How do you handle a Hat?

[Pompidou]

The crown of my VS is too big for me to just grab with one hand like a more traditionally creased fedora style. The hat feels too heavy to pick up one handed by the brim - especially with the upward curl it has to it all around. I always pick mine up with two hands under the brim, like I'm putting on a crown. While I want this VS to take on character over time, I don't want that to be hastened by misuse.

 

[Mr_D.]

i think it is a personal thing. I put my hat on by holding it by the pinch, but I do not hold it too tight. I don't see any problems with doing this. Some will say your oil from your fingers will leave dirt on the pinch. Well, it will do the same to the brim. IMO, if you handle the hat gently, then you will be fine.

 

[bolthead]

I confess, I sometimes grab a hat by the pinch, but I am mostly a brim handler.

Ditto, except if it's one of my customs, or my better felted hats.

The one that still has a cattleman's crease gets used to fan a barbeque and the other with a teardrop crease gets stuck with flies and grabbed on the crown with hands covered in fish slime.

love this. ^^^^^^^

 

[Alan-Eby]

For me it depends on the hat, but usually its a combo of grabbing the crown and brim, usually most the stress being put on the brim. I mostly wear western hats, and most of those are older, work hats so I grab them by the pinch. I'm pretty hard on my western hats, because in my opinion thats what they are for, use not just decoration.