Hat care tools??

[Wayfarer]

As a newbie with fedoras what are the recommended hat care tools you find useful. What kind of brushes? Those that vacuum, any special one? Do you keep your hats boxed when not in use? Should I bag in plastic?

 

[Matt Deckard]

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=6981

 

[Andykev]

Easy.

A good hat brush, light for light hats, dark for dark hats. It has a curve to the brush so you can get the edge of the hat at the break of the brim.

Steam. From a nice kettle on your stove.

Hat stretcher. Find a good wood vintage one on Ebay.

Store your hats in a hatbox.

 

[Wayfarer]

Thanks for the link and the response.

I have a hat stretcher coming this week fro ebay.

I havent found the brushes yet, I need to look harder.

When you steam do you use distilled water?

 

[Dr Trinidad]

Is the hat strecher to deal with shrinkage or just buying the wrong size hat?

 

[SHARPETOYS]

Support the lounge hatters

Tap water is fine.... Here are the brushes....

http://www.getahaton.com/proddetail.php?prod=HB

 

[Wayfarer]

Doctor

Well either one could be true

But I guess it is do to shrinkage. A couple of hats that I had purchased early on from Ebay do not measure what their labeled size would indicate.

 

[Wayfarer]

Hat shapers??

Has anyone used the product from

www.hatshapers.com

They look interesting and not real expensive.

 

[Tango Yankee]

A good hat brush, light for light hats, dark for dark hats.

Why does the color of the brush matter?

Thanks,
Tom

 

[Aaron Hats]

Why does the color of the brush matter?

Thanks,
Tom

You don't want to transfer black felt onto your nice new silver belly hat. If you're really anal like I can be I use different brushes for black, brown, grey and another for really light colors.

 

[Tango Yankee]

You don't want to transfer black felt onto your nice new silver belly hat. If you're really anal like I can be I use different brushes for black, brown, grey and another for really light colors.

Ah, now that makes sense! I was thinking along the lines of shoe brushes where you don't want to use the same brush for all colors due to transferring black polish to a tan shoe but couldn't think of what might be transferred.

Guess I need to order a light colored brush, then!

Thanks!
Tom

 

[GentlemanFarmer]

Natural bristle paint brushes do quite well in a pinch

 

[WideBrimm]

Sometimes I like to use a shop vac for pet hair or heavy dust. (Be sure to wipe the attachment clean before use!). A sticky roller clothes brush can also help to remove pet hair or lint. And don't forget hat sponges (one for light & one for dark hats). Hat sponges can really help with scuff marks. Use gently.

 

[Topper]

Even though question of felts , the brush part is applicable to Sliks as well as felts. So fyi in Regard to Silk hats:

Velvet Pad & Brush

Velvet pad specific to silks, brush with direction of nap.

Brush: As to "light for light hats, dark for dark hats" This is untrue - unless you have non-natural bristles which have been dyed... in which case avoid the brush completely!

This is a distortion of real the reason, you can use any colour, (or color in USA ) provided you maintain the same brush for same coloured hats - Even then you can use just one - provide you clean you brush afterwards. Having different coloured brushes, merely made it easier for the hatter to quickly identify which one to use and save time recleaning every time between different hats. At home not so much an issue.

It can be either colour, the ones i use are are infact natural white horsehair. And i use them on black silk - which is much more delicate than felt.

The advantage being different colours is that shoud a bristle come out you will easily see it on you hat. In actual fact a number of traditional brushes ( see my first pic) used alternate white and black to give a very nice design patten.

Also if you can find one ( for silks) - an antique Atkins Patent Electric Hat iron is a greatantique find ( though uses hot water, not electricity!

As to silk final poishing and waterproofing - sorry trade secret ;-) besides would not recommend doing it at home as if done wrong can ruin a hat.

 

[wenestvedt]

Substitute for a hat brush?

What can I use for a hat brush besides, you know, a hat brush?

Like Alton Brown, I hate the idea of a tool with only one use. My old fedora has some dust on it that needs to be removed, but I don't have a hat brush, nor even a place to go get one. What might I have around the house already to serve the same purpose? One of those "stones" for cleaning suede? A roller of sticky tape for picking lint off of clothes? A damp washcloth?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

- Will
P.S. I tried searching the archives for "substitue hat brush" and came up empty, so I hope this thread will help a future searcher.

 

[wenestvedt]

And yes, I saw this thread already: http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=6981

But if there's a substitute mentioned there, I missed it!

- Will

 

[Not-Bogart13]

Well, I've used tape for stubborn dust and lint, and a lint brush (the red velvety kind). But my first "brush" was and still is an unused, soft bristled paintbrush.
NB

 

[Tomasso]

I use my clothes brush.

 

[wenestvedt]

So the gist is, any brush with bristles soft enought not to tease up individual fibers from the felt? Excellent: I will find the baby's hair brush and try that! (Good luck explaining the dirty brush to your mom, son...)

Thanks, all!

- Will

 

[art92101]

Substitute for hat brush

I was at the local ACE hardware store and noticed the nicer professional paint bushes. I bought one in the < $15 dollar range and it has been serving me very well. I only use it for hats and so far it has been great. I did not go with my first instinct to buy a cheap paint brush because they are too stiff and they end up losing their "hairs". I like my quality paint brush, it knocks off dust in a second.