Scientific hat finishing and renovating; a complete and profusely illustrated course of instruction, enabling the novice to acquire the art of finishing and remodeling hats of all varieties according to tested and approved methods

Front matter

S C I E N T I F I C

HAT FINISHING and RENOVATlil

Henry L. Ermatingei

Preface

TN publishing this book it has been our aim to give *• to hat finishers and renovators a text book such as has heretofore been possessed by practically every craft but that of hatting. While the need for such a book has been keenly realised, the jealousy with which the secrets of the trade have been guarded by those competent to teach them has been an insurmountable difficulty to overcome in the past.

The present volume, it is believed, is as complete and explicit as it is possible to make. "Scientific Hat Finishing and Renovating" is really a remarkable achievement. The reader will soon realize that it is more than a set of instructions — it is this, plus a running fire of confidential advice and counsel from a man wfao ihas been a practical hatter all his life and has] learned the little shortcuts and economies that distinguish the expert from the beginner. If you need a cigar-box for pouncing paper and chalk he does not advise you to get a costly cabinet. Throughout the book there are hardheaded hints that will be of value to the hatter already established as well as to the man planning to open a shop.

Besides the satisfaction of filling a genuine need and helping to elevate the craft of hatting, we feel a

v sentimental interest in sponsoring this book, for John Henry Ermatinger, father of the author, was one of our early customers and Mr. Ermatinger himself is still on our books as a regular purchaser. As far back as 1862 John Henry Ermatinger was purchasing goods from us; and his son, the author of this book, has in his possession an old bill from us dated in that year.

While we have made no endeavor to advertise our products in this book, we wish to call the reader's attention to the fact that all supplies mentioned may be obtained from us.

ROBERTS, CUSHMAN & CO.

New York, February, 1919.

vi

Contents

Introductory 1

From the Business Man's Point of View 5

Establishing the Shop 9

CHAPTER I From the Business Man's Point of View

THIS book is intended primarily to give the reader a thorough instruction in the interesting and remunerative craft of Scientific Hat Finishing and Renovating, as indicated in the title. It must be remembered, however, that the hatter who opens a shop for the expert repairing and manufacture of hats is also a business man; he must follow the precepts of conduct of other men who have served the public successfully; he must possess a knowledge of bookkeeping and business arithmetic; he must know how to pick the most advantageous location ; how to equip and furnish his shop, how to approach customers; and many an expert craftsman whose work was unimpeachable, has been brought upon the rocks because of ignorance or neglect of one of these details.

This chapter will be devoted to a few necessary suggestions developed from a life-long experience in this work — suggestions which must be considered and adopted before the beginner can open his shop with assurance of success.

Every man with experience in independent business life, who has had to cut a place for himself among competitors and build up a business from a small beginning, has found indispensable certain primary attributes of conduct.

Before his special capacities can be of use to him he must be industrious, patient, sober, polite, ingenious and honest. With these virtues and even a minimum of business acumen, you can have in a few years, by the conscientious study and practice of the methods described here, an establishment that will take care of yourself and family and assure you a comfortable income during your lifetime.

Have patience. It takes time to establish yourself in the confidence of the people of a town, but if you can clean and block a hat better than your competitor, and if you have the ambition to succeed, and the heart to work for success, nothing can prevent your having phenomenal success, except things over which we have no control. Each job you turn out should be perfect. If you make up your mind not to tolerate slighted work, your satisfied customers will talk about you and advertise you as nothing else can do. Every customer has his circle of friends, and they in turn have theirs, and if you learn your business and get a reputation for doing thorough, conscientious work your success is assured. Like an endless chain this gratuitous advertising from a pleased customer to his friends continues indefinitely, and in a few years you can ask the highest price for your labor and have the satisfaction of turning out nothing but the best work, and absolutely ignoring the cheap competition of bootblacks.

Fkom the Business Man's Point of View

Be sober. No man in business can expect to succeed if he wastes time and money on liquor. All classes of people must be dealt with and many will refrain from patronizing a business man who goes on periodical sprees. And whether or not your customer has any prejudice in this direction he certainly will hesitate before entrusting you with a $5.00 felt hat, or a $10.00, or perhaps a $50.00, Panama hat, if it be known that you are a drinking man. Your lady customers particularly will be inclined to discontinue their patronage should you attempt to wait on them while under the influence of liquor.

