MILLARD HIRSCH, HATTER "Twenty=Five"

[DJH]

Hmm, I suppose being the correct size never does any harm!

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

But I suspect that part of the reason for the switchover comes from the increasing use of reeded sweats in hats. A reeded sweatband that is properly flanged to sit down inside of the hat has a fair amount of pressure or force exerted outward along the circumference of the sweat at the reed because the length of the reed is actually longer than the length of the leather. My guess is that stitched seams hold up better under that pressure than taped seams.

Brad

Brad was the reason they started using reeded sweatbands to keep the shape of the hat? I would assume that the round shape of the reed would keep the hat in the proper round shape and would not cause the hat to lose it shape.

 

[Brad Bowers]

Brad was the reason they started using reeded sweatbands to keep the shape of the hat? I would assume that the round shape of the reed would keep the hat in the proper round shape and would not cause the hat to lose it shape.

No, metal-reeded sweatbands were used since at least the 1870s to create a flange on the outer circumference of the sweatband with the intention of moving the stitches away from the skin to prevent the wicking of sweat through to the outer surface of the hat. Even Derbies use a metal reed underneath the leather, and they certainly don't need help retaining their shape. I suspect the increased usage of unreeded sweatbands in hats was more of a style preference, particularly once soft hats became popular again in the early 1900s. Why have a soft hat if the sweatband has no give?

Brad