My hat smells like cigs! what to do?

[Molorom]

I just recieved a grey hat off of ebay,
the felt is just fantastic! and it feels like its never
been worn, but it smells like its been sitting in a cuban
cigar shop, and some of the brim, has a yellow tinge to it.
Is there anything i can do? and will a reblock solve the problem?
Adam

 

[jamespowers]

The easiest thing to do would be to have it cleaned and reblocked. You can set it out in the open air but that would only solve the smell problem. The yellow tinge would have to be removed by cleaning and a reblock would make it a nice crisp hat to wear.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Molorom]

whos currently avalible for reblocks?
I know art is busy, and it isent really a indy hat,
how much does optimo charge, and is there any other reblocker?

 

[MattC]

Getting rid of the smell & Optimo clean

Optimo charges about $30 to clean and reblock, and $15 to ship. They do great work.

You can get almost any smell out of a hat by filling an athletic sock with baking soda and tieing it off, and putting the hat and the sock into a plastic laundry bag. Tie it off and let it sit two weeks. Works everytime.

 

[Biltmore Bob]

Depending where you are, you can usually go to a good western wear store ant they can do it for next to nothing while you wait.

 

[SHARPETOYS]

Try some vinegar and water to clean it first.

 

[Matt Deckard]

Leaving the hat outside though not in direct sun has worked for me.

 

[Molorom]

I probably should add,
the seller, said the hat was in perfect mint condition,
and since that is not the case, I can send it back.
Heres the auction
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8330063360&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MEWA:IT&rd=1
Adam

 

[jamespowers]

Interesting hat. Here is an ad for it from 1958.

This is obviously a bit newer than yours but it does give you an idea what you have.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Molorom]

Good News!
the seller is refunding my money,
so i guess i can try all of these things on the hat!
Cheers to that! :cheers1:
Adam

 

[jamespowers]

So are you keeping the hat or sending it back?

 

[Molorom]

im keeping it,
and they are refunding my money.

 

[jamespowers]

im keeping it,
and they are refunding my money.

Man that is one heck of a deal. Too bad it is too small.
At that price I would have it professionally cleaned and blocked. It is worth it.

regards to all,

J

 

[Molorom]

yea,
deffinatly.
For now though,
im going to try the ideas sugguested to me,
and when art is back up,
ill send it his way.
Thanks for the help guys,
Adam

 

[fedoralover]

You can buy Naptha at any paint or hardware store. Wear rubber gloves and then dampen a terry cloth with the Naptha and rub it on the hat counter clock wise. It is what most hatters use anyway, just do it yourself and save some dough. I've used it myself on hats and it works great. Just apply it evenly over the entire hat and let it dry. Oh yeah, make sure you do all this outside as the Naptha is pretty strong stuff. I've also used the white vinegar and it works too.

regards fedoralover

 

[MJL]

Of course you could smoke a cigar with the hat on and that will certainly mask the smell of cigarettes. :cool2:

 

[Fedora]

Smells like a Cuban cigar? Good gosh, do nothing to it!! Enjoy the smell of the world's finest smoke. Fedora

 

[Bebop]

Start smoking cigars!

Sometimes embracing the negative is the only way to go. I don't want to sound silly or anything but you could always start enjoying cigars. That would make the smell a bit more tolerable. :cool2: