Flanges

Flanges are those doughnut-shaped brim blocks through which a crown can be pushed in order to create a one-piece hat.  Alternatively, a sinker can be used to create a collare on the brim so that it can be sewn to a crown to make a mult-piece hat.  A flange is usually the right way to go if your goal is to create a heat with a brim that incorporates reverse curves, indentations, concave areas, etc.  Each flange is made to mate with a specific crown, or inits absence, a crown with an identical headsize and oval.  We can create custom flanges by working from a sample hat, spottery, stiff buckram, photograph, drawing, etc.  (We cannot work from a description only.) 

Western brim flanges are typically flat and very wide (often 5"), usually with a rope line about 1" from the top.  These are used to make hats where the brim is first ironed flat, then custom rolled and shaped to order by hand.  However, we do carve some western flanges the create and easily recognize "cowboy" brim.

Usually, western and men's brim flanges are not mounted on legs, but have mounting holes on 9 3/4" centers and require the use of a flange stand.  [See "Tools"] 

We do not feature stock flanges.  You may find unique flanges shown on our Fancy Hat Blocks page.  Please call for further information about custom carved flanges.