Hat care tools??

[mikespens]

CCjoe most hat shops sell hat brushes but shoe brushes work just as well, that's what my local hatter uses. Horsehair at least and badger is best but badger can be pretty expensive and probably not worth it. You do want to have a light and dark brush as Undertow said.

 

[Rabbit]

For hats that are already clean - just for removing some minor dust: the curved hat brush if you have it, else a large horsehair shoebrush
For really dusty hats: large horsehair shoebrush, it has more surface.

For cleaning areas that are difficult to access (like the upper brim of Homburgs and Derbies), I use a small horsehair shoebrush designed for applying shoe hard wax/ cream.
It allows you to clean every inch without endangering the ribbon. Otherwise you might scratch it with the wood handle of the shoebrush.

 

[m0nk]

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.

+1

 

[1961MJS]

Hi

Plus 2 on the comments. All of those hat brushes, and for that matter hat stretchers, all look pretty much alike. I'm betting that there's only one factory for both.

later

 

[countryclubjoe]

Thanks one and all for the great info. Very helpful. I will check the bay for some new shoe brushes and grab a few.

Another concern now that I wear great hats. SMOKE SMELL.. I go to spots that allow smoking, I fear the horrible smoke smell will create cost and problems to have such a horrible odor removed from my hat.. I know some will say well simply don't wear your hat however, since last week when my first Cav arrived I wear a hat everyday and feel naked without my brim..

But places in the casinos and some after hour liquor joints allow smoking, and theses are places I frequent.

So is there any secret for getting out the horrible stench of cigaretts and cigar smoke?

TIA
Best regards
CCJ

 

[gtdean48]

...
So is there any secret for getting out the horrible stench of cigaretts and cigar smoke?
...

Put it in a large garbage bag with crumpled newspaper for 2-3 days.....got rid of heavy pipe smoke smell in a lid I bought....

 

[1961MJS]

...So is there any secret for getting out the horrible stench of cigaretts and cigar smoke?

TIA
Best regards
CCJ

Hi

Depending on your wardrobe and hat collection, you also might consider buying / designating a "Casino hat". That way, only one of your hats will smell like smoke. Buy a Hammer plastics hat carrier for your trunk and keep some newspapers in the hat box.

Just my $0.02 and worth every penny.

 

[countryclubjoe]

thanks folks.

CCJ

 

[bendingoak]

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.

Egghead bore brush is the best for felt hats. Stick with it.

 

[tridentine]

Hat Brush.

I have a dusty looking 73 year old Borsalino and I would like to clean the felt.
The sweatband is fine and it does not smell, but it is a little dusty looking.

Can anyone please recommend a good hat brush for the job?
Thank you
danphunter1@aol.com

 

[m0nk]

Typically these questions might be best suited for the "Ask a question..." thread, and this one has come up quite a bit there. Any hat brush would work, matching the shade to the shade of felt; meaning, if it's a dark hat use a dark brush, if it's a light hat use a light brush. You can find them on most hat shop websites, and even amazon if you search for hat brush. The cowboy shop sells them for $10 on amazon, and they would work perfectly.

 

[bulldog1935]

actually, I believe black horsehair brushes are only for black hats, and any other color hat should use the neutral or gray hat brush.
I just brushed my pecan hat this morning with a gray brush, and it came out very nice.

 

[gtdean48]

Get a good boar hair shoe brush where you buy shoe polish & shoe strings.
My Kroger has them.
Get 2 & label 1 for Dark Hats, about $5-6 each.

 

[tridentine]

Typically these questions might be best suited for the "Ask a question..." thread, and this one has come up quite a bit there. Any hat brush would work, matching the shade to the shade of felt; meaning, if it's a dark hat use a dark brush, if it's a light hat use a light brush. You can find them on most hat shop websites, and even amazon if you search for hat brush. The cowboy shop sells them for $10 on amazon, and they would work perfectly.

Thank you for the reply,sir.
I am sorry about posting this in the wrong forum.
I will try to not do it again.

 

[Johnny J]

Get a good boar hair shoe brush where you buy shoe polish & shoe strings.
My Kroger has them.
Get 2 & label 1 for Dark Hats, about $5-6 each.

I did the same thing. Works just fine.

 

[ottawa_adam]

I bought mine from Penman. His brushes work fine; he also sells a light and dark model.

http://www.penmanhats.com/Hatbrushes___Hatboxes.html

 

[m0nk]

Just FYI, the only real point to the dark vs light brushes is to simply use a different brush so that dark hair fibers from one hat don't get transferred to a light hat.

 

[tonyb]

Yes, shoe brushes work fine. Just make darned sure they don't get used on shoes! Make that clear to any other members of your household who might have the unmitigated gall to use a shoe brush as a shoe brush. USE HAT BRUSHES ON HATS ONLY! I'd really, really hate to see you transfer any residue of shoe polish onto a nice vintage Silverbelly hat.

Brim brushes (with curved heads and handles) do make quicker work of freshening up the brims, but you can do every bit as good a job with a rectangular brush.

 

[gtdean48]

Most western wear or tack shops sell brushes too...
http://www.tackroominc.com/hammer-p...p-13741.html?gclid=CP_D3tT30bMCFXCmPAod1QsAQA

http://www.westernhats.com/details.asp?ProductCode=01043

 

[EggHead]

I use a wild boar hair brush - works just fine.
It looks something like this.