Is it possible to un-taper an accidental taper?

[H Weinstein]

I got a little too enthusiastic with the steam while re-shaping an Akubra Down Under into a Butch Cassidy-movie-style replica, and ended up with some inadvertant taper. Is it possible to stretch that out of the hat, or is taper forever?

If Akubra fur felt can in fact be stretched to remove taper, I'd be inclined to skip the steam this time and try wetting it and stetching it over some kind of form. Just wondering if anyone's had any success doing something similar..? Any and all tips, advice, warnings, etc. are much appreciated.
Thanks!

 

[monbla256]

i don't see all that much taper, but if you do then I would send it to a hatter and have them reblock and crease it as you want. They would have the machinery to accomplish what you want. Again, I DON'T see all that much taper and your crease looks true to the style you want.

Onward thru the Fog

 

[H Weinstein]

The taper is mostly in the back. It doesn't look awful, I was just annoyed with myself for overdoing the steam. I'd previouslu done two other Akubra western hats without running into that problem.

Since it's hard to find good hatters locally, I was debating whether to try fixing it myself...or just leave well enough alone.

It was fun looking at the BUTCH CASSIDY DVD in stop action to find good angles on the hat as Paul Newman wore it in the first part of the movie (before he loses the hat jumping off the cliff to escpe the Superposse). I was able to replicate the various oddities and flaws in the hat shape...even noticed a few shots were he obviously wore different hats which didn't match exactly.

 

[Not-Bogart13]

It's possible that the hat started out with that taper, but the new crown shape just amplifies it. In any case, I would recommend either sending it out for a reblock (since you'll probably spend just as much finding a block/form to use on it, and possibly mess up), or just let it be.

 

[Art Fawcett]

Since you are in Maryland I would send it to Mike Moore, Buckaroo hatters in Memphis ( not far) , really, unless you have the right blocks there isn't a way to do it by hand or using household stuff ( at least not that I've found)

 

[Sam Craig]

You just keep buying moonshine jugs until you find one that is the same shape as your head.
Since you have to empty then before you can turn them upside down to reshape your hat, you will find the shape very pleasing ... at least until the shine wears off, that is.

Just trying to help ...

Sam