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[Rabbit]

Living in Florida I have more straws and milans than fur felt hats. More hats than hat boxes.

My question is about storing straws and milans. What would be the best way to store the ones without boxes?

Being they would be sitting up for a couple of months...should they be set on the brim or crown? with brim up or down all the way around the hat?

I am thinking about getting some thick, but, flexible poster board and cutting sections 6" or 6 1/2" wide and about 23" long to make a circle such as hat box inserts. And, put the hat in the mock insert and set them on a shelf out of the way?

any input about storing straws?

thanks guys.

First, don't set them on the crown. That goes for any hat, be it straw or felt. Over time, the crown would begin to show an impression due to the weight of the hat.
Store them on the brim, with the brim up all the way around, just like felt hats. Else use box inserts, like you described; either way is just fine.
By the way - with Milans, the method of storing them on the brim is especially useful, as Milans are prone to drooping brims as they age.

 

[Mystic]

First, don't set them on the crown. That goes for any hat, be it straw or felt. Over time, the crown would begin to show an impression due to the weight of the hat.
Store them on the brim, with the brim up all the way around, just like felt hats. Else use box inserts, like you described; either way is just fine.
By the way - with Milans, the method of storing them on the brim is especially useful, as Milans are prone to drooping brims as they age.

Thanks Rabbit....

that was my thinking. the weight of the hat sitting on the crown for a couple of months would cause a mis-shaped crown.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Does anyone know about a hat brand called "Chesterfield"? I've spotted a rather nice brown one with my favorite dimensions, and I wondered if Chesterfield was a well-thought-of maker or label?

 

[splintercellsz]

What would you recommend to de-wrinkle a sweatband? I want to make this Borsalino look good (looks great, just the sweat is a bit off-putting), when I go to try to trade it/sell it. Here is the sweat.

 

[danofarlington]

That's not so awful bad. I have hats with sweatbands like that. Buyers may want it that way for authenticity; let him replace it if he wants to.

 

[splintercellsz]

I currently own a 1930s Stetson Special that I would love to store open crown, but it has bash lines from the years, so my question is, would a Tea Kettle suffice at removing those lines? Or should I just use some warm water, and put it on the crease lines (I read that in some threads I was searching through, but figured to ask here).

Here is a photo of the lines (not the best, but you can see them.)

 

[jlee562]

You could try a kettle but if it were me, I'd just have it reblocked and request to have it back open crown. Of course, that's easy for me to say because I have a local hatter, and I'm lazy . Many have had good luck with steam and a brush. Although its been my experience that the felt's "memory" is best diminished by a reblock and sometimes it never fully goes away.

 

[gtdean48]

I currently own a 1930s Stetson Special that I would love to store open crown, but it has bash lines from the years, so my question is, would a Tea Kettle suffice at removing those lines? Or should I just use some warm water, and put it on the crease lines (I read that in some threads I was searching through, but figured to ask here).
...

Steaming or wetting with water & your fingers are not going to remove those lines, may reduce them some but not remove.

 

[alanfgag]

Tom is right. Same with the wrinkles on one's face.

If you want to experiment with bringing an old hat back to a relatively smooth open crown without reblocking (which will require removal of the sweatband and liner) you will need a straight sided hat block at least a size smaller than the hat - one that will fit (easily) inside the crown with the sweatband in place. A domed hat stretcher like a Garvé will work as well. With support behind the crown, you can use steam and a firm brush or wood block to work the felt and attempt to lessen the stains and imprint of old crease lines. I have a number of brushes that I use for this. I also find the smooth lacquered back of my wide brush rubbed against the felt at the crease lines can help to burnish and lessen the visibility of the ridges.

 

[danofarlington]

Some of my vintage hats, when re-blocked, keep a little of the old lines, and I doubt there's anything to be done about them. But I don't worry about it. They are in fact old hats, and at the end of the day, the only one who really notices the trace lines is the wearer. From a distance such lines are hard to see, and I don't think they matter. The overall shape of the hat is what people see.

