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.