How to reshape a Stratton brim?

[Naphtali]

I have a Stratton fur felt campaign hat. It was a D.I. hat in another life. The flat brim is slightly upturned, the better to glare at boots through mirrored sunglasses. Throughout the hat, the felt is as thick and stiff as masonite.

I want to reshape the brim to be down turned front and rear, similar to Jason Robards' campaign hat in TORA TORA TORA.

How can I achieve this without losing much of the stiffness? . . . Or is losing brim stiffness while retaining crown stiffness not inherently evil?

 

[44forrest]

I reshaped a Stetson brim by steaming the brim, top and bottom and close to the crown and for a considerable period of time. Begin the taper at that point pressing the brim gently down at the desired angle. Move out to the edge of the brim incrementally. Once it dries it will reain the stiffness it had. I noticed no loss of brim stiffness. Some may have been lost, but not enough for me to notice. You can start at the front or back, your choice. Then do the opposite side trying to match the first. I recently received a 5x Biltmore Silver Buckle with a 3 1/12 " brim and the brim was turned up all around from sitting upside in a box for several years. I used this method and now have a nice downward taper in the front and back and a nice western side curl to boot. It has retained it's brim stiffness. Good luck in you efforts. It sounds like a great hat. Post a picture when you are done.

 

[Art Fawcett]

Naphtali, I have a friend that makes western hats and I have watched her shape the brim in this way pretty simply. She runs the hat over her steam ( read boiling water) and uses her stomach by turning the hat sideway and wrapping it over her middle. Granted, she has an ample middle, but it does a great, simple job.
No worries about losing stiffness, you almost have to work at getting it out.

Good Luck

 

[Naphtali]

So there is no magic involved. The same technique for reshaping the hat in the avatar, for my Borsalinos, etc. -- that's it?

My concern was that the fur felt would be of significantly lower quality than my other hats, that poor quality was masked by incredible felt thickness and the use of some industrial strength hat stiffener.

 

[Art Fawcett]

Naphtali, this advice is only for the Stratton or western hats with thick, heavily stiffened hats. Unless your Borso is in the category, then no, I won't recommend it. As for felt quality, Stratton hats are made from Winchester felt, the same supplier I and most small hatters in this country use. The staple felts ( rabbit) are of good quality and the beaver is terrific. Just go slow with the modifications.

 

[Naphtali]

Is this an "Ooops" moment?

I've shaped the crowns of three Borsalino fedoras; and crowns and brims of one Stetson Walter Brennan-as-Ike Clanton cowboy hat, one Resistol Henry Fonda-as-Wyatt Earp cowboy hat, and a couple of miscellaneous Akubra hats. For all of them I used a combination of distilled water as steam, or distilled water as a room temperature mist to render the hats pliable.

While I was successful with every hat, I think I'll pay attention to a better method.

 

[Art Fawcett]

No oops..I've found that hatters, like good mechanics, can find ways to accomplish the tasks in inventive ways. Not many have complete shops ( there really is no such thing as there is ALWAYS a tool you need but don't have) but we make them as complete as we can, then invent from there. If your methods are working for you, then Yee Haw!! , go for it. You won't get criticizm from this corner my Friend. This falls under the "where there's a will there's a way" category.