How to fake sweat stains / soil cowboy hats?

[GreatBritishWesterner]

Have you ever seen Westerns in which the characters' hats are all dusty and dirty? Well, that's what I have been experimenting yesterday. Rather than spend money on a custom hat only to to be pre-weathered, I'd try and do what the real cowboys did and weather it myself using dust and dirt. I also did some studying on hat care and that stains can be removed with cold water but hot water can pernamently set them.

I was inspired by the Italian Westerns even clips from Sergio Leone's Once Upon A Time in The West, most notably the scenes with Henry Fonda.

 

[DJH]

A lot of the Indiana Jones gear guys do a lot of distressing on their hats. I think a product called Fullers Earth is one of the favorites.

Also track down the Facebook page of Buckeroo Hatters - the owner Mike Moore is a member here and does a great job of aging hats while still keeping them natural looking.


Cheers!
David

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Major Moore does this to some of his customers hats.
http://www.buckaroohatters.com/


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Fed in a Fedora]

Too funny. I brush mine frequently to keep it from looking weathered and untended.

 

[Monavillecowboy]

Check out the new ELK RUN from Stetson.
http://www.one2miniranch.com/stetson-elk-run-4x-wool-felt-gus-cowboy-western-hat/