Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1889-07-05
MENoiNc SMASHED HATS.
The Way Wrecked silk Tiios Arc Mado To
Look Like New.

ho"h h'Ne NOW
a reporter was standing one day last
week in one OF the fashionable hat
stores of Brooklyn when well-dressed
gentleman entered with hat-box in
his hand. This he set upon the coun-
ter, opened and extracted from 1t silk
hat which looked as though tho fat
woman of neighboring dime museum
had sat upon IL. It was not an old hat,
far from II, but its glossy sheen wao
broken into wrinSled lines. The sales
man, who had come forward to wait
upon the gentleman, took the hat in his
hand and examined IL closely. pressing
its surface here and there with his
thumb and forcGnger. Then ho ro-
marked:
ut is not broken. We can iix It.
When do you want itP''
Tomorrow afternoon" said tho
gentleman briskly, and then walked
out after having been assured that no
would receive his hat again at that
time in perfect condition.
"How is It possible to restore hat
so badly jammed as that one isP" asked
the reporter
"Simplest thing In tho world ex-
planned the salesman. ii the founda-
tion is not broken. The silk hat OF to-
day is almost perfect, combining rs it
does in proper proportions durability.
lightness and strength. II is quito diff
ferent, you know, from the cumber-
some beavers OF pnsteboard and fur
which our grandfathers wore. Hats
OF that description couldn't bear
being sat upon, and seldom re-
cover from such an indignlty. But it
is in the possession OF recupcrativo
qualities that the high hat OF to-
day especially excels- You SOC, tho
foundation OF the crown is made from
a fine muslin which is imported from
Manchester, England. where 1t is ex-
pressly made for tho purpose They
have tried 10 make this muslin over
here, but have never succeeded in MAX
ing any which can compare with tho
English product The chief necessary
quality of this fabric Is that 1t is por-
Gus enough to absorb shellac in just
the proportions.
"Shellac?"
"Yes, shellac. in which tho muslin
Ia first soaked. then wrung out and
stretched upon frames TO dry. The
shellac is what gives the material its
initial stiffness and makes It easy
TO work under the influence OF heat.
The crown is formed upon n hat
block around which the shellac- soaked
muslin is wound, after being cut into
proper shape, the edges being stuck
together by the application OF hot
iron. 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 the hat is
made of much heavier muslin. which
is all Joined TO the crown by strength
ening band. While the crown muslin
is one ply that OF the brim is four-ply.
When the skeleton of the hat Is COM
pleted 1t is removed from the block and
is then ready TO ho vanished. Tho
varnish used is made expressly for the
purpose. and several coats nre applied
until the skeleton Is as firm rs an
elastic board. 1t il then ready TO ro-
ceive the silk plush from which
the hat gets its name Strange to say,
American manufacturers have never
succeeded in making this plush. and it
is supposed there is something In the
atmosphere which prevents, for they
have imported even the water used in
Europe, but are unable to make DUR
able, glossy black. The plush is cut
into the exact size of the hat it is to
cover. sewed together with extreme
nicely inside out and then pulled over
the hat frame just rs you would pull |
on sock. The plush is then damp |
cncd. and the application of a hat iron |
sticks it firmly to the body. 1t is this
quality of softening under heat which |
enables us TO repair n hat which, like |
this one. has been sat upon."-Brook-
lyn Engle.