Custom Made Shade
Local masters craft premium hats
DAVID STEPHENS
The image is iconic . A cowboy hat slanted over a tanned face . An irreplaceable and mandatory piece of the West Texas wardrobe . Hardworking ranchers and cattle herders know life in the Big Bend is hard . The dust is unforgiving , the sun relentless . A good hat keeps both in check , and some of the finest examples are handmade in the Big Bend .
James Spradley ’ s shop , Spradley Hats , in Alpine is simple and clean . Only essential equipment and pieces of beaver felt in the back and finished hats ready for shipping stacked in the front . John Davis ’ s store , Limpia Creek Hats , is similarly arranged in Fort Davis . All these craftsmen need is the essential materials and a keen attention to detail .
Spradley ’ s interest in hat making began while he was working at a western store as a young man . " I got a taste and a touch of really good hats at a young age ,” he said . “ My job was to take care of the hats .”
Despite his early enthusiasm , Spradley didn ’ t attempt hat making as a fulltime endeavor until much later . After ranching for most of his life , some buddies convinced him to make hats
ABOVE LEFT – James Spradley molds a hat into its final shape . ABOVE RIGHT – John Davis shows a hat in its unfinished form . LEFT – Finished hats of various styles at Limpia Creek Hats . See more at GalleriesArtists . com fulltime . He opened up shop 12 years ago .
Davis , who has been operating Limpia Creek Hats over two years , wouldn ’ t practice his craft anywhere else . “ This part of the country is perfect ,” he said . “ It ’ s usually dry ; a drier climate is better for hat-making .”
Even with the climate on their side , these expert hat-makers agree that the final product is only as good as the quality of the felt used to make the hat . The finest quality felt comes from beaver fur . Second best is a blend of beaver and rabbit .
Regardless of the felt used , both men make hats following a method that dates back to the 1800s . Each hat is unique ; perfectly fitted to the customer with “ hat blocks ,” wooden molds that serve as a model of the head size and shape .
The felt is fitted over a hat block , sanded down until fuzz and stray fibers are gone , and ironed until the brim is flat and smooth . The felt is then shaped into the desired style . Finally , the decorative details of liners and hatbands are added . The entire process can take around 40 hours per hat .
The 100 % beaver hats will cost you , but the tighter , denser fibers in the hair make the hat lightweight without sacrificing any durability , and slick enough that water slides off the brim like drops of mercury .
“ The natural oils in the beaver fur is so much better for the weather and being water repellant ,” said Davis . “ The vast majority of people that wear our hats are working people that wear them everyday . We try to build something that lasts .”
These two talented and hardworking men know the business is really about who walks in their door . " The thing about this is that you really got to want to serve people ,” Spradley said . For John Davis the best part is the very end when the customer finally puts their hat on and looks in the mirror . “ You see a grin come on their face and then you know you ’ ve done a good job .” Read more at GalleriesArtists . com . BB
BIG BEND GALLERIES AND ARTISTS / 2013-2014 9