Winchester Hat Corporation -- Making the Felt

[RBH]

I ran across this video and thought it was pretty good.

By our very own [and my good friend, Brad Bowers]

 

[DJH]

Cool - thanks for posting the video. It compliments the photos earlier in the thread nicely.
It's interesting to see how the bodies for a lot of our custom hats are made.

 

[RBH]

Thanks David, Greg makes it to Mikes shop every so often.
He is a super guy and maybe he will be at FedoraFest IV.

 

[Alive'n'Amplified]

Bump for good reading. New members, start from the beginning of this thread and take note. The birth of a new hat...

 

[H Weinstein]

This tour of the Winchester Hats factory is such a fascinating thread! I dug it up and reviewed it before ordering a western hat from Stratton, which is the retailing affiliate of Winchester (I forget who owns whom). Just thought this was worth bumping back up the "active thread" listings so folks who may have missed it could take a look. Winchester apparently supplies most of the basic hat bodies to custom hat makers in the US, if I'm recalling that correctly. So wherever your hat comes from, it may well have originated at the Winchester factory.

Renewed thanks to Jimmy the Lid and everyone else who contributed to this thread!

 

[gtdean48]

Stratton owns Winchester....

 

[mrwilmoth]

Wow, I always wondered where a majority of the hatters get their bodies! Great photos, Thanks!

 

[WesternHatWearer]

Does this company sell small orders, 3-5? Or is it large quantity orders only?

 

[navarre]

You can buy one at a time if you like. You won't find any price or color info from them online, just give them a call. They are very nice folks.

 

[WesternHatWearer]

You can buy one at a time if you like. You won't find any price or color info from them online, just give them a call. They are very nice folks.

Thank you, I am grateful for your reply.

 

[Bamaboots]

I found this thread this morning and just finished reading it. Brought back a lot of memories. In the late 70's I moved from North Al to Tullahoma, TN just a few miles down 41a from Winchester. I was working for the family business (welding supplies) at the time and they were expanding their storefront operations into areas they had previously only serviced through their route truck sales.

After about a year in the store I was moved onto a route truck and serviced the surrounding areas. Winchester Hat Corp. was one of the customers on my weekly route through the area. I sold industrial gases and related welding supplies to their maintenance dept. I often had to walk through the factory to find the supervisor and seeing the same building and some machines I saw years ago was fun. I was always fascinated by the place.

During my time in the area they also operated a retail hat store. I bought a couple hats from them that I wish I still had. Especially after stumbling upon this thread. Sadly, they closed the retail store a number of years ago.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I know this is an old thread, but some interesting stuff here. I know that Winchester doesn’t sell to the public, but is there a way to see all of their current beaver felt colors? It would be wonderful to see the spectrum of what’s available.

 

[Art Fawcett]

I don't think so Deadly, but you could call to see if they would send you samples

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I don't think so Deadly, but you could call to see if they would send you samples

Thank you, Art.


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[deadlyhandsome]

I found some old posts from @Rabbit
Missing colors but it’s a start.

Many thanks Rabbit.


https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/color-comparison-help.73801/page-2



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[Moviehats]

I know this is an old thread, but some interesting stuff here. I know that Winchester doesn’t sell to the public, but is there a way to see all of their current beaver felt colors? It would be wonderful to see the spectrum of what’s available.

They never questioned me about if I was a business or not and they sent me swatches too. Very nice people there.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

They never questioned me about if I was a business or not and they sent me swatches too. Very nice people there.

Thank you, that’s good to know. It’s my understanding that some of the colors are proprietary and only available to specific hatters. I’ll hit them up and see what they can do for me.

 

[jlee562]

Not exhaustive, but this may also be helpful?

 

[Art Fawcett]

Deadly,
Blue smoke, Dove, and Oxblood were proprietary to me at first but now any hatter can have these dyed for them , however, they have to follow the rules I have to follow, 36 hat bodies minimum of the color. This leaves out many who aren't willing or unable to invest that much on a bet. There is no longer a "propriety" color as when I started doing my own colors, the other hatters complained that they couldn't do it and thought it was unfair. Winchester bent to their complaints, and I don't blame them. The phones were full of "unfair competition" complaints. I actually had one hatter call them and said he was my "partner" and was entitled to my colors. I know this because they called me while he was on the phone with his lies.
Interesting business, eh?

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Not exhaustive, but this may also be helpful?

Very helpful. Thank you.


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