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[gtdean48]

I just bought a very used Resistol Quicksilver cowboy hat thAt needs cleaning and I want to reshape it from the cattleman crease to a telescope with a flat brim. My question is if this can be done without showing any of the original creases when the clean, block, and restiffening is completed.

Usual answer = it depends. Factory pressed cattleman creases are a challenge to totally eliminate.
Are you sending it off to a hatter for restoration or doing this yourself?
Used hats will have "fade" patterns based on the original crease.
Most hatters will take the hat back to open crown state & usually the cleaning will get rid of any marks of original crease.
Your use of "very used" makes me wonder if "without showing any" is really possible....

 

[alanfgag]

I just bought a very used Resistol Quicksilver cowboy hat thAt needs cleaning and I want to reshape it from the cattleman crease to a telescope with a flat brim. My question is if this can be done without showing any of the original creases when the clean, block, and restiffening is completed.

A good looking telescope crease requires a significant amount of crown height. Because much of the crown is tucked in, it does do a good job of hiding any remnants of the original crease.

good - 5"+ crown on a 1950s Stetson 3X

better - 6" crown on a Stetson 5XCB, circa 1940:

 

[FrankMc]

Thanks, it has a large enough crown, 6", to make a great telescope and it was ought incredibly cheap, so it's a win situation.

 

[Apache]

Good day Gentlemen:
I have a question that has been bugging me for a while, and I am sure many of you more experienced in hats than me can help me:
I have an Akubra Snowy River hat (the Australian version, not the DM one, unlined) that I have modified to suit my needs. I have flattened the brim a bit, and have also shaped the Crown again (it came a Little off from Hatsdirect).
While I was adding a new hat band of braided leather, I unadvertedly spilled a Little glue on the hat, in a visible area. The area must be about 1.5 millimeters X 1 millimeter, near the hatband. I scratched it off, however there was a small depression in the felt. While it is almost unnoticeable by eye, it sure shows like a "dent" or "pock mark" (please forgive me for using this crude description, don't know how to Word it better).
I tried using a Little steam and brush it off, but it still shows. Do you have any idea on how could I remove or make this depression invisible? Any ideas on how to restore this area of the hat? I know it's not much, but sure bugs me when I feel it with my finger.
Thanks for any advice you can give me.

 

[John Galt]

Pouncing (sanding) with a very fine sandpaper should help. By very fine I mean 400 or better grit. I've only just had the gumption to try this myself, but have had good results, and am surprised I was so hesitant.

As with wetting a hat, my approach is to pounce the hat uniformly. If you take a layer off of only one place, it may show a variance in color or texture that will stand out. The topic is discussed in various threads.


"Faint hat never won fair lady."

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Does anyone know where I can get my fedora cleaned & blocked in & around Chi-town besides Optimo? I need the sweatband & liner replaced with one that I will supply.

Thanx!!!
Charlie

 

[fedoracentric]

Does anyone know where I can get my fedora cleaned & blocked in & around Chi-town besides Optimo? I need the sweatband & liner replaced with one that I will supply.
Charlie

That's a good question. I think Optimo prices these services extremely high so that they don't have to do much of it. I mean, their prices are two and three times higher than other places, plus they refuse to "just" do a sweatband or "just" do a ribbon replacement without also doing a cleaning and reblocking. So, the costs jump wildly because they are forcing customers to get a whole range of things they may not want. I'd like to know where to send my hat for single restorations. I was sending hats to Chicago but the prices are just too high any more.

 

[TheDane]

I'm not sure I would call $40 for cleaning and blocking a hat an "extremely high" price. The $25 for a new sweatband or ribbon or the $20 for a new liner isn't three times higher prices, than I see elsewhere, either. I know they won't block a hat without cleaning it, but it's new to me, that they won't replace a ribbon without cleaning and blocking the hat. Are you quite sure of this?

One should also take into consideration, what the task and price actually involves. A cleaning can be done on a completely dismantled hat - or it can be done without taken the hat apart - and the same goes for blocking. There is a big difference in result, and probably in price too. Be sure to ask what you get for the price you pay

 

[Greyryder]

I know of Mike the Hatter, but I don't know that their prices are much less than what I'm seeing discussed here.

