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  [Transcriber's Note: Italic text is represented by _underscores_.
  Small capitals in the original have been converted to all capitals.
  Footnotes have been moved to the end of the text.]




  A TREATISE

  ON

  HAT-MAKING AND FELTING,

  INCLUDING A FULL

  EXPOSITION OF THE SINGULAR PROPERTIES
  OF FUR, WOOL, AND HAIR.


  BY

  JOHN THOMSON,
  A PRACTICAL HATTER.


  PHILADELPHIA:
  HENRY CAREY BAIRD,
  INDUSTRIAL PUBLISHER,
  406 Walnut Street.

  LONDON:
  E. & F. N. SPON,
  48 Charing Cross.

  1868.




  Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1868, by

  HENRY CAREY BAIRD,

  in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States
  in and for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.


  PHILADELPHIA:
  COLLINS, PRINTER, 705 JAYNE STREET.




CONTENTS.


  Descriptions of furs, wools, hairs, &c.      11

  The fulling mill                             24

  History of hats and hatting                  25

  The fashions                                 28

  Preparation of materials                     29

  Stiffening and water-proofing materials      31

  The blowing machine                          35

  The manufacture of hats                      36

  Shaving                                      44

  Stiffening process                           44

  Ruffing or napping                           45

  Blocking                                     47

  Dyeing                                       47

  Pumicing or pouncing                         48

  Finishing                                    49

  Silk hatting                                 52

  Forming machines                             56

  Shoes and gaiters of felt                    60

  Printer's sheets                             61

  Cloth hats                                   63

  Conclusion                                   65




TREATISE ON HAT-MAKING AND FELTING.


It is conceded as an axiom, that theory and practice, in the pursuit of
any object, are in their natures essentially different and distinct.
But at the same time they long for a mutual understanding each to
confirm the assertions of the other, the consummation of all practical
results being the mutual embrace and perfect reconciliation of these
two attributes.

The writer of these pages, being a practical hatter, desires to
describe intelligibly his calling, dispensing with all technical
terms, at the same time conscious of being liable to receive an unfair
criticism from his brother tradesmen, although perfectly innocent
on their part, resulting from the prejudices engendered by the many
would-be secrets that pertain to the different work-shops, together
with their various modes and methods of working, all of which most
generally are but trifles merely to gain a name.

The practice of a trade without a knowledge of the why and the
wherefore of certain usages is a sad defect in any workman, but
more especially in certain trades: Hatting being one of those which
depends upon _second_ causes for its proficiency, we venture here an
explanation with perfect confidence, hoping that the fraternity of
hatters will be indulgent, and that they may profit by an experience
of many years in the trade, and that for one error or omission in the
writing of these sheets they will find compensation in the new ideas
that will spring from their perusal, which may be an incentive to
further improvements in the business resulting beneficially to all.

Theory without practice, or practice without theory, is like groping in
the dark, and perfection in no trade can be attained till every effect
can be traced to its cause, and _vice versa_.

It is much to be regretted that practical operative workmen are so
diffident in writing and publishing their experience in their several
trades and occupations, quietly permitting theorists ignorant of
the business to glean as best they can from other parties the most
intricate and complicated particulars of a trade, and hence the attempt
to illustrate the most useful branches of an art often results in crude
and even erroneous descriptions of things of the greatest moment, and
the dissemination as correct, of that which is altogether at variance
with the truth. In confirmation of the above, we may instance the
manufacture of hats as described in a work of much merit, and which is
accounted as worthy of all confidence, wherein the error above spoken
of is but too plainly visible. Thus, in the supplement to the third
edition