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Dyeing a Hat
- Thread starter J.T.Marcus
- Start date
- Messages
- 10,900
- Location
- vancouver, canada
Yes, this is what I used on the felt. I used a half strength black dye as I wanted a mid grey. It came out a mid grey with lots of nice blue tones in it. As the water has to be hot (just below the boil) the felt will continue to felt up on you becoming denser and smaller. It should be a raw felt not an existing hat with the leather sweat installed. The hot water will destroy the leather sweat.
Deeeluxe Definitely
One of the Regulars
- Messages
- 131
This is astounding! How did you apply the dye?Six weeks ago, I asked if anyone here had tried dying a hat with hair color. Since nobody "fessed up," I decided to conduct my own experiments, on two prime candidates. The first was a "silverbelly" Stetson cowboy hat which had been worked in till nearly worn out. (I couldn't read the number of x's in the sweatband.) After two washings, it was still badly stained.
I used Revlon ($2.97) brown-black. Here's the result. It's still a "beater," but
a better one, now.
The second was a "stingy brim." I had pirated its sweatband and ribbon, some time ago. I don't remember the brand, but it is thin, dense, high quality fur felt, although badly faded. (Note the darker felt, which had been under the sweatband.)
Here's what it looks like after dying (brown-black), and adding a wide black ribbon and bow, with an inset grey-brown ribbon.
I learned a few practical departures from the instructions:
(1) Remove both the sweatband and the ribbon, before dying. They will take
dye, but you want color under them.
(2) When you mix the two parts of the color, add an equal volume of water.
This will make the paste thinner and easier to use on a hat. It will also
make enough to do two hats, at one time.
(3) Don't use the conditioner! It will lighten the color, and make it uneven.
In hair, this is called "highlights, but you don't want "highlights in a hat.
And here they are on a live model:
I am attempting to make an old black hat a richer, blacker black. I'm definitely trying to avoid hot water (I don't want to ruin my crease or remove the sweatband particularly). A cold water rinse and dry off in air conditioning should make this feasible.
Because it's already nearly black, I don't really need the inside dyed. The ribbon is already detached and the liner is missing.
I was considering leather dye as someone suggested in another topic, but I don't know if that will leave a sticky residue or not.
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- 19,001
- Location
- Central California
You’re responding to a post from a guy who hasn’t been seen here in 12 years. I think J. T. went west.
Deeeluxe Definitely
One of the Regulars
- Messages
- 131
I could have sworn I've seen him around; I must read exclusively old threads. I hope that isn't the case, but if so, his contributions are greatly appreciated, and his insights will be missed.
wow...this may be the oldestthread I've ever come across on any forum...
from 2007...
but since I'm here I'll add that I once dyed a Beaver Brand 5x silverbelly felt hat with day old coffee.
I removed the liner and ribbon hat band and soaked it it a big tupperware bucket of coffee. When it had sat for a day It came out of the coffee in it's original cone felt shape. So I went thru the reshaping process with an old wooden hat block and some wooden spatulas and spoons, raised the crown a bit, which narrowed the brim a bit, strung it tight, and let it dry. When the dust had settled I steamed a new pinch, and added a new matching ribbon band to it. To my surprise, it dried to more of a tan than coffee color, but it turned out great. In fact, it's the hat I'm wearing in my avatar.
from 2007...
but since I'm here I'll add that I once dyed a Beaver Brand 5x silverbelly felt hat with day old coffee.
I removed the liner and ribbon hat band and soaked it it a big tupperware bucket of coffee. When it had sat for a day It came out of the coffee in it's original cone felt shape. So I went thru the reshaping process with an old wooden hat block and some wooden spatulas and spoons, raised the crown a bit, which narrowed the brim a bit, strung it tight, and let it dry. When the dust had settled I steamed a new pinch, and added a new matching ribbon band to it. To my surprise, it dried to more of a tan than coffee color, but it turned out great. In fact, it's the hat I'm wearing in my avatar.
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- Messages
- 10,900
- Location
- vancouver, canada
I betcha it smelled great......like breakfast!!!
Hi Susan, I've decided to give the PRO Sabraset Dye 680 Jet Black a try. Do you have any advice for me before I dive in? Do I need to wash the old Stetson Barley (Vitafelt) in any particular way using a particular cleaner? (I would love to start wearing this one again) Do you think I will need to dye it twice? Please tell me of your experiences. To any and everyone. All reasonable advice and suggestions welcomed and considered. Thanks in advance!
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Hi Susan it's Kevin once again. Before, I was rushing through the research and missed that it was you who had mentioned the washing with a strong detergent, etc. Pardon me for the mistake. I am a bass player. My favorite hat got mauled while I worked. It kept me warm (too warm) on stage and I sweated a bit. I'm just trying to reclaim it. My buddy's new puppy chewed the leather band off and I've replaced it already.
