leather hat

[stampingdelight]

my 1st try at making leather hat, still have to let dry some, dye & not sure where black came from or if can get out now. everyones thoughts 

[AlZilla]

Outstanding and congratulations.  It's a tough project, isn't it?  The hat in my pic was the first bigger project I did.  I made a rookie mistake by getting into the belly for my brim. I constantly have to flatten it back out.

Looks like a 1 piece crown? I used 2 pieces, sewn front and back. Then I made another with a 1 piece crown and it just doesn't sit right. Never came back to it.

How about a pic of the inside?

[DieselTech]

Nice work. That's awesome. I have been wanting to make a leather hat like that. I would also like to put some type of wire around the brim of it so I can form/ bend it in any shape I want. 

Great work. 

[Dwight]

I did one . . . once . . . don't wear it often as it is kinda heavy on the noggin

May God bless,

Dwight

[stampingdelight]

1 hour ago, AlZilla said:

Outstanding and congratulations.  It's a tough project, isn't it?  The hat in my pic was the first bigger project I did.  I made a rookie mistake by getting into the belly for my brim. I constantly have to flatten it back out.

Looks like a 1 piece crown? I used 2 pieces, sewn front and back. Then I made another with a 1 piece crown and it just doesn't sit right. Never came back to it.

How about a pic of the inside?

what part is the belly of the brim would that just be the middle & what did you find worked best to help keep the water from changing shape of the leather? thank you & yes a tough project.  yes 1 piece crown thought would be easier for me. one you made looks nice, hope mine comes out nice looking once dyed. I see some speak of cleaning leather before dying is that something I should do, if so what should I use? 

10 hours ago, Dwight said:

I did one . . . once . . . don't wear it often as it is kinda heavy on the noggin

May God bless,

Dwight

very nice

 

[stampingdelight]

12 hours ago, DieselTech said:

Nice work. That's awesome. I have been wanting to make a leather hat like that. I would also like to put some type of wire around the brim of it so I can form/ bend it in any shape I want. 

Great work. 

like the idea of making the brim bend to any shape. are you looking at using leather or something like felt for the brim?

[AlZilla]

4 hours ago, stampingdelight said:

what part is the belly of the brim would that just be the middle & what did you find worked best to help keep the water from changing shape of the leather? thank you & yes a tough project.  yes 1 piece crown thought would be easier for me. one you made looks nice, hope mine comes out nice looking once dyed. I see some speak of cleaning leather before dying is that something I should do, if so what should I use? 

By belly, I mean the belly portion of the hide. See how the brim of my hat is a little wavy? It kind of potato chips and curls on me. I think if I had stayed in the upper part of the hide, it wouldn't do that.  If I run into a piece of stainless wire that will take a bend, I might do a binding around the edge with the wire inserted.

As to cleaning, I wouldn't have a clue. Leather n' Rich is marketed as a leather cleaner, which I use it for on things. The hat, I just hit with some antiquing gel, some saddle tan dye and the Leather 'N Rich a couple days later.

[dikman]

AlZilla, that "curling" of the brim gives it a used rustic look. Some people pay good money to get a hat that already looks used.

[DieselTech]

11 hours ago, stampingdelight said:

like the idea of making the brim bend to any shape. are you looking at using leather or something like felt for the brim?

I plan on making a hat from all leather, except for the lining around the head band. Then using copper or stainless wire around the brim. That way I can shape/bend the brim any way I want. 

[AlZilla]

47 minutes ago, DieselTech said:

I plan on making a hat from all leather, except for the lining around the head band. Then using copper or stainless wire around the brim. That way I can shape/bend the brim any way I want. 

I'm thinking verdigris might be a problem with copper.   I've got a half hearted eye out for stainless wire.

[AlZilla]

3 hours ago, dikman said:

AlZilla, that "curling" of the brim gives it a used rustic look. Some people pay good money to get a hat that already looks used.

I look rustic and used, too ...

[AlZilla]

12 hours ago, stampingdelight said:

hat did you find worked best to help keep the water from changing shape of the leather?

Missed this part. I kept forming the hat into the shape I wanted as it dried . Just kept coming back to it. Once it was dried, it stiffened up and has held it's shape, except for that pesky brim. I hit the inside with Leather N Rich, too.

[Northmount]

On 4/23/2024 at 5:22 PM, stampingdelight said:

not sure where black came from or if can get out now.

It is the reaction between iron and tannin, same as used to make vinegaroon if you would like to look that up.

Keep all iron filings off your work space!

You may be able to bleach it out using oxalic acid (teaspoon full in a pint of water) or wood bleach, or barkeeps friend (which all contain oxalic acid.  Rinse after to reduce the acid left in the leather.

[stampingdelight]

40 minutes ago, Northmount said:

It is the reaction between iron and tannin, same as used to make vinegaroon if you would like to look that up.

Keep all iron filings off your work space!

