Homburg no more

[Rick Blaine]

Inspired by several discussions in the archives regarding both Homburg to Fedora conversions & the lack of wide brimmed, high crowned black hats I have attempted a transformation.

I must admit, had this seller said this

was a Homburg I would've passed it by... I guess the lack of a straight-on view might've been a clue... but I missed it.

So when it came I realized that this was an unworn Mallory

of very high quality

that fit like a glove.

Only the box was Richmond Bros. the hat was out of Chicago

...not being a Homburg type of guy, I set about trying to coax this into something I would put on my head, after all, I reasoned, I can always send it to a pro if (when) I bollocks it up, eh?

It has a 3" brim, bound, of course, unfortunately there is about twice the binding on the underside of the brim than the top, but I can live with that...in a black hat

The (unblocked) crown measures a staggering 7 inches

 

[Visigoth]

How did you do the transformation? Steam?

 

[Rick Blaine]

Steam, steam iron, tea kettle...

How did you do the transformation? Steam?

... all of the above... I am not through by a long shot... but Oct. is still a LOOONNGGG ways away!

 

[Razzman]

The hat looks great. Nice job. :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[BigSleep]

Nice job Broseph!

I just scored a brown Stetson I'm gonna do.

Thanks for sharing your pics.

 

[Visigoth]

I was thinking that a good method might be to soak the brim, lay it down flat, and pile heavy stuff all around to flatten it out... I'm pretty sure it wouldn't take out all of the curl, once it dried, but a fair bit. What do the professional hatters here think? (Apart from the obvious answer, which is to send it to them -- sending a hat from Mexico generally costs more than the hat itself.)

 

[DOUGLAS]

Beautiful hat!

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

Nice job Broseph!

I just scored a brown Stetson I'm gonna do.

Thanks for sharing your pics.

That wouldn't be the Royal Deluxe St. Regis that I forgot to bid on, would it?

 

[BellyTank]

I flattened a Homburg but getting the curl completely out and redistributing the brim tension, without removing it completely was tough.
This is where having the right brim flage would be helpful.

The brim break is not as distinct as it could be, so the Fedora effect is somewhat lacking.

B
T

 

[Sefton]

You did a fine job with that hat. A hat to be worn for some serious business...:eusa_clap

 

[Rick Blaine]

THANKS FOR ALL THE FEEDBACK, GENTS!

... very gratifying... I think, for me, converting Homburgs is more viable than attempting to covert most cowboy/western hats... more supple felt, too.

I was thinking that a good method might be to soak the brim, lay it down flat, and pile heavy stuff all around to flatten it out... I'm pretty sure it wouldn't take out all of the curl, once it dried, but a fair bit. What do the professional hatters here think? (Apart from the obvious answer, which is to send it to them -- sending a hat from Mexico generally costs more than the hat itself.)

I didn't do anything nearly as sophisticated... bear in mind at the time I was frustrated by the fact this WASN'T a fedora, as I had been lead to believe... so I just forced the rolled brim over back to the point at which I judged the appropriate fedora brim break would be and applied a hot steamy clothes iron, worked it with heat, steam & pressure (and the edge of the ironing board) and hoped for the best...

 

[Rick Blaine]

serious business...

You did a fine job with that hat. A hat to be worn for some serious business...:eusa_clap

Yeah, like circumcisions, weddings, funerals & the high holy days... lol
Seriously though, ya' gotta admit, it looks somewhat Rabbinical ...oy!

 

[BigSleep]

That wouldn't be the Royal Deluxe St. Regis that I forgot to bid on, would it?

I think it might be.
18 bucks. Sorry dude.

 

[BigSleep]

I just realized whos hat Rick Blaine has now.

Major Toht from Raiders.

Now, what shall we talk about?

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

I think it might be.
18 bucks. Sorry dude.

Well, if it doesn't want to be a fedora, let me know.

 

[BigSleep]

Homburg/Fedora conversion

Thought I would post the results of my attemt to convert a Homburg to a Fedora.

I think its a success!

Before:

After:

After much struggle with the bound edge including steaming and using my new hat flange I had to remove the ribbon in order to get the felt to conform to the fedora shape. No biggie to have a new one sewn on. There is only a slight tell-tale sign that one was there in the firast place. Almost all the stitching holes filled in while working the felt.

Shot of underside:

It's a little Indiana Jones but what the heck, I've wanted to be Indy since I was 18 yrs old anyhow.

This has turned out to be a very nice hat. Needs a little more steam work but I'm pretty happy.

 

[BigSleep]

Not sure why but the pics are not showing up for me. Gonna try to post them once more.

Ang on.

 

[BigSleep]

 

[BigSleep]

That worked.

 

[BigSleep]

That's it on my noggin on the left.