The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1906-05-22
LIFE OF q SILK HAT.
WITH CASE ONE May sE MADE TO
LAST a A0NpRED YEARS.

Z
Again as Long ns the Frame HoIds
Together How It's Twenay-ains
Piece. Are Nodded Into one.
ACTORS use up the old silk hats.
said the halter. eActorslT asked the
listener.
Actors" said the halter, pausing in
the act OF lifting a chunk OF iron ont
OF the stove and dropping it in the hol-
low flatiron he carried. sActors-I
mean variety actors, Of course. They
need them In their business. Haven't
you ever wondered where all the old
silk hats come from when you've seen
the comedians kicking each others tiles
all over the stage: Wen. such places
ns mine supply them.
1T takes good many years TO wear
out silk hat With proper care they'll
last to be hundred years old. OF
course before that time the silk win
turn red on top. where 1t is exposed to
the sun, but that redness can be over
come for a time. You can make over
silk hat so long as the frame holds
together.
There are Twenty-Five pieces in a
silk hat. They are the brim, which Is
in four pieces; the silk lining. IN two;
the foundation. in two; the gossamer
tips between are two OF these
also; the two coverings for the side
crown. the two for the tips, the three
pieces of plush, the three rubbers, the
uhderbrim, one piece; the two pieces
OF the band and binding. the leather,
one piece; the bow braid, one piece;
the label, one piece; the eyelets, two OF
them; the sticker, or piece of court
plaster Joining the swaziland together
In the back.
Cotton cloth is the foundation Of the
silk hat. It is stiffened with shellae
cut with ammonia and hot water. The
cloth is cut up in strips, cut on the
bias, and then stretched on the block
In four thicknesses, one thickness be-
Ing stretched and permitted to dry be-
fore another is put on The lining is
put In first, the cloth being stretched
over that, and then, after it has been
permitted to dry, 1t is ironed on the
block, powdered gum denar being
busted on TO prevent the iron from
sticking to the cloth soaked in shellac.
'The block is in five pieces, the CEN
ter. the two sides and the two ends,
which are removed In this order when
the cloth body has dried in shape. The
leading makers get out their hats on
the block they adopt for the style o!
the season, and block makers then imi
tate this block until any halter may
buy from a New York or Boston block
maker the seasons latest block at
reasonable price.
'sIhe block is then removed from the
shellac cloth shell, and a doffer Is In.
serted to stretch the hat to the requIrel
size, the block being a triae small.
This dofrer is simply felt shape,
which fits closely to the block, and
thus puts q thickness OF felt between
the hat and the block. The hat is iron
ed as soon as the doffer is inserted,
this melting the shellac and permitting
the cloth shell to adapt itself to the
changed conditions. After the ironing
1t is covered with a coat OF sheilac
varnlsh, for which the halter now has
to pay 50 a quart. When it is dry
again the sink plush Is put on with q
hot iron, steamed on, in fact.
This plush comes IN rolls like any
Sther aud is sold by the yard. 1t is
cut in strips seven inches vide for thu
crown and two and one-half inches foi
the brim. The top piece having been
cut out. It is sewe1 to the crown piece
and is then put on the cloth shell. Once
on the plush nap is turned back at the
Joint, cut OF and stuck on and then
brushed back, which makes a joining
so neat that it is almost impossible to
detect.
'"The hat is put on a potance block
and potanccd, which means simply that
1t is hung on a round block of cloth
covered wood which rests on On 81
bow iron at the hatter's bench and IS
finished over again, after having al
ready been finished witha hot iron ana
plenty Of elbow grease. The edge OF
the brlm is curlcd, the hat is trimmed
bound. the leather sweathand IS in
serted, and then it is ironed again un.
til it shines like glass. After that 1t IL
ready to wear.
1T may be made over whenever the
change in the modes is great enough
TO make this seem desirable, and when
1t gets too dirty 1t may be washed by
the halter and thus thoroughly cleans
ed. When he makes 1t over he strips
the plush from the frame and starts az
the beginning again, just as for new
hat, with this exception. that he Vas
the groundwork and has simply to
shape it again. If any piece OF the
silk looks worn he win replace 1t 50
deity that one may not be detected
from the ctscr, and thus ths silk hat
may be said never to war outn--
Providence Journal.