BLOCKMAKING
A most important part of the industry is that which actually forms
another trade in itself, viz., that of blockmaking. Every shape
requires its individual block of wood, iron or other material, in
order that repetitions of the shape may be identical in outline and
form. The earliest British “block” was that which undoubtedly gave
the name to its successors. It was simply a block of wood formed from
the trunk of a suitable sized tree, mounted on legs like a vaulting
horse, and with ends bluntly pointed to the desired form, so that two
operatives could be at work simultaneously. That primitive method was
quite inadequate when fashion began to ask for shape variations of such
a character as to be impossible to produce on the tree trunk, and an
industry gradually grew up, which has attained quite large proportions,
solely for the making of wooden and other blocks for the use of the
straw worker. The exact shape having been determined on, models either
of drawings to scale, or of templates of suitable material, or of the
actual hat produced either by sewing the pattern in some adaptable
plait, or by buckram or sparterie duly shaped, or by forms of wire bent
to make outlines of the design sufficient for the blockmaker. These
are the methods adopted when some novelty evolves, of which there is
no previous pattern, but the great bulk of models put into the hands
of the blockmaker are the actual hats required, that have been already
made by some one else, but which the manufacturer desires to copy. As
the Patent or Registration Laws do not afford sufficient protection
to the creator of the shape or design, it will be understood that the
finished hat is most often the model for the blockmaker.
The blockmaker works in a very similar way to the “pattern-maker” of
the iron and engineering trades, the main portion of his work being
done by the spokeshave. Bow saws, worked either by hand or machine, cut
out the ovals of the crown and the brim, and subsequent operations are
carried out by means, in a few cases, of a lathe, but the major part
is done by the spokeshave and chisel or gouge. In many instances the
intricacy of the work carries the industry almost into the art of wood
sculpture, but generally speaking the models are of a plainer nature.
Mention has already been made of “one piece” and “two piece” hats. The
former may have blocks made “all down,” that is with the crown fixed to
the brim, which will generally be of a flat or a drooping nature. But
the “one piece” in most models demands both the crown and the curler
blocks, so that although the hats may be of one the blocks must be of
two pieces; this obtains where the brim has an outline which rolls
upwards in some place or places, from the base of the crown. “Two
piece” blocks are necessary where the trend of fashion demands that the
outline of the crown, especially at the base, shall be larger than the
head entry then fashionable. For unlike men’s hats, the head entries of
women’s hats vary according to the prevailing style of coiffure, or the
outline which most appeals at the time to the public demand. Where in a
“one piece” hat the top of the crown is larger than the head entry, the
crown block has to be made in such a manner as to allow the block to
be inserted in the hat for blocking, and to permit its easy withdrawal
when the operation is completed.
This is attained by making the crown block in two or more sections,
the pieces being held together by means of grooves and tongues. These
are made slightly angled in every way, the end of the grooves nearest
the top of the crown being smaller than the end at the base, so that
while fitting up very tightly when the tongue is right home, the
slightest movement of the “key” piece affords an easy dislocation of
the whole block. The majority of these pieced blocks are built up with
five sections including the key piece, which is a tapering square and
occupies the centre, carrying on each side a tongue which fits into the
groove of the corresponding piece of the outside contour of the block.
The top of the key piece forms the centre of the top of the crown, and
unlike the inner sides and base is made to conform to the required
outline of the shape design. The whole when properly made affords quite
as solid a ground for working on as a block made from a single piece
of wood. If the hat with a crown needing a pieced block is in itself a
“one piece” hat, it is necessary to make the brim block in two parts,
with a hinge at one cut and a lock at the other; so that the head entry
may, when the brim is closed, fit closely up to the head line of the
hat, but in all “two piece” hat cases the brim blocks are made out of
one piece. As a rule, the brims are made from wood sufficiently thick
to allow a little over the width of the brim if there be any depth of
roll, or turn upwards, and where the brim is flat or with a small roll
an extra thickness is allowed to give sufficient strength to the block
and prevent any warping which might be possible under the use of dry
and damp heat.
The brim block has on its underside some “feet” which, either of wood
or metal, raise the working contour a sufficient height above the wood
base to which they are attached to allow the crown of the hat being
blocked to work freely and to miss the top of the “spindle.” Every
wood block, whether crown or brim, has a square hole in its base called
the “spindle hole” to take the “spindle.” This is of iron, and has the
upper portion square and tapered to quickly adjust itself to the fit of
the spindle hole; its lower part is circular, so that it may revolve in
the socket made for it in the “spindle” bracket, an instrument fixed to
the blocking bench by which any part of the block can be adjusted to
suit the ironing needs of the operative.
Wood blocks are made preferably of alder, as that wood resists best the
action of dry and damp heads, and having a minimum of grain presents
the best medium for cutting into curved or cornered shapes. Poplar,
chestnut and other hard woods are also used, either of them having some
special characteristic which renders it suitable for various kinds of
blocks. The base of a brim block is frequently made of elm, but beech
and any really hard wood can be utilized.
Machine blocking necessitates the use of metal blocks, which are cast
either in iron, aluminium, or spelter from moulds made from the wooden
blocks, so that if only machine blocking is intended, it is first
necessary to make the wooden pattern. The various workings of these
blocks will be described in the “Blocking” chapter. The wood block also
affords the model for taking Plaster of Paris casts. When orders are
large and the wood blocks are required all the time by the stiffener
or blocker, plaster copies are made from it, so that the sewers may
have something definite to work to. These are made in the usual
plaster casting method, and are only intended for temporary use, their
cheapness and quickness of completion as against the cost of wood being
the reason for their adoption, for they will not stand the stiffening
and blocking processes.
A subsidiary kind of block, constructed of wood and metal, is used for
such parts of a one-piece hat or bonnet that cannot be reproduced in
wood alone. The “Pork Pie” turban, in fashion during the '60’s of the
nineteenth century, had a close curl or brim standing only about half
an inch away from the crown. (_See_ John Leech’s drawings in _Punch_ of
that period.) No wood curler as thin in texture as the shape required
would stand any prolonged stiffening and blocking, so instruments
called “Tippers” were used for blocking this style of shape. They had
a wooden spindle that could be put in the spindle socket, to which a
piece of metal, iron, brass, or zinc was attached. This was in the form
of a widish, short length scoop, and with it a workman could iron a
close brim in sections. These “tippers” were made with varying curves,
so that any kind of oval could be reproduced. The advent of two piece
hats, where the crown is attached to the brim after blocking, has
rendered these instruments nearly useless, as by this new arrangement
the wood brim for such a shape can be made quite solid.
[Illustration: Fig. 9 “TIPPER”]
Blockmaking is one of the most important sections contributing to the
straw trade, for the perfect reproduction of a model’s outline depends
entirely on the accuracy of finish given to the blocks.