Leather Tricorne

[Arethusa]

Hey, this is my first post. I'm looking for a leather tricorn (not necessarily a repoduction from Pirates of the Caribbean or Brotherhood of the Wolf, but I'm not opposed to that, depending on the price and the quality of the hat). I've looked for a while, but the few good hatmakers I've found only work in felt, which I realize is period specific, but not what I'm looking for at the moment. Are there any good hatmakers out there that would work in waxed leather? Thanks in advance.

[HarborMaster]

Welcome. this hat maker has made two tricorns fer me as well as a civil war Kepi. they are a good hat.

Excalibur Leather

[Arethusa]

I just ran across that link poking through some older threads, actually. It doesn't look bad at all, but the shape seems a bit off from what I'd be looking for, and the leather's not waxed (and brighter than I'd prefer, though I don't know if they can do anything about that). I know I said I'm not looking for a reproduction, but are there any hatmakers out there that offer something more or less like this, but in a dark brown, antiqued waxed leather?

[edit]

I should clarify that I'm not absolutely adamant about the leather being waxed, but I am fairly sure I am at least looking for a relatively subdued shape and a dark, antiqued color.

Edited March 23, 2006 by Arethusa

[Pirate Petee]

Thats not leather, love. Thats treated felt. From CAptain Jacks. Hats

He makes some really good quality hats. Most are Very period and authentic looking. They are felt so they fit and form good, they don't look all over sized akward and frumpy. With the wax and oiled kind they are water proofed too.

[Arethusa]

No, I know where it's from. I actually emailed him today and asked if he'd be willing to offer waxed leather, and he said he only wanted to stick to period authentic materials (I'm not sure if cashmere felt is really any more appropriate than leather, if at all, but). Which is a shame, really, because I rather liked that hat, aside from the material (which, to be fair, I also like, but I am more interested in the aforementioned leather, at the moment).

[Pirate Petee]

I saw a site just the other day that has some leather tricorns. Let me see if I can find it again.

[Pirate Petee]

Found it, but in my opinion they look a bit silly and very over priced.

Hats

[Arethusa]

Yeep. Wish I could disagree. I sort of like the antiquing, though it's really way over the top, and, yeah, shape's off too. And those prices are insane.

[HarborMaster]

can you post us a link to this person that makes these., so we can look at their stuff as well.,I am interested. I love hats., i collect them.

Good luck on your quest but it sounds like youve already found what you want really.

[Arethusa]

Yeah, the one I posted is a Jack Sparrow hat. I'm not looking to get this for reenactment or historical accuracy, and all the designs that suit what I'm looking for seem to be based on PotC in some way. I'm not opposed to getting a Jack Sparrow hat— it's just not specifically or exclusively what I'm looking for. Shame that Brotherhood of the Wolf never got such attention.

The hat I posted is waxed felt, and as Petee noted, it's from [yrl=http://www.captjackspiratehats.com/]Captain Jack's Pirate Hats[/url]. As I said, I emailed him and he said he doesn't have any interest in working in leather, hence the continuing search.

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

Monterey Jack made one I believe, and he works at a leather dealer/store, you might inquire of him to do a custom job.

Capt. Bo

[Gentleman of Fortune]

Did you check out Harbor Master's link to Excaliber hats? They seem to have what you say you looking for... antiqued brown hat...

You might contact them dirctly to see if they can make modifications as to color etc.

Also, if you really want a "Jack-Sparrow-hat-but-it-doesn't-have-to-be-a-Jack-Sparrow-hat", you might have to do some modifications yourself...

Try google "waxed leather" or Leather wax and get something like this

http://www.marmotmountain.com/MMWmain.asp?...tyleID=10007798

and do the waxing yourself.

Since working with felt and working with leather are two different things, I can understand Capt Jack's reluctance to take on the venture...

Good Luck though.

GoF

[HarborMaster]

Here is a leather hat on a budget., however i haver never seen it., but its a start and you can do anything you like once its in your possesion., and for a leather its cheap The Tudor Shop

Then there is the Winfield Cover Co. which is probably the better of the 2.

[Bilgemunky]

I've not yet seen their work upclose, but Pyrate Leatherworx makes some rough&tumble looking leather hats, with prices starting at $90.

[Arethusa]

Alright, changing things around a bit, let's say I definitely did want a Jack Sparrow hat (as it seems the only ones I'm liking are the ones that get closest to his anyway). I've only seem one that actually gets the shape right. For comparison:

And that would of course be Captain Jack's Pirate Hats. But, as noted, he doesn't do leather, so are there any hatmakers who do work in leather that get it right?

[Gentleman of Fortune]

and the problem with an a waxed wool felt hat that looks exactly like you want is...................................?

GoF

[HarborMaster]

If you want a leather hat its pretty easy to shape it almost any way you want it.

I sort of did my own bending to an Excaliber to get what i wanted..,but if your wanting an exact replica., you may have to settle for a felt.,

Its up to you.,it would have been just alot easier to say you wanted a Jack Sparrow hat., instead of

I'm looking for a leather tricorn (not necessarily a repoduction from Pirates of the Caribbean

Now I am really confused.

