wiring mens hat brims

jimmytbk · Jun 30, 2016

hi guys just made my first hat and have cut the brim using my brand new rounding jack and have come to wiring the brim.i can't find any info online about it so can anyone help?

should i stich the wire to the brim first then line it or line the wire with the felt the stich it to the hat brim?

moehawk · Jun 30, 2016

In my limited experience, the only men's hats I have seen with wired brims were cheap straw Westerns.
Wired brim hats I have seen otherwise were women's hats. I'd personally just leave it raw edge or bind it in grosgrain ribbon.
Just my 2 cents.

LuvMyMan · Jun 30, 2016

moehawk said:
In my limited experience, the only men's hats I have seen with wired brims were cheap straw Westerns.
Wired brim hats I have seen otherwise were women's hats. I'd personally just leave it raw edge or bind it in grosgrain ribbon.
Just my 2 cents.

Contact Esther Weiss she is a hatter here on the Lounge and you need to know some things from her on this topic!

Bob Roberts · Jun 30, 2016

Yes Esther. She wired mine...

Brad Bowers · Jun 30, 2016

Men's brims need not and should not be wired at all, unless it's a vintage Derby. All they need are a proper flange.

EstherWeis · Jun 30, 2016

I like to wire my brims.
Is it because I'm a trained woman's hatter...

I have seen one too many wonky brims and I get a lot of questions to wire them just so that they keep their shape.
Especially commercial made ones.

I personally like the way it looks, and it really gives nice support and strength.

Most of my customers ask for them as well...

Lean'n'mean · Jun 30, 2016

Is this an unshellaked hat body you've used Jimmy ?

TheDane · Jun 30, 2016

Sometime around the late 60s there was a periode where you could buy gents' trousers with sewn "pressing" creases. They looked very sewn ... not pressed/ironed. While serving I ironed fishing line into the creases of my uniform trousers to shut up my officers. At first brief glimpse both may seem okay, but none of the methods leave a good impression with closer inspection.

I personally don't like stamped creases and wired brims on fedoras. I prefer the organic look of the 30s - 50s. Not least I love the old featherweights with their "borderline autonomous" brims and a "casual" crease.

And as Brad points out: With a well flanged fedora brim, there is no reason for a wire

jimmytbk · Jun 30, 2016

Lean'n'mean said:
Is this an unshellaked hat body you've used Jimmy ?

I bought a capeline fur/felt and stiffend the brim , then used a rounding jack to cut it, it's the first hat I have made and not sure how to finish the brim ??

Lean'n'mean · Jun 30, 2016

If the brim is stiff then I don't see a need to use wire. Do you have a specific reason why you want to use wire ? You can either leave it as it is (raw edge) or if you want it to look a little more finished, you give your hat a bound brim. Is it a fedora you've made or an outback type hat. ?
Any chance of some piccies so we can see your project & prehaps then we could offer you some more relevant advice rather than our preferences, as we're kinda shootin' in the dark here.

jimmytbk · Jun 30, 2016

Lean'n'mean said:
If the brim is stiff then I don't see a need to use wire. Do you have a specific reason why you want to use wire ? You can either leave it as it is (raw edge) or if you want it to look a little more finished, you give your hat a bound brim. Is it a fedora you've made or an outback type hat. ?
Any chance of some piccies so we can see your project & prehaps then we could offer you some more relevant advice rather than our preferences, as we're kinda shootin' in the dark here.

L

Lean'n'mean · Jun 30, 2016

Yes I thought it might be something like that. When you hold the hat up (or wear it ) does the brim droop ? I really like the hat band by the way, reminds me of 'Billy Jack'.

jimmytbk · Jun 30, 2016

jimmytbk said:
View attachment 52399
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Lean'n'mean said:
If the brim is stiff then I don't see a need to use wire. Do you have a specific reason why you want to use wire ? You can either leave it as it is (raw edge) or if you want it to look a little more finished, you give your hat a bound brim. Is it a fedora you've made or an outback type hat. ?
Any chance of some piccies so we can see your project & prehaps then we could offer you some more relevant advice rather than our preferences, as we're kinda shootin' in the dark here.

Lean'n'mean said:
Yes I thought it might be something like that. When you hold the hat up (or wear it ) does the brim droop ? I really like the hat band by the way, reminds me of 'Billy Jack'.

no it's very firm, just my cut isn't the best

EstherWeis · Jun 30, 2016

You can try to sand it smooth.

jimmytbk · Jun 30, 2016

EstherWeis said:
You can try to sand it smooth.

Will do, thank u so much got ur help!!! Is fine or rough better?

EstherWeis · Jun 30, 2016

jimmytbk said:
Will do, thank u so much got ur help!!! Is fine or rough better?

I use fine sanding paper, gradually keep sanding until you are happy with your result.

DJH · Jun 30, 2016

moehawk said:
In my limited experience, the only men's hats I have seen with wired brims were cheap straw Westerns.

Agree - the only men's hats I've ever seen with wire in the brim are the $10 straws (well paper really) they sell to the tourists in the Stockyards.

bloc · Jun 30, 2016

I wire the brims of ladies hats and flange the brims of the men's hats. I think it gives a different look and obviously you can't have a raw edge if you wire. But I suppose it's also a case of tradition, like using Petersham ribbon in millinery and Grosgrain in hatting. Most people would not notice at all, it's subtle. But I bet a lot of Loungers would spot it a mile off.

EstherWeis · Jun 30, 2016

I guess it's personal preference too.

I flange my own hats, or other ladies fedora's.
I find it sort of hard to say one is for women's and others for men's in this day and age.

But that's just my 2 cents.

bloc · Jun 30, 2016

I agree Esther. It's good to be well versed in the traditional ways of hatmaking and millinery but also important to be flexible and develop your own methods. That's what makes us all different in our craft. Then each hat you make has your own signature

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