Leather Top Hat

[dung0beetle]

Hey 405th, I just completed a leather top hat commission. I'll be delivering it to the customer tomorrow.
Here's the hat before I dyed it.

And after dye and finish.

The brim is not wired, but it is bound with a leather edge that can be shaped just like a felt or straw hat. I still need to buff it to take some of the gloss away, but it's pretty much done.
My hands are sore from stitching, so I'm gonna go take a nap. :cool

 

[mkshane81]

Looks pretty good. I enjoy seeing all of the different talents that people on here have.

-Matt

 

[sarahguv]

Looks good. You did such a great job. I like that hat. All the best and Keep it up.

 

[Mstruvmgc]

OOOOOOO Leather is nice I like it

 

[dung0beetle]

Well, the hat didn't fit right, so I had to make a quick hat jack to stretch it out. Basically, I used 2 "C" shaped blocks cut from a 2x4, drilled a small channel in the inside of the "C" to accept the rings of a small turnbuckle. I stuffed the turnbuckle inside the blocks, wet the sweatband and stuffed the ghetto hat jack inside. Worked like a charm.
If my description isn't clear, the hat jack looks a lot like this:

If you are going to make your own, be sure to cut the blocks at a slight angle to mimic the taper of the hat crown, otherwise you will leave unsightly bumps in the hat where the wood pressed against the hat. Be sure to only stretch the sweatband area and don't over stretch it. The stitches will break if you do.

 

[Ada078]

Is so interesting ,i like the cap.