HAT MAKING. 



or rim to the depth of about an inch and 

 a half, and then returns the point back 

 again through the centre or axis of the 

 cap, so far as not to take out this fold, 

 but to produce another inner fold of the 

 same depth. The point being returned 

 back again in the same manner produces 

 a third fold ; and thus the workman pro- 

 ceeds, until the whole has acquired the 

 appearance of a flat circular piece, con- 

 sisting of a number of concentric undula- 

 tions or folds, with the point in the cen- 

 tre. This is laid upon the plank, where 

 the workman, keeping the piece wet with 

 the liquor, pulls out the point with his 

 fingers, and presses it down with his 

 hand, at the same time turniwg it round 

 on its centre in contact with the plank, 

 till he has, by this means, rubbed out 

 a flat portion equal to the intended crown 

 of the hat. In the next place he takes 

 a block, to the crown of which he applies 

 the flat central portion of the felt, and by 

 forcing a string down the sides of the 

 block, he causes the next to assume 

 the figure of the crown, which he conti- 

 nues to wet and work, until it has pro- 

 perly disposed itself round the block. 

 The rim now appears like a flounced or 

 puckered appendage round the edge of 

 the crown, but the block being set up- 

 light on the plank, the requisite figure is 

 soon given by working, rubbing, and ex- 

 tending this part. Water only is used in 

 this operation of fashioning or blocking, 

 at the conclusion of which it is pressed 

 out by the blunt edge of a copper imple- 

 ment for that purpose. 



Previous to the dying, the nap of the 

 hat is raised or loosened out with a wire 

 brush or carding instrument; the fibres 

 being too rotten after the dying to bear 

 this operation. The dying materials are 

 logwood, and a mixture of the sulphates 

 of iron and copper, known in the market 

 by the names of green copperas and blue 

 vitriol. 



The dyed hats are, in the next place, 

 taken to the stiffening-shop. One work- 

 man, assisted by a boy, does this part of 

 the business. He has two vessels, or boil- 

 ers, the one containing the grounds of 

 strong beer, which costs seven shillings 

 per barrel, and is used in this and other 

 stages of the manufactory as the cheapest 

 mucilage which can be j>rocured ; and 

 the other vessel containing melted glue, 

 a little thinner than is used by carpenters. 

 The beer grounds are applied in the in- 

 side of the crown,to prevent the glue from 

 coming through to the face, and also to 

 give the requisite firmness, at a less ex- 



pense than could be produced by glue 

 alone. If the glue were to pass through 

 the hat in different places, it might be 

 more difficult to produce an even gloss 

 upon the face in the subsequent finishing. 

 The glue stiffening is applied after the 

 beer-grounds are dried, and then only up- 

 on the lower face of the flap, and the in- 

 side of the crown. For this purpose the 

 hat is put into another hat, called a stiff- 

 ening hat, the crown of which is notched, 

 or slit open, in various directio/is. These 

 are then placed in a hole in a deal board, 

 which supports the flap, and the glue is 

 applied with a brush. 



The dry hat, after this operation, is very 

 rigid, and its figure irregular. The last 

 dressing is given by the application of 

 moisture and heat, and the use of the 

 brush and a hot iron, somewhat in the 

 shape of that used by tailors, but shorter 

 and broader on the face. The hat being 1 

 softened by exposure to steam, is drawn 

 upon a block, to which it is securely ap- 

 plied by the former method of forcing a 

 string down from the crown to the com- 

 mencement of the rim. The judgment 

 of the workman is employed in mois- 

 tening, brushing, and ironing the hat, in 

 order to give and preserve the proper 

 figure. 



When the rim of the hat is not intended 

 to be of an equal width throughout, it is 

 cut by means of a wooden or metallic pat- 

 tern. The contrivance is very simple and 

 ingenious. A number of notches are 

 made in one edge of a flat piece of wood, 

 for the purpose of inserting the point of a 

 knife, and from one side or edge of this 

 piece of wood there proceeds a straight 

 handle, which lies parallel to the notched 

 side, forming an angle somewhat like a 

 carpenter's square. When the legs of 

 this angle are applied to the outside of 

 the crown, and the board lies flat on the 

 rim of the hat r the notched edge will lie 

 nearly in the direction of the radius or line 

 pointing to the centre of the hat. A 

 knife being, therefore, inserted in one of 

 the notches, it is easy to draw it round by 

 leaning the tool against the crown, and it 

 will cut the border very regulaf and true. 

 This cut is made before the hat is quite 

 finished, and is not carried entirely 

 through, so that one of the last opera- 

 tions consists in tearing off the redundant 

 part, which by that means leaves an edg- 

 ing of beaver round the external face of 

 the flap. When the hat is completely fi- 

 nished, the crown is tied up in gauze pa- 

 per, which is neatly ironed down. It is 

 then ready for the subsequent operations 

 of lining, &c. 



