Should the soft hats not be pressed, they will be cut to the width ordered, and curled, either by hand, or by a machine worked by the engine. If finished by hand, use is made of a wooden or metallic gauge Q, Fig. 828, with a steel cutter sliding out to any suitable diameter. Drawing the finished hat over a block, and adjusting the latter upon a cutting-board, the knife a is thrust against the hat. Holding the block firmly with the left hand, the right moves the cutter round the hat, paring it olean and level. By inserting a stout cord or leather strap under the edge, just sufficient of the felt over this cord with the left hand, and following it closely with a hot iron in the right, half the circle is completed. By turning the block round, the remainder of the curl is finished. The iron must not scorch the felt, as neither the curl nor the binding of the bat will cover it. Should it occur, the effect may be removed by scraping with a knife and steaming afterwards. The hat is then ready for the trimmer.
Trimming and Shaping.—The hard hats coming from the hand of the finisher pass to the shaping department, to receive various treatment, according to the style of curl required in the brim. Should the hats be of common wool, many improved machines are now used in the best establish ments to supersede skilled labour. First, the style known as " plain shape," i.e. a hard hat having the brim cut to the size, simply receives a binding, sewn down with an ordinary Thomas' sewing machine, having the leather and lining sewn in previously. The so-called " Anglesea curl " needs different treatment. However, both styles must first be out in the brim. To obtain a fine light appearance, the shoulders on the back and front of the hat are cut narrower than the sides and front. If good judgment be displayed in this process, the value of the goods will be much increased. The useful and simple machine shown in 0 (Fig. 828) effeotually performs this operation on both fine and common hats. The machine is firmly fixed on a bench. The plate a is shaped to suit the style, giving the exact width on the shoulders ; b holds the hat firmly by expanding in four parts, the circle being completed by a strong indiarubber band, which adheres firmly to the inside of the hat, and is held in a state of tension by the lever d, drawn round a ratchct-wheel and locked by a catch ; c forms a double lever, with a hinge that allows it to be lifted from the lower part, which is slotted out and marked off in inches, thus making it adjustable for any width of brim. Underneath the upper half of this lever, is a small cutter. After setting the machine, the hat is fixed firmly, as described, by lifting the upper portion of the lever, so that the brim of the hat rests upon the lower. The top lever is then pressed down, forcing the cutter through the felt. At e, are fixed two small pulleys, grooved to fit the edge of the plate a, running
loosely round it. The operator draws the plate a with the left hand, and holding it stationary with the right, pulls the lever f, connected with the lever c above, and thus evenly cuts the entire brim.
If the bats are rounded for plain shapes, they are at once sent to he trimmed. Those intended to be shaped and bound by hand go to the shaping-room for roll curls. The shaper cuts a piece of swans'-down in a half circle to fit half the hat-brim, and puts this over the brim, wetting it with a sponge, ironing round the outer edge, and curling it with a tool similar to H (Fig. 827). With a chisel or small plane, he shears the edge, to produce a smart appearance. When a dozen of the assorted sizes are complete, they are forwarded for trimming.
The "flat" or "Anglesea" curl is the next in importance, and is the most popular curl used in hard felt hats. It can be pulled up as in the last process by a hand tool, and ironed flat on the outer edge to a sharp angle, the securing of which should be the first object, whether by hand or by machine ; if the operation is badly performed, and a thick edge is left, that which should he effective and light in appearance looks clumsy, and more like the former curl spoiled. The shaper conducting this operation by hand pares the curl to in. on the centre of the sides, running it to 4 in. in front, with a clean even sweep of a chisel or plane. This finishes the curl, and the hat is ready for the trimmer. Hand curling is used mostly for very fine work at present, and for silk gossamer-body hats. But where price and quality are considerations, the following processes can be used without skilled labour, and will give fair results, besides saving at least five men's labour in pressing the curls. The press shown in Fig. 822, and described under the head of "pressing," p. 1115, is worked as previously explained, only instead of a dish, D is a mould, constructed in the form of a curl. The hat must have the shellac or proof softened, as by a hot iron, which can be done in the brim-heating apparatus, Fig. 824. The brim in A is heated ; the upper ring B is brought down upon it, the brim is heated until soft, and is then placed upon the mould A in the press (Fig. 822). Applying strong pressure, the curl is moulded into shape to produce a sharp edge. A press of similar construction is now in use to produce a feather edge, without ironing ; it works very satisfactorily for medium and common goods, but after such pressing, the curls must be raised by a thin wooden or metallic plough to the angle desired. Cutting tho curl to size, the hats are ready for the trimmer.