Hat care tools??

[Consumer]

You guys are the best!
Is there a difference between horsehair and nylon?

 

[scottyrocks]

That's a good idea, but all it takes is a couple of contrasting fibers on a hat after brushing and I wonder why I bothered in the first place. Two brushes were well worth the investment for me.

 

[scottyrocks]

Is there a difference between horsehair and nylon?

Horse hair is natural and gentler while being able to pick up and remove dust without damaging the hat. Nylon is man made and its consistency is completely up to the manufacturer. I'd go with horse hair and forget nylon. In fact, I don't know that I've ever heard of a nylon hat brush.

 

[Consumer]

Horsehair it is! Thanks!

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Consumer you are in San Fran stop by Paul's Hat Works an pick one up. Then pick up a new hat.
http://www.hatworksbypaul.com/

A Western Store will also carry hat brushes for Cowboy hats. If you don't live in a town with a Hat store a Western shop is your hat's best friend.

 

[gtdean48]

A good horsehair shoe brush works just fine.

I find these in the grocery store on the aisle with shoe strings & shoe polish. VERY inexpensive too...

 

[Cliffnopus]

I've had great luck using a very clean, 1 1/2 inch wide paint brush. It's stiff without being scratchy, at 1 1/2" wide, I can get everywhere I need to get. After doing one hat, I swipe the brush numerous times with my hand to eliminate all dust, dirt or debris and go to the next hat. Never had a problem, works just fine.


Cliff

 

[TipTop]

A good horsehair shoe brush works just fine.

A good NEW shoe buffing brush! Best to avoid getting Shinola on your silverbelly!

 

[scottyrocks]

I've had great luck using a very clean, 1 1/2 inch wide paint brush. It's stiff without being scratchy, at 1 1/2" wide, I can get everywhere I need to get. After doing one hat, I swipe the brush numerous times with my hand to eliminate all dust, dirt or debris and go to the next hat. Never had a problem, works just fine.


Cliff

I would recommend natural hair bristles and avoid nylon or any other synthetic.

 

[T Rick]

Don't forget which direction to brush (in case you're unaware). Counterclockwise on the top of the brim and the crown and sides, clockwise under the brim.

 

[MrAcheson]

Don't forget which direction to brush (in case you're unaware). Counterclockwise on the top of the brim and the crown and sides, clockwise under the brim.

Thanks. Nice to know that it follows the right hand rule.

 

[Cliffnopus]

I would recommend natural hair bristles and avoid nylon or any other synthetic.

Correct-a-mundo!

Cliff

 

[Consumer]

The Wiser Hatter,
Paul's Hat Works has some great stuff! They are also very knowledgable. Couldn't resist so bought a nice panama from them.

 

[seabass]

The Wiser Hatter,
Paul's Hat Works has some great stuff! They are also very knowledgable. Couldn't resist so bought a nice panama from them.

I bought 2 of there Pauls brushes they were not cheep but there special fuller horse long hair round brushes.Real nice ladies there too!!
IM near all kinds of cowboy shops in Antioch $6 to 8 bucks horse hair dark or light better to have 2 or 3 brushes around
Get horse hair like the guys here are saying. i did use a horse hair shoe brush but my kid used it on his shoes & i well messed up a hat so be careful who touches your brushes,,,,,

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

That's why I use hat brushes. Would hate to get shoe polish on a good hat.

 

[LoveMyHats2]

Actually horsehair or even camel hair brushes will help "pull" dirt and things from the nap of the felt better than any nylon or similar brush, however, brushing a hat helps the felt a great deal as you are cleaning it and removing particles that can actually hurt the hat felt if left there. I do have two regular hat brushes, but have also used the el-cheapo house painting brushes, they work o.k. and for as many hats as I own, I am very pleased with the performance of the house painting brushes, as I do not use one light hat brush on all the hats that are not black or dark brown, and a lighter hat brush for all my lighter colored hats. I have examined the brush bristles of the hat brushes and you can see a transfer of some color from hats to those bristles, and given that observation, I elected to make sure I never brush a light tan hat and then a light grey one with the same hat brush. So I have a brush for tan, brush for dark browns, brush for black, brush for grey, and a brush for green. For straw hats, I have a feather duster that is statically charged and it really does a great job for getting any dust or none wet dirt off the straws!

 

[Davey_Speedstar]

Actually horsehair or even camel hair brushes will help "pull" dirt and things from the nap of the felt better than any nylon or similar brush

Also worth bearing in mind that nylon bristles are more prone to creating static, which will just attract dust back to your hat.

 

[EggHead]

I have a wild boar hair brush. Works for me. I think it would work for wool coats too.

I don't have a problem of loose "hairs" getting stuck in it.

 

[countryclubjoe]

hat brushes( Cleaning)

Hi Folks

Any recomendation for what type of brush to use for cleaning my hats?
Any special name brand brush etc? My collection of hats as now expanded to (4) two Cavs and two stetsons. However they are all different in color. Is a seperate brush needed for each color hat?
I want to keep my hats looking great.
Any opinions and suggestions are greatly appreciated.
TIA
Best regards
CCjoe

 

[Undertow]

I don't know about a specific brand, but you'll want something with a relatively stiff bristle. There are also orange sponges out there that work amazingly. I picked up my sponges from the St. Joseph, MO Stetson factory some years back and they're still working fine.

Regarding different brushes for different hats, yes. You will have a bit of dirt and colored felt that works into the brush and you probably don't want that rubbing off on another hat. It's certainly not necessary, but if you have the option, you probably want to have one brush for light hats, and one for darks.