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[Omne]

There's nothing "wrong" per se with shangtung hats, it's just simply cheaper and easier to produce than a natural straw fiber. I have a Stetson shangtung Latte hat and its served me well.

I would agree with that. I have a Stetson Breakers that I like, it's comfortable and looks good. To be honest, I live in Minnesota and I doubt if 99.9% of the people on the street here would know an authentic Panama hat if it crawled up and bit them.

I also have a natural straw that I bought from Mike Moore and I am in contact with Panamabob about getting a EspiFino 12 or possibly an Espinales Fino 14 ( that would take some thought....).

I don't think they are mutually exclusive. In my mind the straw and the Stetson are everyday hats with the Stetson preferred when it's damp out. The Montecristi would be more for special occasions... in theory anyway, I'd probably end up wearing it all the time....

 

[DelMonico Hatter]

How do you properly clean a grosgrain Ribbon?
One as spotty as this? http://buy.id.ebay.com/buying/en/di...GE-STRAW-BOATER-HAT-CAVANAGH-MADE-IN-ITALY-71

Hi, TCMfan25.

At our store, we usually advise customers to clean hats with diluted woolite in cold water, if they get stained. Put some water in the sink, stir in the Woolite, then gently hand-clean the hat.

After it's clean, rinse it, put it back into shape, and leave it in a cool place away from heat and sun to dry - brim up. You might need to do some work to get it back into shape after it dries.

Some bands are attached with hooks. Those you could take off and clean on their own.

The above procedure is only for cloth hats and felt hats, never use water on straws. What kind of hat is it?

Brandon
DelMonico Hatter
New Haven, CT

 

[email68]

How would you shape the brim on a Panama to get the front brim to stay down? Would you use steam like a felt hat, or iron it somehow?

-Tim

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

I steam mine to get the brim to stay down. I do it in the kitchen and use the bullnose of the counter and tape to hold it in place till the shape has taken.

 

[Jedwbpm]

Brandon Great to see you here. Mr. DelMonico mentioned that he needed to get a presents here. You forgot to mention that he can drive 5miles to your shop and have it cleaned and blocked there. Oh that is what I do. Oh well lucky me. I'll see you guys in a few weeks when the new Stratoliners come in.

Jeff

 

[GamaH]

Is creasing a shantung/paper straw hat the same as creasing a natural straw or felt hat?

 

[jlee562]

Is creasing a shantung/paper straw hat the same as creasing a natural straw or felt hat?

Nope, most of them are not re-shapable at all because of the shellac.

 

[gtdean48]

Is creasing a shantung/paper straw hat the same as creasing a natural straw or felt hat?

The only straw hat that I have ever creased like a felt hat is palm leaf when it was wet...

 

[fmw]

Straw can be reblocked. Works just fine. I'm not sure I'd try it myself but a pro hatter can handle it. Optimo reblocked my Stetson milan. You would never know it.

 

[fmw]

Hi, TCMfan25.

At our store, we usually advise customers to clean hats with diluted woolite in cold water, if they get stained. Put some water in the sink, stir in the Woolite, then gently hand-clean the hat.

After it's clean, rinse it, put it back into shape, and leave it in a cool place away from heat and sun to dry - brim up. You might need to do some work to get it back into shape after it dries.

Some bands are attached with hooks. Those you could take off and clean on their own.

The above procedure is only for cloth hats and felt hats, never use water on straws. What kind of hat is it?

Brandon
DelMonico Hatter
New Haven, CT

I second that notion. The taupe colored Stetson milan pictured above was cleaned by me. I used dish detergent and warm water. It shrunk like crazy. The result wasn't too bad except for the shrinking. Optimo fixed everything with a new reblock. Never put your straw hat in the sink. I'll join Jeff in welcoming you to the hat forum. I'm also a customer. I bought a Stetson Open Road from your shop. Great service.

 

[fmw]

Nope, most of them are not re-shapable at all because of the shellac.

I don't think you could get an agreeable job of recreasing a crown so I agree. I've been able to make minor changes in shantung western hat brims with a little steam. It takes some persistence. You need to get the paper pretty warm.

 

[GamaH]

Straw can be reblocked. Works just fine. I'm not sure I'd try it myself but a pro hatter can handle it. Optimo reblocked my Stetson milan. You would never know it.

That's a lovely hat. Simply gorgeous.

I don't think you could get an agreeable job of recreasing a crown so I agree. I've been able to make minor changes in shantung western hat brims with a little steam. It takes some persistence. You need to get the paper pretty warm.

What about changing a "turn up" brim into snap?

 

[jlee562]

The brim on a shangtung hat can be put up or down, I do that on my Latte all the time.

A completely unrelated question: does anybody know where I might be able to find a braided leather hatband ala John Wayne's Rooster Cogburn hat?

Here's Knudsen's version:

(that's actually their "The Searchers" hat, but with the Cogburn band)

But they don't sell the hatband separately...

 

[Brad Bowers]

No question, I just wanted to be the 3,000th post on this thread.

Brad

 

[DudeInBlack]

No question, I just wanted to be the 3,000th post on this thread.

Brad

Lucky S.O.B.

To All Panama Owners
What would you say is the average brim size for a Panama? 2.5in? 3in?

 

[job]

2 3/4

 

[DelMonico Hatter]

Brandon Great to see you here. Mr. DelMonico mentioned that he needed to get a presents here. You forgot to mention that he can drive 5miles to your shop and have it cleaned and blocked there. Oh that is what I do. Oh well lucky me. I'll see you guys in a few weeks when the new Stratoliners come in.

Jeff

Hi Jeff,

Thanks, good to be here. Definitely important to pay attention to you guys on the forums, to make sure you stay outa trouble and all

By the way, on that Stratoliner - when you come into the store to pick yours up, be sure to ask Mr. DelMonico about the original vintage Stratoliner hat box we have in one of our displays. He'll show it to you - it's a beaut. We'll try to get a picture of it up on the forums one of these days.

-Brandon

 

[DelMonico Hatter]

I second that notion. The taupe colored Stetson milan pictured above was cleaned by me. I used dish detergent and warm water. It shrunk like crazy. The result wasn't too bad except for the shrinking. Optimo fixed everything with a new reblock. Never put your straw hat in the sink. I'll join Jeff in welcoming you to the hat forum. I'm also a customer. I bought a Stetson Open Road from your shop. Great service.

Hi fmw,

Thanks for the welcome, and for the compliment. We really do try to get those orders shipped out fast.

Open road straw or felt?

Brandon

 

[monbla256]

Lucky S.O.B.

To All Panama Owners
What would you say is the average brim size for a Panama? 2.5in? 3in?

My experience has been that many Brisa and Llano weave Cuenca's are around 2 5/8"/ 2 3/4" and Montecristi's seem to run around 2 3/4". These are usually stock hats, blocked and finished in Ecuador. The higher priced US blocked and finished hats can usually have a brim width specified. The $1,000.00 and up Montecristi's can usually have a brim width of your choice. It depends on from whom you buy them from.

 

[Lefty]

No question, I just wanted to be the 3,000th post on this thread.
Brad

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