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Neophyte

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,445
Location
Chattanooga, TN
That's a good plan. And, if you ever want a custom one, you can just send the hat to the hatter and ask them to replicate it as best they can.
 

DRB

One Too Many
Messages
1,621
Location
Florida
Thank you for the advice Lefty, Buler and RLK, I appreciate that you took the time to help out a newbie.
 

ejbhats

A-List Customer
Messages
308
Location
Iowa
This being my first attempt posting on the forum... please forgive a noob, in advance, for anything I may do wrong!
Having quite a few hats, like most of us, I have my favorites. One is a Disney "Ranger" style. The felt has some bad... balding areas. Can somone tell me if it's possible to and who might be able to re-felt this favorite hat. Or, where do I post or look to find another for sale if possible?
Thanks for your help.
 

Lefty

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,639
Location
O-HI-O
Welcome to the Lounge. If what you're describing are rub marks, there's not much you can do. You can't re-felt a hat. If you've got moth holes, there are a couple of threads about DIY fixes, which tend to involve the careful use of very fine sandpaper, and sometimes even gluing felt scraped from the inside of the crown to fill the holes.
 

Bernie Zack

One of the Regulars
Messages
214
Location
Sin City
Hello, I just recently purchased a new straw fedora hat. It is very nice, but when I snam the brim down in front, it sort of "bubbles up" in the middle of the brim. the end of the brim is down, but it isn't a straight line down. Is there a way to make it go down in a level fashion, rather than the way it does now, which is to say that it looks like a bump or bubble in the middle of the brim. I hope I've described this effect correctly. Thanks.
Bernie
 

scottyrocks

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,178
Location
Isle of Langerhan, NY
You have described it perfectly. I have a hat or two that do the same thing. To me, the brim does this because the binding was installed a little bit too tightly. It causes the brim to buckle just that much too much, resulting in the bubble.

I've tried to reshape these brims, but have had no luck thus far, and rarely wear these hats. I'd also like to hear a solution from someone who has one.
 

fmw

One Too Many
Messages
1,017
Location
USA
Hello, I just recently purchased a new straw fedora hat. It is very nice, but when I snam the brim down in front, it sort of "bubbles up" in the middle of the brim. the end of the brim is down, but it isn't a straight line down. Is there a way to make it go down in a level fashion, rather than the way it does now, which is to say that it looks like a bump or bubble in the middle of the brim. I hope I've described this effect correctly. Thanks.
Bernie

If you can't or don't want to return it, try wetting the brim, shaping it the way you want, and letting it dry. This worked for me even with "milan" braid hat that is made of plastic. I think the term snap brim on a straw hat is usually more hope than reality.
 

scottyrocks

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,178
Location
Isle of Langerhan, NY
If you can't or don't want to return it, try wetting the brim, shaping it the way you want, and letting it dry. This worked for me even with "milan" braid hat that is made of plastic. I think the term snap brim on a straw hat is usually more hope than reality.

I dont want to sound like a wet blanket, but having a couple of hats like this, I have tried that. The brim binding didnt allow the brim to relax enough, even after wetting, to get rid of the 'bubble.'
 

Rodkins

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,444
Location
Orlando
Hello, I just recently purchased a new straw fedora hat. It is very nice, but when I snam the brim down in front, it sort of "bubbles up" in the middle of the brim. the end of the brim is down, but it isn't a straight line down. Is there a way to make it go down in a level fashion, rather than the way it does now, which is to say that it looks like a bump or bubble in the middle of the brim. I hope I've described this effect correctly. Thanks.
Bernie
I've had luck doing the following with straw hats:
Lightly spritz the brim with distilled water.
Take a light weight white cloth - hanky or t-shirt for example, and place it over the brim.
Iron the brim flat all the way around.
Let fully dry on a flat surface.
Spritz the brim again with distilled water.
Shape the brim to your liking and let fully dry again.
 

ejbhats

A-List Customer
Messages
308
Location
Iowa
Thanks for your response. I should have clarified that yes, the nap is gone. No holes in the felt and the color is very close to a silverbelly so you really can't tell unless you are looking for it. I think perhaps this is not mothing but rather a defect. If not a defect than Mothra had lunch on it! So where should I post a search for a new one?
 

ejbhats

A-List Customer
Messages
308
Location
Iowa
Welcome to the Lounge. If what you're describing are rub marks, there's not much you can do. You can't re-felt a hat. If you've got moth holes, there are a couple of threads about DIY fixes, which tend to involve the careful use of very fine sandpaper, and sometimes even gluing felt scraped from the inside of the crown to fill the holes.

Thanks for the reply Lefty. My repost ended up in Never Never Land, so I'll give it a 2nd go...
Clarifying, the nap is gone on large areas of the brim, no mothing unless Mothra had a friend over for lunch! I should think rather a flaw. No holes through the felt, just large areas of missing nap. Seems to be on the brim only and not on the crown. The light color, very silverbelly, lessens the impact visually.
So, where would one recommend I post to begin a search for another?
 
Messages
10,524
Location
DnD Ranch, Cherokee County, GA
....
So, where would one recommend I post to begin a search for another?

A Disney Ranger is going to be tough to find but if I recall, isn't it an Open Road style clone?
I haven't looked at the Other Open Road list thread in quite a while = http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?36972-The-Other-Open-Roads.../page15
If it is, then look at the Akubra Campdraft or the Miller's Hats Open Door if you want a new version.
ebay is your best bet for a used/vintage one. HTH
 

buler

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,380
Location
Wisconsin
A Disney Ranger is going to be tough to find but if I recall, isn't it an Open Road style clone?
I haven't looked at the Other Open Road list thread in quite a while = http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?36972-The-Other-Open-Roads.../page15
If it is, then look at the Akubra Campdraft or the Miller's Hats Open Door if you want a new version.
ebay is your best bet for a used/vintage one. HTH

Your correct Tom. I had a Ranger and it was an OR clone. There are pics in the Other Open Roads thread. I've only ever seen the one.

What ejbhats describes sounds like mothing to me.

B
 

ejbhats

A-List Customer
Messages
308
Location
Iowa
Thanks Bill. I have an old Royal Deluxe Stetson Open Road that has been cleaned quite a few times that has some places resembling his description.
It looks like it was pounced down too much & the brim has no nap to it.

You've caused me to reassess the Ranger and yes, it is mothing, like the "Eat at Joe's", sign was left on! I did compare the Ranger to a couple OR's I have and a few others. It is however different from an OR, more brim not as high and lighter weight. It compares more to a Portis, "tissue weight", (fully lined) and not quite as heavy nor wide brimmed as a Champ-OR clone. It is similar to a standard quality Royal Stetson among my assortment with a slightly wider brim.
Thanks for the comments and... still looking!
Eric
 

Cliffnopus

One of the Regulars
Messages
227
Location
Foxboro, MA
I have performed a couple of searches and come up empty. My query is: what is the little bow usually seen at the rear of the sweatband for?

I could understand if there was a cord that wound around the inside of the sweatband that would be used to tighten a sweatband, but that's not the case. I can't see the usefulness, other than perhaps looks.

Cliff
 

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