Can a dried out leather sweat band be saved?

[T Jones]

I'm having the same issue with my 7X Bradford that I bought off ebay as well. It's a very early '50s vintage Western. A real nice hat. The liner and the sweat looked pristine as if never worn. All the embossed lettering showed absolutely no signs of wear. But after wearing my hat the very first time upon receiving it the sweat cracked in a few places. I haven't worn it anymore than a dozen times and the sweat is now falling apart, including the stitching, from age and dry rot. It was nothing that the seller could have predicted. It's still a very nice hat though and well worth what I paid for it. The seller actually described the hat very well and I bought a few more from him afterward. With some of these old hats it's to be expected. No big deal as far as I'm concerned. Just replace the sweat. In fact I was coming on here this morning for the very purpose of finding whether there was an instructional thread for replacing a sweat band....on another note, I have a late '40s vintage Stetson Imperial on which the liner and the sweat look like new. The 2 inch sweat band on that one still feels very soft and supple. No cracking, no stiffness, no signs of wear, no stains, nothing. Perfect condition.

 

[Landman]

Terry, I have had that happen to me too. Seems like older Resistols and Bradfords are more susceptible to the sweatband deteriorating than older Stetsons. I have had both an older Bradford and Resistol that had sweatbands that looked pristine just disintegrate after wearing them for a short period. When I receive a vintage hat now I won't even peek behind the sweatband until I treat it with Pecard's and let it sit for a day or two. I can't stand it when I ruin a sweatband or pop a stitch by looking behind it.

 

[VetPsychWars]

If it's not totally gone I use Pecard's Antique Leather Dressing. For example, if the sweat is crazed but not cracked, treatment MAY work.

Tom

 

[T Jones]

Terry, I have had that happen to me too. Seems like older Resistols and Bradfords are more susceptible to the sweatband deteriorating than older Stetsons. I have had both an older Bradford and Resistol that had sweatbands that looked pristine just disintegrate after wearing them for a short period. When I receive a vintage hat now I won't even peek behind the sweatband until I treat it with Pecard's and let it sit for a day or two. I can't stand it when I ruin a sweatband or pop a stitch by looking behind it.

The sweat on mine definitely looked pristine when I got it but it cracked after one wearing. The seller actually described the hat really well though. It's just one of those things that happens to some older hats. Collectors probably already realize that anyway before they buy a hat. I certainly wouldn't let a cracked sweat keep me from buying one if I really liked it.

 

[Doc Glockster]

Here's one out of left field.

I've been reading some threads on the interweb, and I've read a few people recommending Ballistol as a a leather conditioner: it might not save a cracked sweatband, but might restore one that's a little dry.

Anybody ever use this?

 

[Doc Glockster]

Don't use Ballistol.

I borrowed some from a friend yesterday.

I barely touched a paper towel soaked with Ballistol to my sweat band and I noticed THAT SMELL.

The stuff has an odor that I literally did not want to be in the same room with.

Luckily I just barely touched my sweat band with it, but the smell is still with the hat even now (the next morning).

 

[viclip]

Bear in mind that whether or not Ballistol works to preserve such things as rifle slings, ammo pouches, webbing etc., those items normally don't make direct contact with one's skin. Whereas the sweat band in a hat does, so I'd want to be wary as to Ballistol's ingredients list.

 

[Chamuco]

Use tequila, My granpa is 97 in perfect shape, for a guy his age, lucid, walks around, checks on every nice girl that he passes by and when I asked him the secret for a long long life he answered "Keep yourself soaked in tequila son", so I think it might just work here too !!! ;-)...

Seriously, I have tried a lot of things, even Vaseline as it works very well with SOME of my boots, say Croc and Ostrich, it darkens the leather a little but after a couple of days it goes back to the original colour. The problem here is that your forehead might end up vaseline messed if the vaseline hasnt dried out...

 

[gtdean48]

Bear in mind that whether or not Ballistol works to preserve such things as rifle slings, ammo pouches, webbing etc., those items normally don't make direct contact with one's skin. Whereas the sweat band in a hat does, so I'd want to be wary as to Ballistol's ingredients list.

Yep, nothing should go on the sweatband you ain't willing to wipe across your forehead....

 

[alanfgag]

Many different types and treatments of leather sweatbands were used during the 20th century. Some were thin and soft, some were thick and firm. Some, like the Stetson Fray, were treated and embossed and (at least from the samples I have handled) wore like iron. The sweat and manner of attachment was selected to match the weight and flexibility of the felt body. It was not meant to be treated like a baseball glove or a pair of shoes. My experience with leather conditioning products is at best, they do no good or no harm and at worst, they make the leather softer so that it disintegrates like a damp tissue.

I understand that we love the old sweats. I know the pain of destroying a wonderful old boater sweatband on a blazing hot fourth of July. My recommendation is to pay close attention to the auction photographs for hints on the condition of the sweatband. If the sweatband is serviceable, wear the hat until the sweatband wears out. If it is dry and crumbling, replace it and wear the hat until the new sweatband wears out. Then replace it again.

 

[Fed in a Fedora]

Ballistol was used by the German Army during WW1 and WW2 to clean up the corrosive residue of early gun powder and preserve all sorts of items. Having nothing else, they were happy with it and gave it high praise for all sorts of uses. But then, it was all that they had in the trenches... Currently, it is most often used by muzzleloader shooters today to clean and protect their guns after shooting black powder where it enjoys a very strong following - I use it and like it for that purpose and it gets pressed into service for other needs as well.

It is mostly mineral oil with some other natural ingredients which give it a smell similar to licorice or anisette. The peculiar smell which some like and others hate is part of the preserving process. I have at times used this on leather with decent results, but my wife dislikes the smell so much that I do not use it around her.

I use a thin coat of mink oil or Lexol for various leather items which seem to do a pretty good job or preserving and softening leather.

Fed