HATTER’S CORNER by Robert Gault
The debate about what constitutes
‘hand made’ rages on. Our columnist Robert Gault looks at the
subject in the context of the hatter.
Crafting a hat: Made by hand or aided by machine?
In hat making as in other crafts, the debate about what constitutes hand made as opposed to machine made is a tricky one. Let me begin by saying I am not writing about factory production lines. Here I am focussing on bespoke hat makers who might consider adding a machine or two into the mix.
Many thanks to J.W. Hatter
Tools and Bahner Machines for granting permission to use their images of the tools mentioned in this article.
Full disclosure: I am in the ‘no machinery’ camp. The closest thing I own to what one might reasonably call a ‘machine’, is a steam boiler system for ironing and softening the felt. Other than that, all the hats I create are fully hand made. This decision was based on very practical considerations - the biggest being the capital expense. As I came to hatting late in life, I decided early on to focus solely on the essentials. Adding an additional $75,000 to $100,000 for extra tools just did not make
sense. For this reason, I lack the knowledge and experience of some of the equipment I will be talking about, and so I have reached out to other hatters for their thoughts. Firstly, Jimmy Pearce, a Texas hat maker, with close to 30 years of hat making experience, and secondly, Mike Miller from Northwest Hats, of Eugene, Oregon, who has 20+ years in the business. Thank you as well to Sicilian hatter Claudio Pellerito for his input. I have also spoken to an additional dozen or more hat makers for their perspectives, and I am grateful to them for sharing their observations.
Of course, there are many experienced hatters out there who maintain that a completely hand made hat is a superior product and that whilst machinery may improve efficiency, it also takes something away from the aesthetic. If you want to start an argument with a hat maker, broach this subject with a firm perspective on either side of the divide and then brace yourself for the pushback!
HATalk | APR 2026
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