Shako help

[BerdanBraafladt]

I know this is really a technical question about shakos. How does the bill of the hat attach to the body of the hat? I have looked at a number of forage caps which is basically its cousin and most of them have the wide brim with a half moon shape with each point of the half moon going down each side of the cap and is sewn to the body of the hat.

I am going to be making one and this is the only thing that I am questioning right at the moment. Can anybody help me or give me suggestions?

Thanks,
Kevin

[1stMo Drummer]

Re: Shako help

On my mexican war shako, it is sewn on...The bill on it is almost square with a half moon cut-out on the one side that is sewn onto the felt hat body....
Hope that helps

[BerdanBraafladt]

Re: Shako help

Thanks for the help! Any possibility of any photographs?

[FTrooper]

Re: Shako help

We just acquired a repro one originally made I think about 10 years ago by a man named J. Newberry (I know nothing about this maker and could not find anything).

In the pics it looked good overall. The sweatband and bill look good (though most of the originals were lined in the same "gum" material we use for poncho and rubber blankets (see India-Rubber and Gutta-Percha In the Civil War Era by Mike Woshner for this information.

We have not taken delivery yet, but should do so soon. Cody Mobley of The Company Tailor (an approved vendor) lives about 45 minutes from Fort McKavett and will be coming down to look it over along with all our other research on this type of headgear (I am trying to get pics of an original at Ft. Leavenworth as well).

I almost hate to admit, but this is one of my favorite US Military Caps and all five companies of the 8th Infantry at Fort McKavett were wearing them during the 1853 inspection (even though they all had the old 1832 Mexican War tail coatees!).

Chris Fischer
Fort McKavett
&
F-Troop