Photos of hatters tools

[ManofKent]

Ole - the numbering on your rule is a lot neater - the fractions on mine are all over the place!

 

[TheDane]

Ole - the numbering on your rule is a lot neater - the fractions on mine are all over the place!

Exactly! Which goes for both mine and John's. That does in my mind also point toward your's as the oldest - but it's just plain guessing on my part, though

 

[John Galt]

It's not that "young." ;-)

Mine is reliably dated between 1874 to 1897 based on the operating years of the Hartford, Connecticut hat shop that is identified on the side of the ruler.


"Faint hat never won fair lady."

 

[TheDane]

John, I'm sorry I didn't put the youngster in quotes in my latest post (or this)

"dated between 1874 to 1897" ... WoW, it's older than Cher! I really didn't realize that

 

[John Galt]

Yes, mine is a late 1800's American model. I don't imagine yours is any earlier based on the company & font style, but I can make no claim of any real knowledge in that regard.


"Faint hat never won fair lady."

I actually meant "later" here. I agree with Ole that the Christy's ruler appears older. We know that the company is very old, and the non-uniform fractions does objectively seem to suggest more extreme age, akin to non-standardized spelling in old documents.



"Faint hat never won fair lady."

 

[TheDane]

Another interesting difference is the range of hat sizes. They all start at 5 7/8, but Richard's and mine stop at 7 3/4 - while your goes all the way to 8. In the late 1800s that was h-u-g-e!

 

[Hatter4]

I have a hatter's rule marked J.R.Mast,co 111 Mercer st NY and it also stops at 8 . Mast was a supplier of hatters tools.

 

[John Galt]

I have a hatter's rule marked J.R.Mast,co 111 Mercer st NY and it also stops at 8 . Mast was a supplier of hatters tools.

Maybe you could post photos of yours too. It would be neat to compare the figures...


"Faint hat never won fair lady."

 

[John Galt]

Another interesting difference is the range of hat sizes. They all start at 5 7/8, but Richard's and mine stop at 7 3/4 - while your goes all the way to 8. In the late 1800s that was h-u-g-e!

It's still huge! Although average head sizes have gotten bigger (anecdotally - I'm confident but have no studies), I doubt if there has been much movement at the extremes. Also, size 8 is ostensibly - depending on which hat ruler you use - the same size now as then ;-)


"Faint hat never won fair lady."

 

[John Galt]

I have a hatter's rule marked J.R.Mast,co 111 Mercer st NY and it also stops at 8 . Mast was a supplier of hatters tools.

I looked this up, and note that this was actually J.B. Mast Co. per several sources including the American Hatter. I don't know if "J.R." was a typo or an illegible letter on your ruler, and want to help you and others find information on this old school hat supply company that apparently dates to at least the 1880's.


"Faint hat never won fair lady."

 

[Hatter4]

Here's a picture of front and back of my hatter's rule, showing the number 8. And, you were right John, it is J B Mast - it was difficult to read that tiny lettering.

 

[John Galt]

Rotated & reoriented. Frankly, the lettering looked like "JM" to me, so you did much better than I would have done based on the font. I guess it's a good thing you were that close - a search for JM may not have yielded results leading to the proper name...

"Faint hat never won fair lady."

 

[Hatter4]

I have been looking for an electric shell iron, does anyone know of any for sale?

 

[OT1899]

I have been looking for an electric shell iron, does anyone know of any for sale?

If I may ask, what is an electric shell iron?

 

[John Galt]

Thanks for asking, I was gonna...

Here's one that passed me by on eBay while I was broke, at an amazing $77 - a rounding jack in a configuration I've not previously seen.

"Faint hat never won fair lady."

 

[Hatter4]

here are two photos of an electric shell iron

 

[OT1899]

here are two photos of an electric shell iron
View attachment 7003 View attachment 7004

Wow. I had no idea and I don't think I have ever seen one for sale. Good luck in your search.

 

[Mr.Astor]

It appears to me in your photos John that the material on the block is fiberglass matting covered with epoxy

 

[TheDane]

It appears to me in your photos John that the material on the block is fiberglass matting covered with epoxy

This one is obviously straw - but I can't say for sure, that some of the rest isn't covered in fibreglass.

hatter4: It's very rare to see an electric shell iron up for sale. I would try to make one myself. If you make the heating element, you'll have to know what you're doing, to be safe. Instead, you could dismantle an old electric iron and make it heavier. The only difference between an ordinary iron and a shell iron is the weight.

 

[Hatter4]

I have an old electric shell iron. My friend took it apart - there had been a fire in it and the element was destroyed. There is no way to rewire it. In the early American Hatter's Supply catalog, they were listed in 9 lb or 12 lb sizes and they sold for $22.50.