Ebay western 4x find and fun with steam

[kkesler]

So the hat looked rough in the pictures, and I'm sure shipping in a kroger bag didn't help (they did write "Don't set anything heavy on this, please" )

Once I got it unpacked it was pretty flat.

15 minutes with a brush, stiffener and a steamer and it's a decent looking hat. First time I've had to shape one, not too hard. Will play with it some more, I'm sure.

 

[billysmom]

So the hat looked rough in the pictures, and I'm sure shipping in a kroger bag didn't help (they did write "Don't set anything heavy on this, please" )

15 minutes with a brush, stiffener and a steamer and it's a decent looking hat. First time I've had to shape one, not too hard. Will play with it some more, I'm sure.

Nice job! Half the fun of vintage hats is restoring them to their proper glory.

:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

Sue

 

[Lefty]

they did write "Don't set anything heavy on this, please"

lol lol lol lol
Laughed loudly, told the wife.

 

[suitedcboy]

Steaming hints: The side you apply steam to will move away from steam and then as it drys it will move back the other way.

Until I figured this out I would get steamed myself as I'd apply steam to roll brim up for instance by steaming elow brim and then I'd work it and it would be perfect but I'd look later and the brim would have flattened out more than when I started. I found I could hold hat upside down and steam the top side of brim (top side meaning the side that will be up when worn) and it would flatten out a bit ut then would rebound back past starting point the other was when the felt dried.

 

[kkesler]

Steaming hints: The side you apply steam to will move away from steam and then as it drys it will move back the other way.

Thank you! I've hit it twice now because of exactly what you describe. Thanks to this tip I'm betting the third time will be the charm.

 

[PabloElFlamenco]

Congratulations, KKesler. Nothing better than a flat hat to inflate your ego! Moreover, it leaves you no option but than to steam it up. Result looks mighty good. You a hatmaker (...just letting some steam off...never mind :eusa_clap

 

[kkesler]

Congratulations, KKesler. Nothing better than a flat hat to inflate your ego! Moreover, it leaves you no option but than to steam it up. Result looks mighty good. You a hatmaker (...just letting some steam off...never mind :eusa_clap

Unintended benefits of getting a mashed hat. I have had the steamer for a while (bought it to remove car window tint), but have hesitated to work on a good hat. This one was perfect to try it out...I mean, how could I make it worse?

 

[johnnycanuck]

Nice work. Looking good.

Johnny

 

[kkesler]

Ok, now it's showing some wavyness (is that a word?) along the brim and a hint of the old crease is there as well on one side. Suggestions?

 

[PabloElFlamenco]

Ok, now it's showing some wavyness (is that a word?) along the brim and a hint of the old crease is there as well on one side. Suggestions?

Waviness? Use more steam followed by the ole' iron. If you're worried, you can use a clean damp cloth (like a dishwashing towel) between iron and brim. Iron it flat. It should remain that way, after cooling.

Old crease? If the hat is dirty, you'd do better to clean it.

If the WHOLE hat is dirty, it's quite a job as you should, ideally, remove the sweatband and liner, dunk the hat in coleman fuel (naphta, cleaning alcohol...goes by some names...) for 24 hours, after which it should be clean (the naphta evaporates quickly...outside please...no open flames!!! Trouble is, you'd then have to reinstate liner and sweatband....a job.

If it's only "crease dirty", I would take some very fine sandpaper (better the "non-sand" type abrasive emery...) make sure it's fine! and carefully rub off some of the felt material. You might even "pounce" ("sand" in hat-terms) the entire hat a bit, you'd be surprised at how smooth the felt will be thereafter. After pouncing the old crease, it should be clean, then steam, steam and gently bend, coerce etc. into the wished-for shape. I've also successfully rubbed "old crease marks" using naphta on a piece of clean cloth, letting it dry, and brushing it with a bathroom "hand cleaning" brush (to remove possible "rings" of the naphta perimeter).

It's not exact science, but felt usually is very, very forgiving.

DISCLAIMER: blah blah ... see your lawyer if you want trouble lol

 

[kkesler]

Using what you said, I used a clipboard and my hand to press it after I steamed it, and that looks like it did the trick. By crease I meant a line where the hat was originally shaped, and remnants of it remained as a slight raised line/hump. More pressing fixed that as well, just took a couple of times with the steam. A good brushing cleaned the hat up fine. Thanks. Good info on the cleaning, I'm saving that as I'm sure it will come in handy at some point.