Constructing a top hat.

[D00R]

I wasn't sure if anyone here is knowledgeable about top hats.

Does anyone know of how a top hat is built? or any websites with tutorials on the construction of a top hat?
Iv been looking and coming up with nothing..

 

[RBH]

Good luck Door, I cant help ya, but ever since I was a kid I have loved a top hat.
Dont own one.. but maybe someday......

Be sure to let us in on what you come up with.

 

[Brad Bowers]

Topper is our resident expert around here. Hopefully he'll show up soon!

Brad

 

[scotrace]

I hope so. I thought this was a skill lost to time.

 

[Doh!]

Color me curious as well. Especially the spring-loaded (collapsable) ones.

 

[RBH]

Color me curious as well. Especially the spring-loaded (collapsable) ones.

I remember the Little Rascals episode when Chubby sat on one of those top hats and when he would bend over it would pop out. I always got such a kick out of that.

 

[tandmark]

Hello all,

D00R, I've got four suggestions for you, followed by a question of my own:

Some of the hatmakers who specialize in hats for re-enactors offer toppers. It's possible that they might share some information with you. (I wouldn't take book on how probable, though!) River Junction Trade Co., Dirty Billy's, Pair-O-Dice, Upper Mississippi Valley Co., Clearwater Hats -- those names ought to get you started.

Perhaps there's an SCA site on the Web that has some articles on top hats written by members of their hat guild, whatever it's called. That is to say, the Society for Creative Anachronism, a group that's unearthed a lot of odd snippets of technical information over the years.

If you wanted to make a top hat using wool felt you shape yourself, you might be able to find a plastic top hat mold at hatshapers.com. It won't be elegant, but if they've got the mold for it, it'll be an easy job and you'll have something that ought to be good enough for a period costume.

If it's a collapsible top hat (gibus) that you want to make, it's probably easiest if you buy an antique one with the silk all rotted and ripped, and then cover the mechanism with new fabric. There are plenty like that every day on eBay.

Hey, speaking of silk toppers, does anyone know what the real story is about whether they can be manufactured today? I've heard it claimed that it's a lost skill, but I've also seen new silk top hats offered for sale.

Cheers,
Mark

 

[besdor]

Debbie Henderson wrote a book about Top Hats . You can search on Amazon for it . She has written a few books about hats.




Steven
www.bencrafthats.com

 

[D00R]

I'm curious to make one because I had a hat maker make me a top hat, and it wasn't made exactly how I wanted it, and it was made to small, but that was my fault because I wasn't sure where a top hat should rest on a persons head.

The hat was made out of a strong cardboard and brushed silk.
I want to ask the hatter how they made it but i think thats wrong to do since I was refunded my money when I returned the hand made hat..

I figured I should just make my own.

 

[D00R]

the hat on the Left I re-drew it with Paintshop on the computer by widening it, making it less curved and I lowerd it to where it should fit on my head..

the real hat that was made for me is on the right. You can see how it sits to high on my head and is to curved to much.

the real version just belled out to much at the top and was to small, it was to high on my head.. It was to be for Halloween and for everyday wear, it has a removeable wonka ribbon and underneath a regular hat ribbon.