nice to get acquainted with you guys/gals..

have any questions for me...just ask. I dont hide anything good or bad cause you never know who you might can help with what youve been through..

[jnicktem]

www.penmanhats.com/

John's website. His hats are ABOVE top notch!