Be polite. This is another great attribute, and the business man with the smile and cheery "good-morning" and "thank you, sir," and "call again," will succeed ahead of his competitor, who, although perhaps a better workman, is possessed with an ever-present grouch. Politeness is one of the greatest "tradegetters" in business.

Ingenuity and energy are also of vital importance. No ambitious business man should be afraid in his busy season to work ten or twelve hours a day when every hour he is coining money. The author's motto has always been to "make hay while the sun shines." For over twenty years, during the Panama season, he has labored sixteen and even eighteen hours a day, turning out from three to four dozen jobs a day, averaging $1.25 each, with the assistance of an apprentice and two hat trimmers (girls).

Honesty is one of the main essentials to success. Be honest to your trade, to yourself and to your help. Give your customers the best that is in you, and always do what you agreed to do. Never slight your work nor turn the old ribbons inside out if you are being paid for new ones, as these small tricks will soon be discovered and will work untold injury to your business. Charge uniform prices to all excepting to the retail hatter, who, acting as your agent and sending you many hats during the month, is justly entitled to about 20 per cent, commission on all work sent. To your help be true but firm, according to your established rules. If they are efficient and are interested in your welfare, treat them with consideration and fairness, and you will be amply repaid. Be honest with yourself. You cannot work seven days in the week and continue to give your customers your best work. In your busiest season, when work piles up in spite of your utmost efforts during the week, it will seem as if you must work on Sunday. My advice is, don't do it. Get to your work an hour 'or two earlier in the morning, when you feel freshest and when there are fewer interruptions to continuous work. You will accomplish as much, if not more, than you would by working on the day provided for rest, and you will find that it agrees with you better. Rest and recreation on Sunday builds the nerve and tissue which keeps you going to the limit of your capacity.

The above principles have been formulated during a successful business career. I have found them as indispensable in the hat business as they are in the banking business or any other occupation or trade that throws men on their own resources and brings them into contact with their fellows.

CHAPTER II Establishing the Shop

Choosing Your Work

FIRST decide just what the extent of your business will be. There are two kinds of hat renovating shops — three, in fact. You can make your living by repairing, renovating and remodeling only, or you can buy stiff and soft hat bodies in the rough and finish them in styles locally favored, displaying them in your window with a card — "Made to Order — Only $3.00" — thereby building up a retail business in connection with your renovating establishment, or you can sell the hats that you finish yourself to the local retailers.

Most hatters find it profitable to combine manufacturing in this small way with their repair work. This program has the advantage of giving the hatters some well-paying work to which to devote their time in what would ordinarily be the dull season for renovating work. The methods and processes for finishing hats from bodies in the rough will be fully described in detail in this series.

In deciding how best to dispose of the hats you turn out — whether to offer them at retail yourself or to sell them to the retailers in your locality — there are several things to consider. If you sell the hats at retail, you, of course, can get a higher price per hat. This proceeding, however, sometimes arouses the enmity of the retailers who might otherwise secure for you a great deal of renovating work, though if you do good, reliable work, and there is no better man in the neighborhood, they probably will send you their renovates in spite of their disapproval of your competition. _> T r Picking a Location

After you have decided what the scope of your business is to be you are ready for the first active step in the establishment of your shop — that of picking a location.

The things to look for are — a location on a main street, preferably near some large hotel or business block, a low rent, an attractive front if you can get it, and a three to five year lease. Of course a finishing and renovating shop cannot pay such a high rent as, for instance, a retail hat, shoe, clothing or furnishing goods store might pay. Nor is it necessary. Such a shop requires less space, a less attractive front, and need be less particular about its neighbors than the ordinary retail store. By careful search you can always find a small store on a good business street at a reasonable rental. In cases where a small store is not available, it is often advisable to rent a larger store and sublet one-half of it to a tailor, barber or some one else who will draw men to your neighborhood.

Give a week of your time to this most important step. Ascertain the rent on all the small, vacant stores on your main streets, take the list home with you and make careful comparisons. Some will have one advantage, some another. A modern front will be discounted by a high rent, a well-located store you will be unable to secure on a long enough lease to

Establishing the Shop make it a safe proposition, and so on. If you find it possible to save $10 to $25 a month, though at the expense of a modern, attractive front, I would advise you to take the place, provided it is in a favorable location and you can secure a three to five year lease. You can always have the front repainted in some lively color or even put in an entire new front if you have a long enough lease.

Heat, Light and Water

It is important that your store have running water and an abundance of natural light. The better the light the better your workmanship will be. A good supply of light also goes a long way toward making an inviting establishment. Running water is an essential, a great deal of water being used in doing first-class work.

