Joshbru3
I'll Lock Up
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- 4,409
- Location
- Chicago, IL
I know, I know. I should just put these pictures in the "Milan Mania" thread, but I wanted to show people who steer clear from Milan porkpies, that much can be done with some simple blocks, flanges, and a little elbow grease.
Here's a couple caveats that I wanted to state before recommending that anyone try this:
Check that........
1) The hat is actually MILAN STRAW and not Polypropylene plastic.
2) The straw isn't dry rotted or cracked/broken in any way.
3) The straw isn't too faded inside the porkpie crease. (It wont look right if the hat is re-blocked with a fade line)
4) You have have flange at hand. As soon as steam hits these real Milans, the brim goes crazy, very quick. I would say that a
flange is almost a must here.
5) The crown has enough material for the block that you have chosen. If you pop out the 4 1/8 inch tall porkpie (just for example) and realize that you will only get an inch out of the porkpie crease, don't choose a 6 inch block. Choose a block that's going to give you the crown height that you desire without stressing the milan. You can always remove the sweatband and reblock the hat to a much taller crown, but you will loose brim width and the straw might be faded. If you like tall crowns like I do, choose a Milan porkpie with straight sides and a very deep porkpie crease. That way you will probably have enough room in the crown.
That being said, here it is....
The hat that came in from ebay was a BEAUTIFUL Milan Tall porkpie. Its a Late 40's/Early 50's Ecuadorian Panama Hat Company Milan. This hat honestly has some of the BEST Milan straw I have EVER seen. I have seen the ones at Optimo, and this is on par or better.
This is how it started....
Here's a couple caveats that I wanted to state before recommending that anyone try this:
Check that........
1) The hat is actually MILAN STRAW and not Polypropylene plastic.
2) The straw isn't dry rotted or cracked/broken in any way.
3) The straw isn't too faded inside the porkpie crease. (It wont look right if the hat is re-blocked with a fade line)
4) You have have flange at hand. As soon as steam hits these real Milans, the brim goes crazy, very quick. I would say that a
flange is almost a must here.
5) The crown has enough material for the block that you have chosen. If you pop out the 4 1/8 inch tall porkpie (just for example) and realize that you will only get an inch out of the porkpie crease, don't choose a 6 inch block. Choose a block that's going to give you the crown height that you desire without stressing the milan. You can always remove the sweatband and reblock the hat to a much taller crown, but you will loose brim width and the straw might be faded. If you like tall crowns like I do, choose a Milan porkpie with straight sides and a very deep porkpie crease. That way you will probably have enough room in the crown.
That being said, here it is....
The hat that came in from ebay was a BEAUTIFUL Milan Tall porkpie. Its a Late 40's/Early 50's Ecuadorian Panama Hat Company Milan. This hat honestly has some of the BEST Milan straw I have EVER seen. I have seen the ones at Optimo, and this is on par or better.
This is how it started....