I've never used their services, so I have no idea how good they are.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

The problem is that Optimo hasjacked their prices up so high that I can't afford them anymore. The price of a C & B is now $50. Not including shipping there & back. A new standard wieght felt is now $700 for a beaver/mink blend that I notice no difference in fam a hat that I purchased from them a few years ago.

 

[fedoracentric]

I'm not sure I would call $40 for cleaning and blocking a hat an "extremely high" price. The $25 for a new sweatband or ribbon or the $20 for a new liner isn't three times higher prices, than I see elsewhere, either. I know they won't block a hat without cleaning it, but it's new to me, that they won't replace a ribbon without cleaning and blocking the hat. Are you quite sure of this?

One should also take into consideration, what the task and price actually involves. A cleaning can be done on a completely dismantled hat - or it can be done without taken the hat apart - and the same goes for blocking. There is a big difference in result, and probably in price too. Be sure to ask what you get for the price you pay

Hmmm. I don't think the $40 price is what they charge any more. I thought I remembered it as $60 and that was the starting price because they won't do any of the other things without first doing the cleaning and blocking. So, if you want a new sweat it is $60 for the cleaning, then more for the sweatband. Without a total rebuild (which starts at like $150 or so) you are already at almost $100. Seems to me these services can be had cheaper elsewhere.

Now, don't mistake me as if I am saying that Optimo doesn't do good work. They do excellent work and I've had a few hats fixed up by them to great effect, but the prices have climbed over the last few years.

All I am saying is that the same services can be had cheaper elsewhere. That is all.

 

[TheDane]

All I am saying is that the same services can be had cheaper elsewhere. That is all.

I understand that. The $40 I have from their website, but that info may be outdated(?)

 

[Banky]

Give us a call at the Brass Rooster, if you intend to supply the liner and sweat I guarantee we will do better than the prices you'll pay at Optimo.

Edit: As the one that does a lot of the refurb work, I will "force" customers to pay for a cleaning IF their hat has a substantial amount of dna caked into it. I don't fancy having to handle that while I work. Even then I think the most I've ever charged someone for a straight up cleaning is 25 bucks.

 

[tuco1963]

Give us a call at the Brass Rooster, if you intend to supply the liner and sweat I guarantee we will do better than the prices you'll pay at Optimo.

Edit: As the one that does a lot of the refurb work, I will "force" customers to pay for a cleaning IF their hat has a substantial amount of dna caked into it. I don't fancy having to handle that while I work. Even then I think the most I've ever charged someone for a straight up cleaning is 25 bucks.

banky
ive been to the brass rooster website please have them post prices and services rendered so
we can compare prices
im also in need of a couple of remodels

 

[Banky]

I will pass the request onto the owners, my bosses.

for a quick and dirty breakdown

New Sweat (one of ours): 35 if we can do it by machine, 45 if by hand

liner (one of ours): 10

New ribbon: 10-40ish depending upon selection

cleaning: runs 20-25 depending on the soil level

blocking: usually around 15-25 depends how much work it'll be for us.

The prices are ranges as we are not really an online business and tend to assess cost on seeing the hat in the shop. I can say that we are always willing to do mail work all one need do is drop us a line.

 

[TheDane]

Optimo's prices according to their website:

Clean & block: $40+
New sweat: $25
New lining: $20
New ribbon: $25
Full renovation/rebuild: $100 - $150

It's hard to see any big difference - and even harder to see, who ends up the cheapest

 

[Banky]

Very true. I can say in his case it would be less for us as he would be supplying the sweat and liner and we would adjust our cost appropriately. As you can see our prices aren't exactly fixed.

Edit: By NO means should anyone take what I'm saying as optimo's prices are too high or trying to pit us against them. I simply chimed in because Milwaukee is not far from Chicago and we would adjust to his situation. We are friends with the folks at optimo and hold no opinions on how they conduct their business.

 

[TheDane]

Absolutely ... just pointing out, that Optimo very well could be a whole lot better than their reputation. I'm not so sure, they are extremely expensive compared to others

 

[Cornshucker77]

Banky, you are an Apprentice Hatter? Sounds like a dream job to me.

 

[Banky]

I am indeed. I enjoy my job quite a bit. However, I still have a lot to learn but that's part of the fun.