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humanshoes

One Too Many
Messages
1,446
Location
Tennessee
Question: Any experience shaping an Akubra Country Club for better fit?
Mine fits a little tight front and back and a little loose on the sides, and when I push the sides in a little it gets good.
So I thought its worth asking about how to make that small change permanent. I imagine most know that the Country Club is made of poly straw, not natural fiber.
Thanks!
Here is a great video from David Morgan detailing the proper way to steam a long oval into a fur felt hat. I don't know if it will work on poly straw, but it may be woth a try.
 

el_ote

Familiar Face
Messages
53
Location
San Jose, CA
Any suggestions on how to pull out a couple popcorn butter fingerprints from a fur brim? my son likes to wear my hat and was doing so when we went to the show last.
TIA

edit, was just going to steam and cotton rag the area, but i thought id ask first

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk
 
Messages
11,375
Location
Alabama
Any suggestions on how to pull out a couple popcorn butter fingerprints from a fur brim? my son likes to wear my hat and was doing so when we went to the show last.
TIA

edit, was just going to steam and cotton rag the area, but i thought id ask first

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

Apply some talcum powder and let sit for awhile and brush off. May take several applications.
 

Xylophile

One of the Regulars
Messages
132
Location
Shenandoah Valley of Virginia
Question: Any experience shaping an Akubra Country Club for better fit?
Mine fits a little tight front and back and a little loose on the sides, and when I push the sides in a little it gets good.
So I thought its worth asking about how to make that small change permanent. I imagine most know that the Country Club is made of poly straw, not natural fiber.
Thanks!
Well, here's what worked:
I ended up getting a very large and tall stock pot that the crown would fit into without being very near the water, and put in 1/2" of water or so, and brought it to a rolling boil.
Then on the hat, I turned up the sweat and grasped the middle of each long side of the sweat with forefinger and thumb, and pulled in slightly as I held the crown down in the steam as far as it would go.
The steam billowed out around the brim too and effected it I think which helped the process.
I could feel it begin to "let go" after a short period of time and took it out of the steam, then pushed in the sweat, and tried it on. At first I was wary of the brim/sweat being too hot, it really wasn't. I had on ski gloves and rolled down sleeves the first time, I think I took the gloves off the second time.
The second time I tried did the trick. When I look at the inside its obvious how it was changed into the oval shape I needed.
I probably could have left the pug on.
So, it looks like the poly straw hats can be shaped with steam in a like manner to felt hats.
Its nice to know what a well fitting hat is like, and I'm now confident I'm a solid 59. Next is a campdraft or heritage fawn fed :)
 

Michael R.

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,889
Location
West Tennessee USA
Here's a David Morgan vid , that might help , but a stretcher and steam work wonders to put a OL in , it did me ...

And If you call David Morgan in Seattle they'll help you , even if you didn't purchase from them , they're the Akubra Distributor in North America , I think , in the US , I know . Great Customer Service !

Question: Any experience shaping an Akubra Country Club for better fit?
Mine fits a little tight front and back and a little loose on the sides, and when I push the sides in a little it gets good.
So I thought its worth asking about how to make that small change permanent. I imagine most know that the Country Club is made of poly straw, not natural fiber.
Thanks!

Glad your deal did the trick ! Whoops ! Didn't see the later Posts ! Sorry ...
 
Last edited:
Messages
19,425
Location
Funkytown, USA
Thanks for that, Ole. I had not seen that, and it was very interesting.

Always something new to learn here. I wonder, are vintage Biltmore's more common in Canada, as I never see anything like that around here.
 

56FordGuy

One of the Regulars
Messages
145
Location
Wyoming
Is anyone familiar with Montana Rio hatters? I'm looking for a buckaroo style hat and they're in the neighborhood, so to speak.
 
Messages
10,847
Location
vancouver, canada
Thanks for that, Ole. I had not seen that, and it was very interesting.

Always something new to learn here. I wonder, are vintage Biltmore's more common in Canada, as I never see anything like that around here.
I have not engaged in any real effort to dig them out but have yet to run across any vintage Biltmores up here.
 

Khanh

New in Town
Messages
3
I am going to Merida, Mexico and need a recommendation for a shop that can reblock my hat.

I have a Borsalino from the 30s. It's a favorite. But I took a vacation during a rainy season and the downpour really did a number on it: the hat shrank, the leather sweat band decayed, and the hat lost some of its shape. I wear this hat everywhere anyway because it's a happy-hat, so I'll probably wear this on my trip down to Mexico.

But if you know of a place to get it reblocked, I'd be grateful. Merida is famous for their version of the Panama hats. But I doubt I'll buy there, mainly because I have a signed superfino from Ecuador. I'm hoping that I can show up at a straw hat shop and see if I can get them to stretch out and block my hat. Any suggestions?
 

Khanh

New in Town
Messages
3
I'm in Los Angeles. I'm super-fluent in Spanish...and have lived in many parts of South America. And it's never stressful for me or even a problem to speak the language. I like to pick a fun errand like this as a way to get to know a culture. And it won't stress me out if that hat doesn't get blocked. I'd just rather see if I can get it done there!
 

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