The anatomy of the Schirmmutze

[KSH]

See Besatztuch here as the velvet band of the black SS officer's cap.Attachment 214421
Grundtuch would refer to the black tricot wool of the cap cover.

Thank you Friedrich for clarifying that! I did suspect that "Besatztuch" (which literally means "edge/rim cloth") was referring to the cap band, since that would make perfect sense. I should have written so in the first place!

- Kenneth

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Thank you Friedrich for clarifying that! I did suspect that "Besatztuch" (which literally means "edge/rim cloth") was referring to the cap band, since that would make perfect sense. I should have written so in the first place!

- Kenneth

Thanks. Do not be harsh on yourself. None of this is self evident. The German of 1935 is surely different from that of today and it is much more alien for young people.

[KSH]

Thanks. Do not be harsh on yourself. None of this is self evident. The German of 1935 is surely different from that of today and it is much more alien for young people.

The German of 1935 is indeed different than today's German. By the way, did you receive my PM (which funny enough relates to the before-mentioned), Friedrich?

- Kenneth

[Friedrich-Berthold]

The German of 1935 is indeed different than today's German. By the way, did you receive my PM (which funny enough relates to the before-mentioned), Friedrich?

- Kenneth

Dear Sir, I did receive your note, but failed to answer because I was on a business trip. Einstahlen means here, likely, the addition of the cap spring. Or if memory serves, the addition of a metal portion to the piece that raises (stuetzen) the crown of the cap. I do not have the list I found at hand, but will look again in this thread. I think it means to add the cap spring. Here is an image of same.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

I should re-read my Hempe book in detail, but I am always on business trips nowadays.
Thanks for the translation.

[KSH]

Dear Sir, I did receive your note, but failed to answer because I was on a business trip. Einstahlen means here, likely, the addition of the cap spring. Or if memory serves, the addition of a metal portion to the piece that raises the crown of the cap. I do not have the list I found at hand, but will look again in this thread. I think it means to add the cap spring. Here is an image of same.

Thanks again, Friedrich. I, in my inexperience with Schirmmützen just didn't think of the cap spring. It makes perfect sense if this highly specialised verb is connected to "Stahl"/"steel". Thanks for the picture also.

- Kenneth

[Friedrich-Berthold]

I have put in many a cap spring in my time, of that you can be certain.
Happy translating. Gruess nach Norwegen.

[KSH]

Here is my translation of the production steps as posted in post #4 of this thread by F-B. I am not a professional translator and neither English nor German is my first language so feel free to correct me in any way. I have at least done my best here, and have gotten some invaluable assistance from Friedrich (as evident above).



The transcription of the original German (for those interested):

Die Herstellung einer Uniform-Mütze genau zu beschreiben geht über den Umfang dieser Abhandlung hinaus. Ich beschränke mich darauf, stichwortartig die hauptsächlichsten Arbeitsvorgänge aufzuzählen:

1. Zuschnitt des Oberstoffes;
2. Zuschnitt des Futters und der Einlagestoffe;
3. Druck des Futterbodens mit Klischee;
4. Einrichten durch den Mützenmacher;
5. Maschinenarbeit = Teile und Ränder nähen, paspelieren, Paspel einnähen,
Steifgaze, Watte und Stahlreifen einnähen;
6. Mütze einstahlen;
7. Stützen befestigen und Mütze hochstützen;
8. Futter anschlagen;
9. Ventile und Abzeichen annähen;
10. Schirm und Schweißleder annähen;
11. Bügeln;
12. Auslegen und Fertigmachen zum Versand.

My (hopefully correct) translation, which is no attempt to translate the German text literally (the text itself with my explanatory remarks appears in bold writing):

To accurately describe the manufacture of a uniform cap lies outside the scope of this treatise. I will therefore limit myself to listing, in a shorthand way, the most principal of the work processes involved:

1. Cutting of the outer fabric (literally the «over-fabric» = the main cloth, the cloth of the 5 parts/panels of the cap cover, which is field gray (feldgrau) on Army caps);

2. Cutting of the lining and the inlay fabric (the cloth for the cap band I believe, which is green on Army caps);

3. Printing of the lining floor by use of a cliché (printing plate cast from movable type – this is the maker's stencil);

4. Fine-tuning (of the parts cut so far) through/by the cap maker (to ready for the next step);

5. Machine work = Sewing of the parts and the rims, the making of the piping, the sewing into place of the piping, the sewing into place of the stiffening-gauze, wadding and the band(s) of steel (respectively);

6. Addition of the cap spring (paraphrasing heavily here);

7. Fastening of the supports and «high-supporting» (raising of the cap's crown) of the cap.

8. Fastening/attaching of the lining;

9. The sewing into place of the valves (for venting the cap?) and the insignia;

10. The sewing into place of the visor and the sweatband;

11. Ironing/(hot) pressing (of the outer cloth of the cap);

12. Completion of the interior and finishing/completion of the cap for dispatch/shipping.


I have actually put in some time to translate this so I hope it works out alright


- Kenneth

[BenVK]

Interesting as this hat recipe is, it's so basic that it offers very little insight to the hat makers craft.

[KSH]

Interesting as this hat recipe is, it's so basic that it offers very little insight to the hat makers craft.

Yes, that's basically what the author of the text is saying himself. These steps are probably more interesting for people like me who have just started to learn about the Schirmmütze, than people like you Ben who know so much about these caps. I guess you've got to get yourself the book by Herr Hempe.

- Kenneth