Recent content by Bertie.Wooster

That has really convinced me! Thank you so much! I appreciate your brave and encouraging words. Thanks to the others as well. The Regency Gentlemen does make me feel a bit better. ;)

Herbert Johnson Hatters have a military branch, soft hats branch and a formal hats branch. They are very helpful and I have a quick chat with them regarding a possible restoration of my bowler hat. I chatted to them over instagram and very understanding. The Formal Hat branch is now headed by...

Hello all, I am here to seek the wiser advice from the kind members of this excellent forum. I currently go to a boarding school and during weekends, we are allowed to wear home clothes (not school uniform, yay). I really really like hats and people know me as the 'hat guy' at school. I want...

Yes! Binx is quite the cat! Do email or give them a call. I think Tom comes out on a Thursday and Tuesday. I could be wrong but he is very nice and understanding. Lock & Co. can quote a fortune. I got 60 pound quote from Lock and finished with Bates with a 40 pounds quote.

Sorry to revive an old thread but I got my boater hat repaired at Bates. They put on a brand new sweatband on my hat and it was very well done and the leather sweatband was of high quality. Although, communication with the manager was hard and it took a very long time but at the end, I was in no...

Sounds good to me!

Thank you for all the replies. Yes, I think I might stick to vintage. I prefer the old craftsmanship and the hat industry was in its golden age back then... That is a very handsome Stetson but I am going wait for a better deal (I know..) I am trying to buy a nice Trilby as well so keeping the...

Hi folks, I think most of the folks here know me for my interest for boater hats but some time ago I discovered a new-found interest for brown trilbies and black bowler hats. I've always admired the 'city gent' that ceased to be in the 1980s in England. It was a stereotypical outlook of the...

When I was blocking my straw hat with a wooden hatblock and steam iron. It came out alright but compared to a straw hat blocked at a factory using a blocking press has crisper edges and I really want that on my blocked hats. Are there ways to get crispier and defined edges of the hats when...

Question here. For the zig zag stitch used to stitch the leather sweatband (not to the hat but you know the part where I mean) do I need some special sewing machine or should a regular household machine be able to stitch a zig zag into leather?

Sorry for reviving an old thread! George, does the Anita B do straight stitches as well? I might have an opportunity to get one myself. I currently have a Dresdenia B. What machine do you prefer using?

Any brand or model recommendations?

I am thinking of purchasing a new iron. Should I purchase a steam or a dry iron? I am buying one only for hatmaking. I already have a jiffy-style steamer.

Thanks, humanshoes. It's just a simple a boater hat with a flat top. Can I use a damp cloth and a dry iron?

I cannot afford a hat blocking machine for my proposed straw hat production. How would I block a hat using a wooden hat block and a steam iron? I have heard milliners/hatters doing this method but I cannot seem to find much info on how to do so?