It may be easier to go with the felt Captain Jacks as opposed to the $480 Baron hats or shape your own from a leather one . At least this way you can get a PoTC hat. Ya gotta admit they are good looking., and felt., and water proofed and cheaper., hard to go wrong there .

The main visual differance I can see right away is., the leather hats., and the one in Depps .,Captain Jack pictures is., there is a piece of material sewn over the edge all the way around the brim., and felts dont have that unless you add it? course thats not necessary.,Thats a bit Superfluous really isnt it? Unless you want a hat kind of like Capn Sparrows almost but not exactly like a PotC hat kinda sorta? Savvy ? Did I just say that? Parlay.,Parlay.,must be french !! Is it not?

[Gentleman of Fortune]

I think that Harbor Master and I have/had the same interpretation!

GoF

[HarborMaster]

ROFLMAO

I am with ya GoF ., *Wicked-Wicked-Grin*

Arethusa., Dont know what to say., if you want a leather you can do a little bending.,its easy.

If you want it out the box ready to go., Captain jacks is your best bet.,unless you got 480.00

As a side note I have a custom (Blocked) key word here., blocked .......leather hat., trust me you do not want it., a block hat is where the crown of the hat is watered down to a point it can be stretched over a wooden head., to give that domed look you get in a 27 dollar Jas townsend felt hat., "a period correct crown look" however in a leather that leaves the leather., stretched thin and Brittle feeling., dry and easy to crack., I have softened mine up with mink oil., and even that is good for only a few weeks. It ruins them. that 480 dollar hat crown looks no better than my custom., Take the Captain Jacks if you want the easy road to PotC ..., Get a Jas Townsend blank for 27., and do your own for a crown not ruined., or by a leather and reshape the brim . I have not found a good leather crown that wasnt sewn to be a crown.

[Kathyrn Ramsey]

I have not seen this one in person but here is a leather hat for $75.00 from Museum Replicas.... mind you though again i have not ever seen it.

Museum Replicas - Capt Jack Hat in Leather

[Arethusa]

Its up to you.,it would have been just alot easier to say you wanted a Jack Sparrow hat., instead of

I'm looking for a leather tricorn (not necessarily a repoduction from Pirates of the Caribbean

Now I am really confused.

Honestly, I didn't, initially. Seeing other variations on the theme has just pushed me in that direction.

There's nothing wrong, obviously with Captain Jack's felt hat. I like it. Hell, at some point, I'd like to get it. I'm just interested in one made of leather— or, at least, I thought I was. Given what you said about blocking destroying the leather, I'm not so sure, now.

As for visual differences, I think the most noticable is actually not the taping around the brim (which I think the original has anyway, though it's much less pronounced than on the leather replicas I've seen) but the size and shape of the panels that get folded up (I sorry, I'm probably using all the wrong terminologoy here). They're larger and squared off at the top unlike the other hats. That, I can't do so much about with shaping it (though thank you for pointing out that they're a little more flexible than I thought).

[HarborMaster]

Actually on felt., you can steam it over a boiling pot of water on your stove. this will allow you to shape it. On the leather., they have a wire under that "trim on the brim" that allows you to shape it., also you can untie the leathercross's holding the sides up and use contact cement to hold in place what you want for a shape., then retie the cross and press your glue., and it will stay where you put it.

Another thing on leather most are not blocked., therefore you get a good crown., the only messed up crowns on leather is when they are blocked.,just dont buy one of those

and one more thing., alot of leather hats are 4" brim., if you buy one from excaliber., over the phone., you can request a 5" brim., this is key to a better looking tricorn., just as most felts are a 5 and not a 4. Also you can request whatever color and leather type you want at excaliber., for no extra charge., the price is for whoch ever the style cut.

there fore say the Jack sparrow they sell., with a requested 5" brim and in a differant leather type or color is the same price.

[Zath Chauvert]

I have not seen this one in person but here is a leather hat for $75.00 from Museum Replicas.... mind you though again i have not ever seen it.

Museum Replicas - Capt Jack Hat in Leather

It's kind of annoying that the picture they give for the hat doesn't show what the crown looks like. However, assuming that they used the same hat, then you can see what the crown looks like in the picture that they give for their "French highwayman coat."

[Pirate Petee]

I've seen this guy at a lot of fairs in So Cal, he goes as Jack and I guess makes his own hats. He actually made a Jack Sparrow hat out of Louis Vutton material for his girlfriend, only in Cali. But his Jack hats look pretty spot on.

JAck Sparrow Hat

[Ace of Harbor Bay]

To be really picky Petee... it's not really very acurate. It's one of the closest I have seen (other than Christine's friend Toby's which is not perfect but damn close!).

I have seen this hat on MANY Sparrows out there and it ALWAYS looks goofy from certain angles. He's very careful about the pictures angels.

The actual Sparrow hat is really quite thin leather and squashes very easily. The crown of the hat is a seperate part from the brim as well.

That's how I've made mine. I've made 3 now and I am still not happy with the shape or the color as far as being spot on. However I do a spoof when performing so it doesn't matter at all.

I would like to make a fully accurate Sparrow hat someday just to have.

I do understand why many of them out there are so expensive as a lot of time goes into them.