If possible, have your shop connected with gas, which is useful both for lighting purposes and for heating your irons, bakers, sandbags and water. Gas is by far the best heat-producer and the steadiest for conforming stiff hats. If gas cannot be obtained you can get along with electricity by equipping yourself with an electric iron and stove, procurable from the hatters' supply houses. If neither gas nor electricity are available, or expedient, a two-burner gasoline stove will give good service, being far preferable to the old system of heating slugs in a coke fire.

Work in Front of the Store

In considering the various stores that come under your attention, choose a front that will allow you to have your finisher's bench where passers-by will be able to see you at work. If you intend to retail the hats you make you may display a few in the windows, but not enough to obstruct the view into the store. The best ad and the surest business-getter for the hat repairer is the sight of himself in his clean white apron using his skill on the felt and straw hats that are piled on the bench. You get 75 per cent, of your customers in this way. They pass your store, stop to watch you work — perhaps enter the store and

Establishing the Shop

ask a question or two about the work. Then when their hats need repairing they think of the hatter in the window. Besides this, the front is usually the lightest part of the store, and strong natural daylight is necessary to good work. Also in the front of the store you are directly before your entering customer.

Preliminary Advertising

Just at this time — after the lease is closed, and while you are waiting for your front to be remodeled or your blocks, flanges and trimmings to arrive — a little press agent work is in order. Get the story in circulation that you are about to establish a hat factory. Have a sign painter make you an oil cloth or canvas sign to put in the window or over the store until you are ready to occupy it. Word it about as shown in the illustration. If your shop is to be in a small town, write out an item for the papers to the effect that a hat factory is about to be started.

Your purpose at this time, and, in fact, in all future publicity, should be to become known as a hat factory rather than a little renovating shop. It makes the venture appear larger and creates more interest, besides giving more confidence in your work to people who want repairing or renovating done. Get the people talking about the hat factory that is about to be started and the possibility that if it is successful it will give employment to some of the townspeople — even if the manufacturing is just to be an incidental part of your business to fill in your time profitably during dull seasons. Let the name of the business

carry out this idea. Call yourself the

Hat Mfg. Co. Get established as a manufacturer.

Chapter III

IT is important that the renovator's and finisher's shop be intelligently arranged and equipped. In this there is more to consider than appearance — work will be greatly facilitated if the various departments are arranged consecutively.

The main finishing bench should be in the front of the store, for reasons already given. People stop and look, and your tricks with the iron and the luring pad come into their memory when their hats grow shabby.

The bench is primarily a counter or table on which you can do your work. It must be substantial and may be movable or a permanent fixture. In ordering it at the planing mill, or from a first-class carpenter or wood-worker, the only unusual feature to specify is a semi-circle, 8 inches long and 3 inches wide, which should be sawed out near the left-hand corner of the bench. This is an important feature, required in stiffening and finishing underbrims.

The bench top should be made of some good closegrained hard wood — a walnut top is best — and, of course, most expensive. A maple top costs less and is almost as serviceable. The top should be 6 feet long, 3 feet wide and \ l /\. to 1^ inches thick, made of several boards, nicely dove-tailed together, and finished perfectly smooth. Woods containing turpentine — such as yellow pine — should not be used. Most hatters' supply houses carry finishing benches ready made.

The height of the bench will vary according to the 14 height of the man using it. It should be about 30 to 36 inches.

The necessary tools and appurtenances should be kept on the bench. These are : a small tub of water, in the far right-hand corner; a spinner, in the center; two finisher's sponges, one for light hats and one for dark; two lures, light and dark; a puller down; a runner down ; curling tools, and a cigar box for pouncing paper, tacks, chalk and marking pencils. An inch railing around the back and sides will keep small tools from sliding off the bench.

One or two shelves might be put under the bench, for extra spinners, curling board, brim board, and such tools as are needed only occasionally. Your blocking cords should be kept always handy, on a long nail driven in the right-hand leg of the work bench.

System and cleanliness must be constantly observed. The bench should be thoroughly dusted every morning and the water changed regularly in the finisher's tub.

Directly behind or alongside your finishing bench you will want a row of shelves for your blocks and flanges, and, in fact, anything to be used in the course of your work, for which you have no room on your bench. Eight or ten boards, each ten feet long, ten inches wide and about one inch or three-quarters of an inch thick. These should be installed, one over the other, about eight inches apart, properly braced in the center.