 

[splintercellsz]

I see, I see!

I just want to re-bash the crown in a diferent way, adding more height to the fromt, but the lines prevent that, as it always likes to re-bash itself to it's memory.

I'd try to do the reblocking, but the sweat likes to pop stitches when you move it, so I think it would be best to just have it sent in to Art, or someone, and have them do a Sweat replacement, and a reblocking of the crown?

Also, what kind of brushes do you recommend?

(I am sorry for all the questions, I just want to do everything right).

 

[John in Covina]

I currently own a 1930s Stetson Special that I would love to store open crown, but it has bash lines from the years, so my question is, would a Tea Kettle suffice at removing those lines? Or should I just use some warm water, and put it on the crease lines (I read that in some threads I was searching through, but figured to ask here).

Here is a photo of the lines (not the best, but you can see them.)

There is both dirt and wear to the felt that creates those lines, it would take cleaning first and then a reblock to open crown.

 

[jlee562]

I see, I see!

I just want to re-bash the crown in a diferent way, adding more height to the fromt, but the lines prevent that, as it always likes to re-bash itself to it's memory.

I'd try to do the reblocking, but the sweat likes to pop stitches when you move it, so I think it would be best to just have it sent in to Art, or someone, and have them do a Sweat replacement, and a reblocking of the crown?

Also, what kind of brushes do you recommend?

(I am sorry for all the questions, I just want to do everything right).

If you don't have a hat brush, you need a hat brush.

I don't know if Art does reblocks. Optimo certainly does, cleanhat.com does, Falcon Park will do it, etc, etc.

 

[splintercellsz]

Out of those that you listed, who would you personally recommend?

 

[jlee562]

I cannot personally vouch for any of them, although several loungers can attest to all three. I have a local hatter in Paul's hat works that services my hats, so I've never had to ship one out. I certainly wouldn't hesitate to call Optimo if push came to shove however. Cleanahat recently received a positive review as well....there's a thread not too far back.

 

[splintercellsz]

I will look into it! Thanks for the info Jlee!

I wish Reno had a hatter, but that profession probally went along time ago, if there ever was one around here. The trends here have hit an all time low. The only things you see on peoples heads are caps, and you dont need a hatter for those!

 

[jlee562]

I will look into it! Thanks for the info Jlee!

I wish Reno had a hatter, but that profession probally went along time ago, if there ever was one around here. The trends here have hit an all time low. The only things you see on peoples heads are caps, and you dont need a hatter for those!

Oh, believe me, I count myself very lucky to have a hatter 10 minutes away.

D Bar J hats is in Vegas...might want to inquire about their services as well.

 

[Chapaman]

I've been unsuccessfully trying to identificate the hat used by the character Erik in Broadway's musical The Phantom Of The Opera. It's similar to a Fedora, but it has some differences (the brim especially) that confuse me.
Here's one photo:

Here's a video:
[video=youtube;PXQcH6yz2Ug]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXQcH6yz2Ug[/video]

 

[danofarlington]

The bottom photo no doubt is a wide-brimmed Borsalino fedora. I wouldn't know the model name. But in New York, hats like that are sold by J.J. Hats. Retailers might do you more good than the factory. Italy will have a number of capellerias where such hats are sold, also. If it's not a Borsalino, it's very similar.

The brim size appears to be 3 inches or greater (76 mm I believe), maybe 3 1/4 or 3 1/2 inches. So if you go shopping for such a hat, I would stick with (for simplicity) Borsalinos, and ask for their wide-brimmed models; then ask how wide is the brim.

 

[Chapaman]

danofarlington,

Thanks for the great help! Although I don't live in the United States, that's an excellent starting point! However, aren't these hats the same model? I don't have a great knowledge about hats yet, but I think they could be the "same" hat (both Borsalino fedoras, perhaps?).

Best Regards,
Arthur Chapaman.