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[Tukwila]

Oh.....ah.......oh........hmmmmmmmmmm..............I am having a hard time on this one.......with as much as many of us spend on our hats here, we spend most of our time carressing, smoothing and soothing our fur freinds...........we none of us, would think about harming them.
Perhaps you should buy an old worn hat that has been distressed by years of use........"all ready to go" as they say...............they are cheaper too!!
But the thought of ................ahem........."distressing" our beauties..... is quite foreign to most of us here.
M

That's actually a great idea. I know I have picked up old hats just to wear as beaters around the house, working in the yard or on the car, or whatever. There are quite a few junkers for cheap on ebay. I saw a $40 hat the other day I almost bought but then realized I already have enough beaters, and then there's the urge to fix them all up that I have to fight.

 

[Daniele Tanto]

Yes but to avoid disappointment, I wouldn't show that Borsalino creasing video to someone who is waiting for a Campdraft. There is no way you can do that to a dry CD (or even wet for that matter). I've been creasing mine endlessly in search of the 'organic crease' that Anthony easily obtains with his 'special' Alessandria in the video, it's impossible. All I get is a nice, yet stiff, factory-creasing look.

I'm sorry for you, but before to order hats, above all Borsalino you have to get informed what you are buying.
Show some pictures of yours, so everyone will know what you are talking about
Thanks

 

[jlee562]

Wear it in rough conditions for several years?


Sent directly from my mind to yours.

Basically.....

I don't know anything about faking sweat stains, which you'll want for a real distressed looked and not a contrived Nick Fouquet piece of nonsense. But Fullers earth is commonly used as "dirt" by prop houses and Indy hat aficionados.

But I beat up my beater by wearing it mostly. If you want to distress a hat intentionally, I would soak it and let it dry out all wonky.

 

[Frunobulax]

Oh.....ah.......oh........hmmmmmmmmmm..............I am having a hard time on this one.......with as much as many of us spend on our hats here, we spend most of our time carressing, smoothing and soothing our fur freinds...........we none of us, would think about harming them.
Perhaps you should buy an old worn hat that has been distressed by years of use........"all ready to go" as they say...............they are cheaper too!!
But the thought of ................ahem........."distressing" our beauties..... is quite foreign to most of us here.
M

I've been known to taunt my hats mercilessly, causing some distress. [emoji16]


Sent directly from my mind to yours.

 

[scottyrocks]

Can anybody help me to find some techniques for distressing hats?

Not being flippant, but perhaps you should consult an Indiana Jones fan website. They have the art of artificial distressing down pat.

 

[humanshoes]

Can anybody help me to find some techniques for distressing hats?

Think about the process and elements that, over time, distress a hat. Dirt, sweat, and friction. The dirt part is easy. Fuller's Earth is a clay based substance that is sometimes used in artificial distressing or you could just use dirt. Friction, tie it behind your kid's bike and let them drag it around for awhile (only being slightly factitious here). That'll take care of the dirt and the friction parts. Sweat is basically water and salt (with some lactates and urea thrown in) that also releases the skins natural oils (I'd use mineral oil here). Mix and apply with a small paint brush to hat ribbon area before the dirt and friction process. Now, keep in mind that I have never tried any of this and have absolutely no idea is any of it would achieve the desired affect, but I've had fun imagining how I would accomplish the look if I had a mind to.

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

One of mine:

View attachment 113006

View attachment 113007

View attachment 113008

I love everything about this hat, shape, shade, color and contrast, proportion and crease. It truly has it all in my eye. Thanks HJ for sharing.
Be well. Bowen

 

[jlee562]

Re: distressing, from Deborah Nadoolman(-Landis) who did the work on the fabled Raiders of the Lost Ark hat:
"The art of costume design is, by necessity, invisible. It just takes a tremendous amount of time to get it right. With the hat, it's not just bashing it in, it's sitting on it, rolling it up and also acting on it with grease, with dog hair, spraying it with mineral oil to make it look matted. There are all sorts of techniques to get it right - a little bit of ketchup helps. I really think you need to get it to a point where all of that reads on camera... With the jacket, [for the first day of shooting] it had not been aged properly. So the entire day before I was sitting at the pool with Harrison and Karen and Steven and [executive producer] Howard Kazanjian and George and I personally aged that jacket, the first Indiana Jones jacket ever, using Harrison Ford's Swiss army knife and a metal brush that I got from props."

