Hats and visors

[Beaverslayer]

Hi All,

Here's pics of a couple of hats I just finished up.

The white one is made from Bridal Gown Deerskin, and the black one is cowhide.

[Roger]

man... those are beautiful!

what sort of lacing patterns are you using?

what pattern was used on the visor of the black one?

[candyleather]

Fine hats. Please, I would like see a pic by the hidden side. What is your secret for get hard the visor keeping up the shape?

[Beaverslayer]

man... those are beautiful!

what sort of lacing patterns are you using?

what pattern was used on the visor of the black one?

Beeza,

The lacing on the black brim is done with 5 thongs. It is just a basic weave pattern (over-under-over-under) then through the hole. The laceing on the seams is again just a basic 1 thong weave.

I have done some hats that have had extensive lacing on them. One that I'm sorry I never took pics of, had suede flames laced into it, and had close to 150 feet of 1/16" lace on itIt took forever to just to punch all the holes required to lace it.

Thanks for the compliments.

Ken

[Beaverslayer]

Candyleather,

Thanks for the compliment on the hats.

The brims are made from 5oz veg tan or oak leaf leather (depending on what scaps are laying around that day). I cut out the shape I need, then soak the piece in hot water for a few minutes. Then I will roll it into a curl, and tie it up with a soft piece of pigskin (this leaves no marks or dents in the edges).

Then once it has dried, I untie it and it will fold out to almost the exact shape I want. If it needs adjusting It's just like a normal ballcap, you just roll and curl it, and it keeps it's shape.

When it's time to assemble the hat, depending on the style and type, I will cover the topside with whatever leather the main hat is made from. I will lightly sand (with emory paper) the finished side of the leather brim, and then glue the cove and brim leather together. I use a contact cement that is used to make aborite counter tops. It works exceptionally well, and is also water proof.

The underside of the brim is covered in a pigskin suede, and again it is glued to the brim, as well as the inside of the hat.

The lacing holds it all together.

The real nice thing about the hats is that, after making a vest, I always had all this scrap left over. Well as we all know scraps are not really scrap, so I took an old hat apart, made a pattern of the pieces, and now I make about 200 hats a year from scraps. The only thing that is a real cost is tha lace. But as I cut my own, it's much cheaper.

I will post a few picks of the inside, and you can see to some degree how they are constructed.

If anyone is interested I can try to do an instructional thread on how to make hats with scraps.

Ken

[Beaverslayer]

Candyleather,

Here's a few pics showing the underside, and the pieces required to make the hat.

The lining is made from nylon mesh, and it is glued to each piece (just along the edges) before construction begins. Again even the lining is from scraps of the lining I use in my vests.

You can see the Python skin that will be added as an accent to this hat. Using your imagination you can add so many different things to make the hat extremely original.

In these two pics, you see the underside and the way the lining and lacing look. The strips that are used on the lace seams is a pigskin suede, and are cut into strips 1/2" wide. This is then glued to the seam, and combined with the lacing, makes a very strong seam. The brim is attached by glueing the edge of the brim to the edge of the hat, then I glue a strip of pigskin on the underside to add strength. The piece of pigskin that covers the underside of the brim is cut big enough to carry over into the sweatband area of the hat, and is only glued to the sweatband area, until later. This enables me to hide one row of the backside of the lace, to keep it from being visible on the underside of the brim.

I then lace the brim to the hat. Once this is done, the pigskin brim liner is glued down to the underside of the brim. At this point I stretch the pigskin as I glue it creating a spring like tension to it. this keeps the brim in a curled state.

Then it's onto all the other seam lacing and edge lacing, and before you know it....you have a leather hat from scraps.

[Roger]

do you work from a book on different weaving and lacing patterns?

i'ed like to try some different stuff on some seats

[Beaverslayer]

Beeza,

No I don't use a book. I have in the past read a few just to get the general idea and the way to start a pattern (such as double cordovan) but I will usually just get an idea and try it on a piece of poster board that I punch holes into. This way I can see what needs to be changed or added to make it look like what I want.

On some of the vests I have gone all the way to using 11 thongs to make a weave pattern that covers the shoulders, I have also done this on a few hats, but it makes the hat a bit heavy on the head.

If you want, and you have an idea of what you are looking for, let me know and I'll do my best to make you a pattern and some instructions as to how to lace it.

[candyleather]

Beaverslayer,

as well as being a wonderful leatherworker you are very kind. Thanks for your time and your how-to tutorial to my questions.

[Beaverslayer]

Thanks Candyleather,

If you have any more questions, please don't hesitate to ask, I will be more than happy to help. If we can't share our experience, talent, and knowledge...whats the use of having it in the first place.

I am not the only one here on this forum that will give of there time and knowledge...I have read so many threads that are so informative. Some of them must have taken hours to type.

Again, any questions...just ask.

I'm here to help if you need it.

Ken

[freak]

Man, i think your hats are wayyyhey cool.

Have you ever made a cowboy hat ? I'm think the rocker type of cowboy hat. Where the sides are tightly rolled in and the front and back are hard bent down. Ahh man oh mann..

[Beaverslayer]

hey Freak,

Thanks for the compliment.

As to the cowboy hat, I only make the Australian style, and they don't really appeal to me that much. So far I have'nt gotten any requests or inquiries about any other type of cowboy hat.

[Alexblow]

Just to say: WAOUW !

I like your work.You're very friendly on your explications.

Later for sure i'm going to ask you some tricks.Great work

[rdb]

Those are excellent, Beaverslayer!

[Johanna]

Really nice, Ken. You know I'll do whatever I can to help if you will please do another tutorial!

You do beautiful work!

Johanna

[Beaverslayer]

Johanna, I have been working on a hat tutorial for some time now. I had lost it in the crash of my HD. I didn't realise just how many things go into making a hat. Well when you have made over 300 of them it's just second nature. Hopefully soon I will finish the instructions and upload them.

Ken

[Knotnutz]

Absolutely stunning work - I'm thinking I need one of those real soon!