The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1889-07-04
HAT SMASHING AND MENDINC.
The Way the Old Beavers Are Made to
Look Like New.

A reporter of the Brooklyn Eagle
was standing one day last week in Ona
of the fashionable hat stores of Brook
lyn when weli-drcsscd gentleman
entered with hat-boX in his hand
This he set upon the counter. opened
aud extracted from il Il silk hat which
looked rs though the fat woman of L
ncighborng dime museum had sat
upon ii. 1t was not an Old hat, fnr
from it, but IT'S glossy sheen was bIoh-
en- into wrin!llch lines. The salesman.
who had cnrie forward To wait upon
the gentleman, took the hat i'll his
hand and examined it closely, press
Ing its surface tcrc and there with his
thumb and forelin%Gr Then he re-
markcd:
at is not broken. We can fix it.
When do you want it?"
"To-morrow afternoon" said the
gentleman briskly, and then walked
out after having been assured that he
would receive his hat again at that
time in perfect condition
"How is it possible to restore hat
so badly jammed as that one is?" asked
the reporter.
simplest thing in the world" eX-
planned the salesman. eff the founda-
ton is not broken. The silk hat of to-
day is almost perfect, combining us it
does in proper proportions durability,
li@htness and strength. 1t is quite
different, you know, from the cumber-
some beavers of pasteboard and fur
which our grandfathers wore. Hats
of that description couldn't bear being
sat upon, and seldom recovered from
i,,I H,E . ir ~ =,
! possession of rccuperative qualities
that the high hat of to-day especially
excels. You see, the foundation of tie
| crown is made from fine muslin
which is imported from Manchester,
England, where it is expressly made
| for the purpose. They have tried to
make this muslin over here, but have
| never succeeded in making any which
can compare with the English product.
The chief necessary quality of this fab
ric is that it is porous enough to alb
| sorb shellac in just the proper proper
| tiOnS."
''ShellacP"
Yes. shellac, in which the muslin
| is first soaked, then wrung out and
stretched upon frames to dry. The
shelIac is what gives the material its
work under the influence of heat. The
crown is formed upon hat block
around which the shellac-soaked mus
lin is wound, after being cut into pro-
per shape, the edges being stuck to-
gether by the application of Il hotiron.
The top is made of the same cloth,
and where its edge joins with the edge
of the crown an additional strip of
muslin is stuck around to strengthen
it, The brim of tie hat is made of
! much heavier muslin, which is also
Joined to the crown by astrenglhening
baud. While the crown muslin is one
ply that of the brim is four ply. When
the skeleton of the hat is completed
il is removed from the block and is
then ready to be vanished. The varn-
isll used is made expressly for the pur-
pose, and several coats are applied I'M
til the skeleton is us firm as an elastic
board 1t is then ready to receive the
silk plush from which the hat gets its
name. Strange To say, American man.
ufacturers have never succeeded in
making this plush, and it is supposed
there is something in the atmosphere
which prevents, for they have import
ed even the water used in Europe, but
, are unable to make Il durable, glossy
5 black. The plush is cut into the exact
: size Of the hat it is To cover, scWcd to-
o gCther with extreme nicely inside Oui
and then pulled over the hat frame
! lust us you would pull on Il sock. The
4 plush is then aampencd, and the APP
y Diication of Il hat IRON St!ckS.it hrmly
2 to the body. 1t is this quality Of SOFT
ening under heat which enables us tt
. rti..iir "A hal which. like this one, la,
? ! been sat upon