Hat Making Tool: Hinge-Shackle style Wooden Curling Tool for the Homburg Hat Brim

This tool has been “SOLD”, but I can make more.

Please email me at:
mark@decoustudio.com

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Update 1-15-2009:
“Zee” posted a testimony on the Hinge Curler for the Homburg Hat on another project posting of mine. Here’s what he had to say:

”....Just to let you know, the gear you crafted for me are working a treat; I’ll be making another homburg for my cousin – will send you a picture…..”

Update 10-22-2008
This is another Hat Making Tool that I dreamed up on my own. The customer’s name is “Zee” and he responded below in the comment section if you would like to see his feelings about how this curling tool worked for him. I’m hoping we can post some photos of his finished hats with the Homburg Style curl made with this tool.

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Project Story:

I’ve been asked to create a curling tool for the brim edge of a Fedora hat, in a style of hat called a Homburg Style.

The most notable example of the Homburg Hat is the Michael Corleone Hat from the “Godfather” Movie series. I don’t remember which of the three movies it was featured in, probably the third one.

Normally, this style of brim edge is fashioned by ironing the hat blank upside down on a carved wooden form, called a Flange.

These flanges are fairly rare, and expensive if you can find an antique one. So, The concept here with the “experiment” is to try and create the curl on the edge of the brim with a hinge-shackle curling tool with water and steam heat.

To design the tool, I looked closely at the profile of a Homburg Flange, and tried to duplicate it in a hand held curling tool, where pressure could be applied to the back side of the curl, thus the moving hinge shackel section. The Hinge-Shackle is not a new concept, I saw a drawing of one in an old hat making manual by Ermatinger, and adapted the idea to a new method for working the brim curl.

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Homburg Hat Style Fedora:

Here I/m giving the hinge-shackle curler a run through, with my practice-shop hat, and it has not been wetted, or steamed in the photos.

Here’s where I adpated the concept from, an old drawing from the Ermatinger book showing a Hinge-Shackle curling tool, hinged so that the tool can be removed without disturbing the curl.

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Artisan Hat Tools by Mark DeCou Studio
(Do you want to see More? Just follow these links):

NOTE:
ALL HAT MAKING ITEMS THAT I HAVE IN STOCK
ARE LISTED IN MY ETSY.COM ONLINE SHOP, click here to check inventory

Collector Edition Model Rounding Jacks:

1. Ebonized Walnut with Laser Engraving
2. Collector Model w/ a Brass Blade Holder

Deluxe Model Rounding Jacks:

1. Maple Deluxe Model, Counter Clockwise Cutter
2. Maple Deluxe Model, Clockwise Cutter

Hobbyist-Hatter Model Rounding Jacks:

1. Walnut Hobbyist-Hatter Model, Counter Clockwise Cutter
2. Walnut Hobbyist-Hatter Model, Clockwise Cutter

Customized Rounding Jacks, Personalized for Specific Hatters:

1. Spradley Hats in Apline, TX
2. Rachel Pollock of La Bricoleuse
3. Brainpan Hat Shop in Sumner, WA
4. Steve Delk's Adventurebilt Hat Co.
5. Marc Kitter's Adventurebilt Hat Co.
6. Pyrate Trading Co.
7. Hatman Jack at Wichita Hat Works
8. Inaaya Hat Co.
9. Penman Hat Co.

Formillons & Conformateurs:

1. Complete Restoration of a Maillard Conformateur and Formillon
2. New DeCou Formillion & Conformer, Prototypes #1 & #2
3. Custom Designed Conformateur Carrying & Storage Case
4. New Plot Base Board for the Maillard Allie Formillon
5. Maple Wrench for Tightening Formillon Thumbnuts

Foot Tollikers:

1. Left-Handed & Right-Handed Foot Tolliker
2. Foot Tolliker: Elk Antler & Birch Wood, on a Display Stand
3. Foot Tolliker: Walnut Wood, on a Display Stand
4. Foot Tollikers: Three in White Birch Wood
5. Foot Tollikers: Walnut Wood Set of Four
6. Foot Tollikers, Birch Wood Double Set, on Display Stand

Brim Edge Curling Tools:

1. Hinge-Shackle Curling Tool for the Homburg Hat
2. Full Circle Shackle Curling Tool
3. Half Circle Shackle Curling Tool
4. Groove Tolliker Curing Tool

Hat Block Spinners:

1. Hard Rock Maple and Walnut Ornamentally Turned Hat Block Spinners

Puller Downers:

1. Puller Downers, made in Birch & Maple

Pusher Downers:

1. Pusher Downers, made in Walnut, Hard Rock Maple, & Poplar

Stainless Steel Slip Stick:

1. “Coming Soon”, please check back.

My Website with other woodworking, including furniture, walking canes, scrimshaw artwork, custom knives, and other misc. items

Mark DeCou Studio Website

(Note:This project story, project design, and photos are protected by copyright in 2008-2009 by the Author, M.A.DeCou., all rights reserved, no use allowed without expressed written permission.)

-- Mark DeCou - American Contemporary Craft Artisan - www.decoustudio.com