On these you will keep blocks and flanges, etc. Have all the blocks and flanges assorted according to size and style ; mark the size of each block on the edge of the board directly under the spot where it belongs, and always put it back after use. The staple shapes and i

M,

G

S/W lOmdoJ blocks that you most use should, of course, be on the shelves most easily reached, where they are convenient to hand. Systematizing the arrangement of your blocks in this way will help considerably in the busy season.

Next to the rows of shelving, the flanging outfit should be arranged. For a while you can get along very nicely by flanging your brims by hand, but as your work increases it will be real economy to install the labor-saving devices that are provided for this purpose, such as the sand-bag and baker. It is best, therefore, to provide a space for this in the original arrangement, even if this part of the equipment is to be added later. The outfit can be purchased at a reasonable cost and will not occupy much space — say about five feet square. The equipment is explained in detail in a later chapter.

Near the finishing bench should be the trimmer's chair, table and sewing machine which latter must be near a window for light. These also may be dispensed with by the beginner, but will be essential if a business of any volume is to be handled. If you cannot afford a sewing machine at first, a tailor or dressmaker can usually be found who will sew bindings on hats for a small charge. Take an old hat and rip off the trimmings, carefully observing how each piece is sewn on. With the experience gained in this way, and with the information given in the chapter on trimming, to be printed later, you will be able to take care of this work yourself until your business justifies the employment of an expert trimmer or a woman handy with the needle.

An extra table 6 to 8 feet long is a necessity, as well as some light movable hat racks, holding about a dozen hats each, for yourself and the trimmer. Racks with parallel bars are preferable, on which the hats may be rested crown down, with the trimmings placed inside, convenient for your trimmer. These may be lifted and carried from place to place, making them more convenient than the racks on rollers.

A wall case is the preferable place to keep finished work. Here it is convenient, safe and makes a good appearance. If this seems too expensive, however, the hats may be kept in large empty straw hat boxes, procured from the retailers — perhaps three or six hats to a box. This will keep the hats clean until they are called for. A ring should be placed between each, and the customer's name written on the outside of the box. Felt hats and Panamas should be kept in separate boxes.

Trimmings should be kept under lock and key, and for this a closet should be built if the permanent fixtures of the store do not include one.

A desk for personal use, and a file for your correspondence-— for keeping in touch with supply houses and customers will entail quite a volume of letterwriting — will complete the furniture of the store.

In the yard outside, a rainproof roof should be put up, large enough to thoroughly protect your self and your work while cleaning with gasoline. A table for cleaning should be kept under this roof.

The best arrangement, if you plan to employ a helper of some sort — an apprentice or a trimmer — is to divide the store into a front shop and back shop by means of a partition. In the front shop have your finishing bench, with its accessories, including the sand-bag and baker; in the back your gasoline and all the appurtenances for cleaning and washing. The trimming may also be done in this room. There should be no stove of any kind here, owing to the danger from gasoline fumes when the hats are cleaned indoors in cold or rainy weather. The only safe light in the back shop is an incandescent electric light. By doing the cleaning next to a rear window you may do away with artificial light altogether. The danger of heat and flame in a room where gasoline is used cannot be too often mentioned. A stray match or a careless smoker may cause fatal results at any time.

CHAPTER IV Advertising and Business Systems

YOUR shop opened, you face the problems of getting business, of carrying it on without confusion, and of keeping yourself above water financially.

Getting Work by Personal Calls.

Personal solicitation is the best plan for getting business immediately. Spend a few hours each day visiting the homes and business offices in your neighborhood, showing a sample of your work compared with a hat that needs repairing, and leaving your business card at each call. In a few weeks it will pay you to get a solicitor to secure orders on a 20 per cent, commission basis, he to deliver and collect for each job.

Hat Stores and Departments a Source of Income

A quantity of work can be secured from retail stores, both exclusive hatters and hat departments. Call in person upon the managers, and offer them 20 per cent, commission on all cleaning and blocking jobs they can turn over to you. Their relations with the customer put them in a position to get a great deal of this work. In addition to this you can serve them by making new hats to order, conforming derby and stiff straws and remodeling their old stock into salable shapes. If you let it be known that you are equipped to make hats in unusual sizes — smaller than 6^4, and larger than 7}i — the stores will be glad to take orders for you for the sake of satisfying their hard-to-fit customers. Remod-

Advertising and Business Systems

eling work for the retailers requires that you be familiar with the latest shapes and style tendencies, and for this I would recommend a careful inspection of. the pages of The American Hatter each month. The charge to the retailer for altering old stock should be from $6 to $12 per dozen, according to the amount of work involved. Practically all of this is clear profit to yourself. Your terms can be either cash or delivery of job or payment by the month.

