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.

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.