Arrrrrgh! Ruined the sweat . . .

[HatRak]

Been quite happy with the center dent and side pinch in my fawn 3x Open Road. Until this morning. Nothing better to do so I decided it needed a C-crown. Well, out came the liner, on went the kettle and the steaming began. Unfortunately, I was paying so much attention to the bash, I forgot to think about the sweat. Steam good for felt. Steam bad for leather. The sweat, which was perfect, is now a shriveled mass of cracking leather. The hat, my go-to, every-day, wear-with-practically-everything favorite hat, is now destined for Optimo. Maybe a good dose of Lexol? I doubt it.

Nuts.

 

[Feraud]

That is too bad. Sometimes we need to leave well enough alone with these vintage hats.
Once they are gone..

 

[HatRak]

That is too bad. Sometimes we need to leave well enough alone with these vintage hats.
Once they are gone..

Perhaps, but I don't think Open Roads are going to be on the endangered list any time soon! In fact, the hat can be replaced for about what Optimo would charge for a new sweat, clean and block.

As it is, I trimmed away the worst part of the cracked leather, gave it a healthy dose of Kiwi Leather Lotion while gently but firmly strtching the sweat, and she fits as good as ever. The sweat looks like something the cat dragged in but, on my noggin who's going to know?

I've also decided that I like the C-crown. All my fedoras are center dents but I've got a nice green Puerto Fino that would look great with this bash. I'll just be a little more careful with the steam. Frankly, I can't believe I did this. I've rebashed hats with steam dozens, maybe hundreds of times, over the years. Just wasn't paying attention this time . . .

 

[ScottF]

Perhaps, but I don't think Open Roads are going to be on the endangered list any time soon! In fact, the hat can be replaced for about what Optimo would charge for a new sweat, clean and block.

As it is, I trimmed away the worst part of the cracked leather, gave it a healthy dose of Kiwi Leather Lotion while gently but firmly strtching the sweat, and she fits as good as ever. The sweat looks like something the cat dragged in but, on my noggin who's going to know?

I've also decided that I like the C-crown. All my fedoras are center dents but I've got a nice green Puerto Fino that would look great with this bash. I'll just be a little more careful with the steam. Frankly, I can't believe I did this. I've rebashed hats with steam dozens, maybe hundreds of times, over the years. Just wasn't paying attention this time . . .

I used to steam every incoming hat, but now only use steam to remove old creasing so that I can hand-bash. The only exception has been new hats, which I've found just don't hand-bash.

 

[HatRak]

I used to steam every incoming hat, but now only use steam to remove old creasing so that I can hand-bash. The only exception has been new hats, which I've found just don't hand-bash.

This OR had a particularly intractable cattleman's crease in it when I first acquired it. Despite much steam, a complete soaking from a water bath, and a lot of hand work, it simply would not hold a cold-formed crease. I've got a Borsalino, however, that has this amazing softness that allows it to be formed into any shape you want and it will hold it until you tell it to move.

 

[CRH]

Obenaufs!

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

Sorry to hear that you over-did it with the tea kettle. Perhaps, though, this may be a cautionary tale to others.

There is really no reason to remove the liner and place any hat over the steam output of a kettle. If steam is deemed necessary for reshaping, just bathe the outside of the hat in the steam - and not too closely - and then shape away.

The better method I have found is to brush the hat clean, then wet it with a sprayer full of water until the felt is darkened and moldable. Crease as you like and then let it set to dry. This method is less traumatic to the hat and allows me to really 'sculpt' shapes into the felt.

G'luck with the refurb.

 

[cptjeff]

I did that on a hat recently. Wound up having the sweat replaced.

However, I've hit the sweats in other hats with as much steam as I hit that one with, and it didn't kill them or even come close. It's probable that the sweat in that hat was dried and damaged already, even if the issues weren't visible.

Steam will dry out a sweat, but unless the sweat is already pretty dry it's not going to curl it up and destroy it. The lesson should be to always condition a vintage sweat. Not all of them are kept in environments that are great for preservation.

 

[Dewhurst]

You really only want to apply steam to the outside of a felt hat, not the inside.

However, you said you have steamed and bashed and modified maybe HUNDREDS of times over the years so I'm assuming you know that quite well and I simply am reading the original post in a strange and unknown to all but me kind of way!

 

[M6Classic]

What I have done is to pour boiling water on a tea towel, wring the towel out and then drape it over the crown for about five minutes. The hats seem then to hold any bash I want. Nota bene, I am careful not to let the moist towel touch the ribbon.

Buzz

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

FYI, when using any method that actually WETS the hat, I go ahead and wet the ribbon too - but I do it fully, otherwise it may leave a tide mark.

I have noticed that the grosgrain relaxes when wet and then tightens up as it dries. This gives an opportunity for slight stretching of the hat, if necessary, and to smooth out any wrinkles the ribbon may have. Sometimes it also eliminates existing sweat stains.

This is a good thread for those who may be about to steam vintage felt hats. Again, it is my experience that there is no need to remove liners and/or apply steam to the inside of the hat or the sweatband.

 

[zetwal]

What I have done is to pour boiling water on a tea towel, wring the towel out and then drape it over the crown for about five minutes.

Interesting. I don't recall hearing that one before! Anyone else here use that method?

 

[HatRak]

You really only want to apply steam to the outside of a felt hat, not the inside.

However, you said you have steamed and bashed and modified maybe HUNDREDS of times over the years so I'm assuming you know that quite well and I simply am reading the original post in a strange and unknown to all but me kind of way!

I've done it both ways. However, whenever I've steamed from the inside, I've always flipped the sweat down out of the way and been careful not to steam it. This time, my mind really wasn't on the job and I forgot to pull the sweat out of the way.

Here's what it looked like when I got it finished and put back together:

 

[Dewhurst]

This time, my mind really wasn't on the job and I forgot to pull the sweat out of the way.

Ah, well, forgetfulness is one of those human elements that we kick ourselves for later... but just can't avoid on occasion.

Good times!