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SteveFord

A-List Customer
Messages
481
Can anyone recommend a shop for replacing the brim edge ribbon on a 1920s/1930s bowler? It was windy as can be today and my beautiful bowler was wrenched from my head and hand and bounced down the road.
I'm just sick about it.
The rest of the hat came through just fine but the edge ribbon got beat up on both the front and the back of the brim.
I'm in the Northeast here in Central Pennsyltucky.
 
Messages
10,854
Location
vancouver, canada
Can anyone recommend a shop for replacing the brim edge ribbon on a 1920s/1930s bowler? It was windy as can be today and my beautiful bowler was wrenched from my head and hand and bounced down the road.
I'm just sick about it.
The rest of the hat came through just fine but the edge ribbon got beat up on both the front and the back of the brim.
I'm in the Northeast here in Central Pennsyltucky.
AlleyKat Hats is in your neck of the woods. He has an Instagram account but not sure how to get in touch with him. Also, try FineVintageFedoras on Etsy.com. (Wisconsin) Scott does good work and might be willing to take that on.
 

SteveFord

A-List Customer
Messages
481
Thank you.
I wrote to FineVintageFedoras so we'll see.
It looks like there's a few places in NYC that do repairs as well.
I'm just lucky a car didn't flatten it, it's only some thread damage.
 
Messages
10,854
Location
vancouver, canada
Thank you.
I wrote to FineVintageFedoras so we'll see.
It looks like there's a few places in NYC that do repairs as well.
I'm just lucky a car didn't flatten it, it's only some thread damage.
I have purchased hats online from JJ Hats in NY City. I can't speak to their repair work but they have been good to deal with on purchases.
 

SteveFord

A-List Customer
Messages
481
Scott said he couldn't do the repair so I wrote to JJ Hats, they got me hooked on hats back in the late 70s. Here's hoping.
 

Yoske

New in Town
Messages
3
Hi
Can someone please tell me which model is that??? Cant find it..
 

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Messages
10,854
Location
vancouver, canada
Scott said he couldn't do the repair so I wrote to JJ Hats, they got me hooked on hats back in the late 70s. Here's hoping.
If not them, hopefully they can point you in the right direction. I know other hatters but they are not taking on any repair work right now as they are so backed up with custom hat making.
 

moehawk

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,841
Location
Northern California
Can anyone recommend a shop for replacing the brim edge ribbon on a 1920s/1930s bowler? It was windy as can be today and my beautiful bowler was wrenched from my head and hand and bounced down the road.
I'm just sick about it.
The rest of the hat came through just fine but the edge ribbon got beat up on both the front and the back of the brim.
I'm in the Northeast here in Central Pennsyltucky.
Bummer about the derby. They usually stay on pretty good in the wind.
It might not be easy to find somebody to replace the edge binding. It's not as simple as the symmetrical binding on a fedora. I remember reading a thread here somewhere about the construction (or de-construction in this case) of a derby and the binding was done in a special way that was very labor intensive and most likely required lots of practice to get it right. Also, I'm pretty sure that specialized tools and techniques just for finishing the reshaping of a derby's curl afterward are required. I may be wrong, but I don't think that this is an art form that has yet been revived by today's hatters. You should check potential hatter's websites to see if they offer a derby in their line of products. Somebody that makes Homburgs may be able to fix it, but I wouldn't count on it.
I would just wear it as is if it isn't too bad.
 
Messages
10,854
Location
vancouver, canada
Bummer about the derby. They usually stay on pretty good in the wind.
It might not be easy to find somebody to replace the edge binding. It's not as simple as the symmetrical binding on a fedora. I remember reading a thread here somewhere about the construction (or de-construction in this case) of a derby and the binding was done in a special way that was very labor intensive and most likely required lots of practice to get it right. Also, I'm pretty sure that specialized tools and techniques just for finishing the reshaping of a derby's curl afterward are required. I may be wrong, but I don't think that this is an art form that has yet been revived by today's hatters. You should check potential hatter's websites to see if they offer a derby in their line of products. Somebody that makes Homburgs may be able to fix it, but I wouldn't count on it.
I would just wear it as is if it isn't too bad.
I know that Mike at Northwest Hats offers a Homburg with the proper brim binding. Just not sure if he is accepting any refurb work as his custom queue is long enough. He may be worth a shot.
 

SteveFord

A-List Customer
Messages
481
I'll be talking to the fellow at JJ Hat Center in NYC on Monday, they said they could do the work but the actual repair man wasn't in. They've been around since 1911 so they should have a pretty good idea as to what's involved.
It was stupid to wear a hat that day as the gusts were brutal - I even had my hand on the side brim and the wind just whipped it right off and out of my grasp.
It may sound strange but I owe it to this hat to get it fixed, you know? It spent 90 years in perfect condition and then I come along and instantly trash it.
 

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