Old hat that needs refreshing

[johnnycanuck]

I know Art at vintagesilhouettes used to rework hats (clean, reblock, replace lining and sweatband) but does anyone know of anyone else that does it? ...... cheep like? By mail or locally in Alberta is fine. Either way is good with me. I have a Akubra Federation that needs a little TLC. Any suggestions will be appreciated.
Johnny

 

[Vermifuge]

I know Art at vintagesilhouettes used to rework hats (clean, reblock, replace lining and sweatband) but does anyone know of anyone else that does it? ...... cheep like? By mail or locally in Alberta is fine. Either way is good with me. I have a Akubra Federation that needs a little TLC. Any suggestions will be appreciated.
Johnny

I have had good luck with Optimo.

 

[AlanC]

I think Steve Delk of Adventurebilt will take on Feds for reblock, although I don't know what the wait time is. You could get his Indy block.

 

[Duck]

I will 2nd the Optimo route. Graham does some nice work.

 

[johnnycanuck]

I e-mailed them on Tuesday with no word back yet. Do you know how much they charge?

 

[Duck]

Here is a link to their hat care webpage:
http://www.hatcleaning.com/
I got fast service from them. After they received my hat, Graham called me to discuss his recommendations.

 

[AlanC]

They have a price list posted.

Okay, they used to, but that page isn't opening. Maybe it will later.

 

[deanglen]

Opened for me at 9:39am DST.

dean

 

[feltfan]

I e-mailed them on Tuesday with no word back yet. Do you know how much they charge?

Email is not the way to go with these guys.
Call them.

 

[Fletch]

Ah. Old school craftsmen. I assume they'll e you a written estimate at least, no?
(I knew an instrument repair/dealer guy with a large and well done web presence who never used email except to write, "Call me." Turned out he wanted to give nothing in writing, estimates, prices or otherwise. Not necessarily a crook, but...too cagey by half. Guy probably wheeled-n-dealed in his sleep.)

Prices aren't bad either...especially if they do such good work.
Might be nice to see pix of Optimo-restored hats.

 

[AlanC]

Might be nice to see pix of Optimo-restored hats.

There have been several threads posted. I think Razzman had a recent one, and someone else recently, too.

For whatever reason I still can't get that Optimo price list to open for me today.

 

[Ian Dundrillon]

Dear johnny canuck,
(I have posted this before) I am having a Stetson St. Regis homburg worked on by Mike the Hatter in Cleveland. Cleaning runs $27.95 U.S. including return postage for felt hats in regular colours. They offer additional restoration services as well. I haven't dealt with them before so I have no track record to share with you. I'll let you know how it goes.

Ian

mikethehatter.com

 

[funneman]

Optimo

I'm glad to see this thread.

I am planning on being in Chicago this fall. I would like very much to leave one or two of my hats at Optimo for various repairs and then have the hats sent back to me in Florida after they are done. This is assuming, of course, that there is no "Hat's repaired while you wait" kind of deal.

I have a Penny's Marathon that just needs the sweatband resewn where the threads have broken and a second Marathon that could use a sweatband replacement.

I have seen some threads where folks left they're hats for repair at hat shops and then found things like linings and sweatbands replaced when they really didn't need or want them to be replaced.

I have also seen a few remarks from people who left hats for repair and later found out the hats were lost.

Has anyone experience any of these types of issues with Optimo?

Is there someone in particular I should ask for?

 

[Not-Bogart13]

As far as I know, Optimo is your best bet. I've never heard or read a bad thing about them. Steve Delk is really backed up, I don't know Art's current backlog, and all other options seem to have fallen flat (to the best of my knowledge).

I promise, if some rich Uncle dies and leaves even half of it all to me, I'll learn the ropes and start a reblock business! (I'm serious... except I don't have a rich Uncle [huh] )
NB

 

[barrowjh]

Here (i hope) is a link to my thread on two I sent to Optimo recently -

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=22806

To my knowledge, Optimo is the only hatter that restores to vintage 'standards' - if the liner was stitched in, then it (or its replacement liner) will be stitched in when you get it back. I suspect it is tough for anyone to restitch a fragile sweatband - and many vintage sweats are fragile, so the decision to send them in for restoration is a weighty one. There are a few on FL that will take the time to restitch through the old holes to hang on to a vintage sweatband, but not many. I want to wear the hats, not display them, so losing the sweat was not unbearable.

If someone has used Mike the Hatter, let us know - if they stitch or glue the lining. I contacted a shop in Memphis that told me they no longer stitch the sweats - they attach them back in by running a seam of glue - that would be a way to preserve a fragile vintage sweatband. I went for the new roan leather sweat stitched by Optimo instead.

 

[Kim Steiner]

Optimo

Well, I'm glad to hear that everyone else has had good experiences with them. I sent them an OR a couple of years ago with a couple of questions/options left open in the letter of transmittal. I expected a phone call, but all I got was the hat and an invoice. I was somewhat disappointed. I think they prefer to get busy on a job rather than bother with a phone call. Kim

 

[funneman]

I suspect it is tough for anyone to restitch a fragile sweatband - and many vintage sweats are fragile, so the decision to send them in for restoration is a weighty one. There are a few on FL that will take the time to restitch through the old holes to hang on to a vintage sweatband, but not many. I want to wear the hats, not display them, so losing the sweat was not unbearable.

Good point.

 

[Ian Dundrillon]

On 9.06.07 I made a post regarding using Mike the Hatter to clean my Stetson St. Regis homburg. It was returned today and I'm pleased to
say that they did a great job. I'm going to have my Borsalinos done
next.

www.mikethehatter.com