Muetzenfabrik

[stonemint]

I found a copy of the RZM Handbuch for 1935 on an old Empire auction. Went for around $2600. Was it published every year thereafter?:

[stonemint]

As most of you know, Albert Kempf (Alkero) is still in business today--one of the few Muetzenfabriks still left.
I believe most of their product was outsourced to the far east, but they have some pics of their shop.


(F-B, I would have to believe that some of these ladies could relate to what is contained in your book).

[stonemint]

While I doubt there are any secrets contained in this book, I am sure that there is a nice history there:

[Friedrich-Berthold]

These volumes are typical of all kinds of periodicals of the era. Are these for sale anywhere?
Thanks. The cheapo way to have this knowledge lies in the CD.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

While I doubt there are any secrets contained in this book, I am sure that there is a nice history there:

I have tried to buy this, and it is surely a very fine source to complement what is in the Praxis der Muetzemacherei. The whole story is that of mechanization and the industrial processes of what had been previously the realm of the guilds, artisans, and craftsmen. We have exercised all of this here many times over, which builds on all the economic and social history of central Europe that I learned arduously in graduate school before most of you were born.

[BenVK]

I've just found my holy grail! No, not an pink piped SS alter art cap or anything of that sort.

Here it is! An articule in UM about a sewing machine apparatus for the mutzenmacher that can sew the schirm, sweatband and pasteboard all in one operation without difficulty for each type of uniform cap, including sports caps (?) The apparatus is attached by only one screw with reduces the costly time lost in changing parts etc. It goes on to explain how all components are sewn together accurately and with no damage to the cap. At least, that's what I've understood it to say. Prehaps someone could fill in the details for me?

The articule is a total revelation to me. Never before has this information been published online in any form that I know of and explains everything that I had always puzzled over regarding schirmmutze construction. I had always known that a special sewing apparatus must have been used but could only guess at what it was and how it operated. It's all clear now. Notice the curved "bed" that the cap sits on to facilitate the sewing as the cap is sewn around the schirm (peak). A very simple but effective design.

Now you all know how German Mutzenmachers achieved near perfect sewing results whilst sewing numerous components together all in one go.

[davejb]

I take it then, that there must be a seperate bobbin under that curved bed where the needle picks it up and secures, i would assume that when changing the bed for another operation , bobbins are to be found under each bed, very clever bit of machinery and pretty simple when you think about it, not as time consuming and awkward as we first thought

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Bravo, that our Ben has crossed the frontier into the royaume of the Uniformenmarkt Zeitschrift!
This machine was made by Pfaff, I think, and is also interpreted in this book I have mentioned before.
The UM is the mother lode of all substantial knowledge of a historical sort versus the balderdash and hocus pocus that operates among aging gun show queens, internet charlatans, and random stitch fairies.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

The Germans are great makers of tools, after all. I was just in Kaiserslautern where I lived three decades ago, when Pfaff was still going strong. I wonder if they still exist?

[davejb]

FB, if they do ,you never know they may just have one somewhere, that would be an extraordinary piece of cap history to own