 

[scottyrocks]

Re: distressing, from Deborah Nadoolman(-Landis) who did the work on the fabled Raiders of the Lost Ark hat:
"The art of costume design is, by necessity, invisible. It just takes a tremendous amount of time to get it right. With the hat, it's not just bashing it in, it's sitting on it, rolling it up and also acting on it with grease, with dog hair, spraying it with mineral oil to make it look matted. There are all sorts of techniques to get it right - a little bit of ketchup helps. I really think you need to get it to a point where all of that reads on camera... With the jacket, [for the first day of shooting] it had not been aged properly. So the entire day before I was sitting at the pool with Harrison and Karen and Steven and [executive producer] Howard Kazanjian and George and I personally aged that jacket, the first Indiana Jones jacket ever, using Harrison Ford's Swiss army knife and a metal brush that I got from props."

I've read this before, and it has always struck me just how artificial artificial distressing is.

All it has to do is look good for the camera. It doesn't have to last a day past the shooting schedule.

It can look much worse up close than it does on-screen. "Hey, how'd you get all those gauges in your jacket?'

And that's what I really want every day - my precious hat covered with ants because I used ketchup on it to simulate something or other (blood?) that looked good on camera.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Can anybody help me to find some techniques for distressing hats?

My goodness man, why would you want to do such a thing? It like asking for tips on how to best abuse children. Well, almost.



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[humanshoes]

thank you)) but i'm interested in artificial techniques of distressing

Lest you become discouraged by the naysayers Antinomy, I believe that there is a certain niche market for distressed hats. In my area here in Tennessee there are several Civil War re-enactment groups. These folks are passionate about authenticity (opposite of artificial distressing I suppose) and they will purchase a beautiful, custom made hat and then just beat the hell out of it to give it that war weary look. I know that any hat I make for them (see pic of pre-distressed beauty) will not look at all like the one I delivered by the time it hits the "field of battle" and I'm okay with that. At any rate, if one is going to be a hat maker then I don't think one can have too many skillsets in one's bag of hat tricks.

 

[Bamaboots]

Lest you become discouraged by the naysayers Antinomy, I believe that there is a certain niche market for distressed hats. In my area here in Tennessee there are several Civil War re-enactment groups. These folks are passionate about authenticity (opposite of artificial distressing I suppose) and they will purchase a beautiful, custom made hat and then just beat the hell out of it to give it that war weary look. I know that any hat I make for them (see pic of pre-distressed beauty) will not look at all like the one I delivered by the time it hits the "field of battle" and I'm okay with that. At any rate, if one is going to be a hat maker then I don't think one can have too many skillsets in one's bag of hat tricks.
View attachment 113180

That's a damn good looking hat.

 

[humanshoes]

Thanks Bama! I told him I didn't want to see it after he trashed it.

 

[jlee562]

Ok Loungers, not sure how to proceed here.

I ordered a black Tesi straw from Bencraft on Easter Sunday. Paid extra for "1-2 day shipping" because the whole reason I bought it was to take it to NOLA on Saturday.

It's Thursday, and according to tracking, my hat arrived in Chicago this morning, even though USPS' own delivery estimate was yesterday.

So, while there is a chance it might arrive tomorrow and all will be fine...If it doesnt, I won't have a use for it. I realize Bencraft isn't at fault per se, but on the other hand, I paid for a service which was not provided. Would I be out of line for asking for a refund on shipping? If it doesn't arrive tomorrow, I'd probably just refuse to even take delivery.

