Hatshapers blocks! Any good?

The real Henry · Nov 20, 2006

I know about the blocks that are sold on hatshapers.com and considered to buy one as I wanted to try my hands on hatmaking for a long time. I asked Marc Kitter who always helped me with plans what he thinks about these block and he said that you will never get as good results with them as if you would with wooden blocks. So can hatmakers here agree to that or would hatmaking still be possible with one of those blocks?

I need be sure about this, because I live in Germany and the shipping cost will be pretty high!

Regards,
Henrik

feltfan · Nov 20, 2006

The domain hatshaper.com appears to be invalid?

The real Henry · Nov 20, 2006

Sorry, just changed it!

Mark G · Nov 20, 2006

I looked into this as well, and I believe you should go with wood. You can't use an iron on the plastic and working the transition from crown to brim would be tough. I turned my own on a lathe, but I feel any competent local woodworker could do the same thing for a modest cost.

GA Wildlifer · Nov 22, 2006

Hatshapers look interesting to me too

If you search this forum, you will find some other opinions. One of the hatters, even, uses them for light work. I want to get one in open crown and one in fedora shape. Let us know how it turns out if you get one.

Robert

SHARPETOYS · Nov 22, 2006

I have one and its great for my needs...

Rick Blaine · Nov 22, 2006

I have one...

for sale or trade.

It is the straight sided dome (with the added brim/base thingie), it measures 23 1/4" in circumference. Unfortunately I got one that was too big for my needs,:eusa_doh: but I would absolutely buy one again... this time I would measure more carefully, however.

GA Wildlifer · Nov 23, 2006

Hey Sharpey

I have been waiting to find someone to ask about hat shapers. What make hat does your block resemble? Do you remove the sweat or leave it in? What size did you get relative to your hat size?

Thanks for your help.

Robert

GentlemanFarmer · Nov 23, 2006

I think I'm going have to get one for keeping my ORs in shape. I have a wooden brim ring (obtained from Duane) and purchased a wooden base that the ring fits on from that on-line auction place. I'd like to get a wooden block in an Alpine shape for my ORs, but it's rare to see a crown block in that shape and in the size I need. I may just have to bite the bullet and go with space-age plastic.

Bud-n-Texas · Nov 24, 2006

Rick Blaine said:
for sale or trade.

It is the straight sided dome (with the added brim/base thingie), it measures 23 1/4" in circumference. Unfortunately I got one that was too big for my needs,:eusa_doh: but I would absolutely buy one again... this time I would measure more carefully, however.

Rick, what size was the one you have sold as, and what size do you wear? Depending on the hat I wear a 7 1/4 or a 7 3/8 or somewhere in between. When using a measuring tape, it is 23 1/4

SHARPETOYS · Dec 7, 2006

Just say this

GA Wildlifer said:
I have been waiting to find someone to ask about hat shapers. What make hat does your block resemble? Do you remove the sweat or leave it in? What size did you get relative to your hat size?

Thanks for your help.

Robert

I live the band in... Straight Sided Dome get it smaller than your head /hat size so your hat will fit over it.

http://www.hatshapers.com/Product Pages/Straight_Sided_Dome.htm

Robert Weber has the Fedora block and likes it.

Rick Blaine · Dec 7, 2006

Hey Bud

Bud-n-Texas said:
Rick, what size was the one you have sold as, and what size do you wear? Depending on the hat I wear a 7 1/4 or a 7 3/8 or somewhere in between. When using a measuring tape, it is 23 1/4

...sorry I missed this question earlier. In fact, to compound my idiocy, I specifically ordered that size & paid extra for a 'special order' custom size. I wear a size 7 3/8 - 7 1/2 depending. I should've bought one at exactly 23", oh well, live & learn, eh?

deadpandiva · Feb 1, 2008

I am glad I found this post. I have been looking at the hat shapers for a while. I don't suppose anyone knows how well they work for women's hats. I guess there shouldn't be much of a difference.

Fletch · Feb 1, 2008

Mark G said:
You can't use an iron on the plastic

Are you limited to the teakettle or clothes steamer, then?

HamletJSD · Feb 1, 2008

SHARPETOYS said:
I live the band in... Straight Sided Dome get it smaller than your head /hat size so your hat will fit over it. ....

Since the thread was bumped, I'll ask:
How much smaller? I was assuming that getting one the exact size of your head would be the right way to go? I mean, the hat fits over my head now? Why not have one the same size as my head?

I'm curious because they don't have my exact size ... I e-mailed them to see what they recommend (for instance, maybe buying a smaller one and building it up with somthing if I need to), but they haven't responded yet.

Stoney · Feb 1, 2008

Pay spedcial attention to block size

It may just be me and my small,oddly shaped head, but I swear you need a block that is one size smaller than the size hat that you wear, if you are going to reblock your hats with the sweatband still in place. Using the same size as you wear will actually stretch the sweatband out to one size larger. I think this is due to blocks being made to size hats before a sweatband is sewn in place.

Anyway, this is what works for me I wear a 6 7/8 and use a 6 3/4 block.

J.T.Marcus · Feb 1, 2008

I've noticed that wooden blocks, and my adjustable aluminum block, are all sized for blocking without the sweatband.

carldelo · Feb 5, 2008

Aluminum block shape?

J.T.Marcus said:
I've noticed that wooden blocks, and my adjustable aluminum block, are all sized for blocking without the sweatband.

Can I ask where you got an adjustable aluminum block? That sounds very interesting - is it an open crown / dome shape? I've stretched a hatband out on an old hat of mine - now I think I need a block to un-taper the crown and basically make it look right.

Ande1964 · Feb 14, 2008

For what it's worth, I asked the Hat Shaper folks about buying one to help me reshape vintage hats, and this is the reply I got back:

We love selling our Hat Shapers but our past experience tells us that re-shaping vintage hats is not one of the things they are well suited for. Our shapes and sizes are not standardized and are better suited as resist forms for crafters who want to hand felt loose wool.

Nice of them to be straight with me.

Anj

Fletch · Feb 14, 2008

Stands to reason.
Handfelters are craftspeople, i.e., a market.
Blocking is not a craft, but a trade skill.

Hatshapers blocks! Any good?

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