You may be able to bleach it out using oxalic acid (teaspoon full in a pint of water) or wood bleach, or barkeeps friend (which all contain oxalic acid.  Rinse after to reduce the acid left in the leather.

k did not even know had iron on my work space. will looking into the bleaching have to look to see what item is in store 

1 hour ago, AlZilla said:

Missed this part. I kept forming the hat into the shape I wanted as it dried . Just kept coming back to it. Once it was dried, it stiffened up and has held it's shape, except for that pesky brim. I hit the inside with Leather N Rich, too.

thanks & you did just the brim on the inside or underside with the leather n rich 

[DieselTech]

1 hour ago, AlZilla said:

I'm thinking verdigris might be a problem with copper.   I've got a half hearted eye out for stainless wire.

Copper for sure will get verdigris if it keeps getting wet & dry. But I think if a guy or gal used contact adhesive & folded the leather around the copper wire & sewed it it would be somewhat sealed from the elements. 

I think I'm going to try it at some point & see how it fairs out over time. 

Edited April 25, 2024 by DieselTech

[stampingdelight]

8 hours ago, AlZilla said:

By belly, I mean the belly portion of the hide. See how the brim of my hat is a little wavy? It kind of potato chips and curls on me. I think if I had stayed in the upper part of the hide, it wouldn't do that.  If I run into a piece of stainless wire that will take a bend, I might do a binding around the edge with the wire inserted.

As to cleaning, I wouldn't have a clue. Leather n' Rich is marketed as a leather cleaner, which I use it for on things. The hat, I just hit with some antiquing gel, some saddle tan dye and the Leather 'N Rich a couple days later.

k thanks still learning so was not sure if belly could be name used for part of the hat, happy you said is belly part of the hide. did the curling of the brim come more from using the belly or did you do something to give more that look thought might try when do another hat. is binding hard to do on a hat would that be just wrapping it in leather & making the hat have a trim around the edge? thanks again for all the help 

9 minutes ago, DieselTech said:

Copper for sure will get verdigris if it keeps getting wet & dry. But I think if a guy or gal used contact adhesive & folded the leather around the copper wire & sewed it it would be somewhat sealed from the elements. 

I think I'm going to try it at some point & see how it fairs out over time. 

like the idea 

[AlZilla]

25 minutes ago, stampingdelight said:

thanks & you did just the brim on the inside or underside with the leather n rich 

No, I Leather N' Rich everywhere, inside and out.

[AlZilla]

9 minutes ago, stampingdelight said:

k thanks still learning so was not sure if belly could be name used for part of the hat, happy you said is belly part of the hide. did the curling of the brim come more from using the belly or did you do something to give more that look thought might try when do another hat. is binding hard to do on a hat would that be just wrapping it in leather & making the hat have a trim around the edge? thanks again for all the help 

like the idea 

No, all that wavy and curling just happens.  I'd like the sides curled up a bit like you'd expect a cowboy hat to do. But it just has a mind of it's own.

[dikman]

1 hour ago, AlZilla said:

 But it just has a mind of it's own.

Like its owner?

[TomWilson]

Nice hat! How did you size it for your head? You've inspired me to make one for myself. It'll be after two or three other projects in the queue.

[AlZilla]

5 hours ago, TomWilson said:

Nice hat! How did you size it for your head? You've inspired me to make one for myself. It'll be after two or three other projects in the queue.

I'll let OP answer since it's his thread. I'll just point out that you have a little wriggle room since you'll probably be adding a sweatband inside and you can vary the thickness. The first one is tricky.

[stampingdelight]

10 hours ago, TomWilson said:

Nice hat! How did you size it for your head? You've inspired me to make one for myself. It'll be after two or three other projects in the queue.

no sure the best answer for sure are better ones, when I did it I meaured around my head where the brim would fit before adding the top of the hat 

[stampingdelight]

6 hours ago, AlZilla said:

I'll let OP answer since it's his thread. I'll just point out that you have a little wriggle room since you'll probably be adding a sweatband inside and you can vary the thickness. The first one is tricky.

if you have a better way for doing sizing on hat size for the answer that would be great for not sure mine is the best 

[AlZilla]

6 minutes ago, stampingdelight said:

if you have a better way for doing sizing on hat size for the answer that would be great for not sure mine is the best 

Nope, just measure around the head above the ears, straight horizontal, and go from there. Very much trial and error. Since leather doesn't have any give to it, it's pretty unforgiving of too small.

Oh, the hole has to be an ellipse, since that's how your head is shaped.  I'll have to think about it and try to remember where I found the formula.

Maybe the Mad Hatter will chime in ...

Edited April 25, 2024 by AlZilla

[BlackDragon]

I made a hat a while back. 

I used galvinized wire for the brim so I could shape it. I made the crown a little bigger than I needed so I could make a leather band on the inside to size it better. I used several coats of undiluted resolene to seal it.

 The only real regret was I made it to round.

Edited April 25, 2024 by BlackDragon