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[hatsRme]

Hi, Frank, and welcome to the Lounge! Have you had an opportunity to visit SALMAGUNDI, on Centre St. in Jamaica Plain (south side of Boston)? That would definitely be less than an hour from Providence, and Jessen (the owner) is a young guy working hard to address the needs of our affliction.
But, BEWARE... he operates on full retail pricing, and "takes no prisoners."

 

[fashion frank]

Hello HatsRme ,thank you for the tip .

Do you have a phone number and or a web site or e mail address for this gentleman.

That would be a shorter trip for sure , but I am worried about your " take no prisoners " quote .

I expected to pay retail in terms of cleaning , but Im not buying, I just need my Fedoras cleaned ,thats about it for now.

I look forward to your reply .
All the Best , Frank

P. S. found their web site and contact info ,will call them but still worried about your quote .

 

[hatsRme]

My kids have always told me that I am overreactive... I certainly don't mean to disuade you from making the trip, or from becoming a customer. Just a caveat to psychologically prepare you, and, if Jessen reads this, maybe he'll offer some degree of discount to Fedora Lounge members.

As for cleaning and blocking, my understanding (from a conversation with a member of the staff) is that some of the work is done on the premises, some goes out to others (Worth & Worth). They are working hard to be the go-to place in our area for hats and maintenance. I think still worth the trip for you.

 

[fashion frank]

Thanks ,I will give him a call later today and see what happenes .
I'll let you know how I make out as well and thanks again .

All the Best, Frank

 

[fashion frank]

Well first of all I want to thank you good people for helping me out .

I made an appointment for this saturday at Salmagundi.

I was a bit taken aback for his price on cleaning but hey what are you going to do .

All the Best ,Frank

 

[GamaH]

So my Roxbury (and Laurel) was delivered today; the Laurel's brim is already exactly as I want it, but the Roxbury's seems less curved, and certainly not as curved as shown on the Stetson website.

There is a wire in the brim to hold the shape, but I'm afraid I'll ruin the hat since I've never ever attempted to shape the brim of a straw. Any idea as to HOW to actually get it to look like that? Do I just keep bending the brim wire or what?

With felt hats, I just held the brim against my body and shaped it to the contour. I don't think that'll work in this instance.

 

[Jedwbpm]

GamaH glad the hats got to you in good shape. Let me get to work so that I can have a Roxbury in my hands and I'll write back this evening.

Jeff

 

[gtdean48]

... Any idea as to HOW to actually get it to look like that? Do I just keep bending the brim wire or what?
....

Hold the brim over some steam coming off a pot of boiling water to "soften" the straw up some & slowly bend the brim wire.
You could just bend the wire but straw could crack. Being a new hat, you are probably okay just to bend the wire.

 

[GamaH]

Hold the brim over some steam coming off a pot of boiling water to "soften" the straw up some & slowly bend the brim wire.
You could just bend the wire but straw could crack. Being a new hat, you are probably okay just to bend the wire.

That's what I'm worried about. The Laurel is made of raffia (I think), which is very very soft and light, almost bouncy. The Roxbury however feels like Shantung and is "harder," almost crispy.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Downsizing a hat

I'm a size 7. In '97 I picked up a Crofut & Knapp fedora at Meyer the Hatter, a brownish green with a teardrop bash and a 2 1/4" bound brim. When I bought it I wasn't very experienced with hats, and I discounted the fact it felt a little large even after I put the famous foam strips in behind the sweatband. Well, the other day I happened to turn the sweat down . . . and found it's a 7 1/4! I can wear some 7 1/8s, but this is too big. And I don't know if the "wet the sweatband and expose it to some heat" technique I've read about here would shrink it.

I like the hat a lot, and I don't want to mess it up. Could the Optimo people reduce it to, say, 7 1/8, so with a little padding it would have a good chance to fit me right?

 

[jlee562]

Optimo could likely do it. Cleanahat.com advertises a downsizing service for $10 as well. As does Baron, but their service will run $65.

 

[hatophile]

If you have it downsized anyway, may as well make it fit right at a size 7. Graham at Optimo has downsized quite a few for me.

 

[Benzadmiral]

If you have it downsized anyway, may as well make it fit right at a size 7. Graham at Optimo has downsized quite a few for me.

Well, sure -- I was being conservative; I wasn't sure they could get it down to a 7. Looks like I've got to dig out a couple of shipping boxes (I've got another Resistol I need them to clean)!

 

[Grizzly Adams]

Maybe an odd question, but can a homburg hat be reblocked to a fedora?

 

[jlee562]

The crown isn't so much the problem, rather removing the curl from the brim is.

 

[Grizzly Adams]

The crown isn't so much the problem, rather removing the curl from the brim is.

That's what I was thinking. Thanks, jlee!

Has anyone does this, and if so, what kind of result?

 

[jlee562]

A Lounger, The Good, converted a Stetson St. Regis, but ended up cutting the brim:
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...t-Stetson-St.-Regis/page4&highlight=St.+Regis

His pics have disappeared from Photobucket unfortunately.

 

[scottyrocks]

So my Roxbury (and Laurel) was delivered today; the Laurel's brim is already exactly as I want it, but the Roxbury's seems less curved, and certainly not as curved as shown on the Stetson website.

There is a wire in the brim to hold the shape, but I'm afraid I'll ruin the hat since I've never ever attempted to shape the brim of a straw. Any idea as to HOW to actually get it to look like that? Do I just keep bending the brim wire or what?

With felt hats, I just held the brim against my body and shaped it to the contour. I don't think that'll work in this instance.

I've had a couple of wire-brimmed straw westerns, both Charlie-1-Horses. They were both workable into pretty much any shape, including what is shown above. I just went at it when I wanted to radicalize the brim. Never had a problem.

 

[Brad Bowers]

I'm a size 7. In '97 I picked up a Crofut & Knapp fedora at Meyer the Hatter, a brownish green with a teardrop bash and a 2 1/4" bound brim. When I bought it I wasn't very experienced with hats, and I discounted the fact it felt a little large even after I put the famous foam strips in behind the sweatband. Well, the other day I happened to turn the sweat down . . . and found it's a 7 1/4! I can wear some 7 1/8s, but this is too big. And I don't know if the "wet the sweatband and expose it to some heat" technique I've read about here would shrink it.

I like the hat a lot, and I don't want to mess it up. Could the Optimo people reduce it to, say, 7 1/8, so with a little padding it would have a good chance to fit me right?

Mind if I ask a few questions about the C&K? Was this a new hat, or vintage? I was under the impression that Hatco and their predecessors back through Koracorp never bothered with the Crofut & Knapp brand, as I've never seen any sign of them, so if they were still selling them in '97, I need to know that! Any chance you could post photos?

Thanks,

Brad

 

[GamaH]

I've had a couple of wire-brimmed straw westerns, both Charlie-1-Horses. They were both workable into pretty much any shape, including what is shown above. I just went at it when I wanted to radicalize the brim. Never had a problem.

Do you hold it the same way you would if it were a felt?