Best Forms of Advertising.

Your local newspaper is the best medium when you decide to break into publicity. If nothing else, you can afford a small ad in the Sunday issue. I have found the following form effective, inserted in the want columns :

Wanted — 1000 men to have their old hats made new. Panama and straw hat bleaching a specialty. Workmanship guaranteed. Mail orders solicited. The Blank Hat Mfg. Co., 1612 Main St.

As the business expands a street car ad, and later a trial at bill-board advertising will prove profitable. If possible install a telephone, and your ad in the classified trades column of the phone directory, offering to call for and deliver work, will keep your business before a desirable class of people. Compile a list of business and professional men from the city directory or phone book, and address them a personal letter, brief and well-worded. A letter like the one shown on the next page can be turned out by a copying or fac-simile printing company in quantities at a very nominal sum.

Your window should be one of your best advertisements. Display an old hat — not so old as to make it ridiculous — but one that shows plainly the effect of grease, wear and handling. Beside it show one of the same shape and color that you have recently repaired. Put a card below each hat — "Before Cleaning" — and "After Cleaning." This is the simplest, strongest argu-

THE BLANK HAT MFG. CO.

MANUFACTURERS RENOVATORS 612 MAIN STREET

April 3. 1916.

Mr. J. H. Smith.

Have you en old hat. but a good one -- too good to throw away? A fine felt that needs renovating and blocking, a silk hat that requires brushing up, or a first grade Panama that you would like bleached if you could find an expert to do the work right?

Let us show you what hattera can do

Ve make hats and we respect them.

We can promise you superior work.

Yours very truly, TH2 3IAEK HAT K?C. €0.

A FACSIMILE COMPANY CAN TURN OUT LETTERS LIKE THIS IN THOUSANDS LOTS AT A LOW RATE

Advertising and Business Systems

ment for your work that you can devise. The same display during the summer season, with a Panama or yacht straw in the window, will be equally effective. It is best to change the display as often as possible, showing each time a hat of different shape or color. Otherwise the same old hat day after day will soon be too familiar to get a glance from passers-by. Do not imitate the "bootblack renovator," who covers one-half of a straw with a cheap sulphur wash and the other with shoe polish, and puts it in his window as a sample of work. That procedure smacks of fraud and deception, and is suitable only to the kind of workers who commonly make use of it.

Mail Orders

One of the most natural fields for expansion is the mail order business. This business, with the assistance of the parcels post, is extremely profitable and constantly increases once it is established. Make it plain in your advertising that you invite orders by mail, and keep in touch with your out-of-town trade by addressing them an occasional circular or personal letter. The phone books of adjacent towns will supply a useful list of names for circularizing. Always send your work out C. O. D., unless the order was accompanied by

cash

Business Systems

Bookkeeping is a necessary department of the business. If you are not acquainted with single or doubleentry, devise a simple system of your own whereby you can keep track of each day's business — your daily expenditures as well as cash received for work delivered. An ordinary day-book will suffice for this purpose. At the end of the month enter your expenditures and cash received during the period under itemized columns in a ledger. Also keep a record under "credits" of the few charge accounts which will be necessary if you do much work for neighboring retailers, giving each hatter a separate column of account. These records will enable you to compare each month's business with the preceding one.

Aside from the accounts of the responsible retail hat dealers and perhaps a few business or professional men of good reputation, make it your purpose to do a strictly cash business. This applies not only to your dealings with customers, but also with those from whom you buy. Pay for your trimmings and supplies as you go along, and when you receive 10 to 30 days' dating, pay within that time.

Above all, be sure to lay aside enough in your busy season to insure you through the months when trade is slack. Many a man, depending upon hat renovating for a living — particularly when doing business in the North, where the winters are long and severe — has run on the rocks through disregard of this advice. Money will roll in in spring and summer, your busy seasons. When the snow flies, and caps and ear-muffs hold sway, business in the hat repair shop is practically at a standstill, and even the new stocks that you make up from the rough hats in your spare time, will not bring you any immediate income. There is only one safe course — in the prosperous months of spring and summer, lay aside $20 to $30 a week, to be used in the dull season. Then you will not need to look forward with apprehension to the almost certain let-up in trade during the cold weather.