 

[RJR]

Ok Loungers, not sure how to proceed here.

I ordered a black Tesi straw from Bencraft on Easter Sunday. Paid extra for "1-2 day shipping" because the whole reason I bought it was to take it to NOLA on Saturday.

It's Thursday, and according to tracking, my hat arrived in Chicago this morning, even though USPS' own delivery estimate was yesterday.

So, while there is a chance it might arrive tomorrow and all will be fine...If it doesnt, I won't have a use for it. I realize Bencraft isn't at fault per se, but on the other hand, I paid for a service which was not provided. Would I be out of line for asking for a refund on shipping? If it doesn't arrive tomorrow, I'd probably just refuse to even take delivery.

You paid extra for a service,I'd ask for a refund or refuse also.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Lest you become discouraged by the naysayers Antinomy, I believe that there is a certain niche market for distressed hats. In my area here in Tennessee there are several Civil War re-enactment groups. These folks are passionate about authenticity (opposite of artificial distressing I suppose) and they will purchase a beautiful, custom made hat and then just beat the hell out of it to give it that war weary look. I know that any hat I make for them (see pic of pre-distressed beauty) will not look at all like the one I delivered by the time it hits the "field of battle" and I'm okay with that. At any rate, if one is going to be a hat maker then I don't think one can have too many skillsets in one's bag of hat tricks.
View attachment 113180

I’d wear that hat sans the patch on the front. I dig your work.


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[Frunobulax]

You paid extra for a service,I'd ask for a refund or refuse also.

Ditto. Not necessarily Bencraft's fault, but let them and USPS duke it out over loss of business.

Did weather have any impact?


Sent directly from my mind to yours.

 

[humanshoes]

I’d wear that hat sans the patch on the front. I dig your work.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks DH. That pic was taken without the hat cord, which he chose to install himself. Supposedly, the patch signifies a unit that his great grandfather belonged to.

 

[Zombie_61]

Ok Loungers, not sure how to proceed here.

I ordered a black Tesi straw from Bencraft on Easter Sunday. Paid extra for "1-2 day shipping" because the whole reason I bought it was to take it to NOLA on Saturday.

It's Thursday, and according to tracking, my hat arrived in Chicago this morning, even though USPS' own delivery estimate was yesterday.

So, while there is a chance it might arrive tomorrow and all will be fine...If it doesnt, I won't have a use for it. I realize Bencraft isn't at fault per se, but on the other hand, I paid for a service which was not provided. Would I be out of line for asking for a refund on shipping? If it doesn't arrive tomorrow, I'd probably just refuse to even take delivery.

Ditto. Not necessarily Bencraft's fault, but let them and USPS duke it out over loss of business.

Did weather have any impact?

I agree with RJR and Fruno. You paid extra for a service that one business or the other failed to provide, so I think it's perfectly reasonable to request some form of compensation. Of course, for that to happen one or the other would have to assume responsibility for the delay, and you know how that goes. If you've purchased from Bencraft before they might offer a "good faith" refund even if they weren't at fault just to ensure they wouldn't lose business from you in the future, but in my experience the U.S.P.S. on the whole doesn't care and will use or concoct any excuse to not return your money. And if the extreme weather in the northeast was actually a factor they might be within their rights. But it can't hurt to try.

 

[M Hatman]

Thanks DH. That pic was taken without the hat cord, which he chose to install himself. Supposedly, the patch signifies a unit that his great grandfather belonged to.

The patch is an embroidered hunting horn which signifies Infantry, but is not specific to any unit (company or regiment). This particular version was used by officers of the infantry, gennerally of the United States Army or Volunteers/Militia of roughly the 1850's through 1870 or so.......
It was also very infrequently used by Confederate officers of infantry also........during the American Civil War.
Best,
M
P S Beautiful hat by the way! Really, really nice!