Preservation of treasured hats

[JakeHacker]

Going out on what I hope is a very short and stout limb here...
To be clear:
I have searched the threads and conversations here on Fedora Lounge, as well on Google and various "hat sites" (village hat shop, etc...)
I am not seeking general cleaning solution.
I am not looking for a specific spot remover.
I am not wanting a water-proof method.
I am not interested in a general storage procedure.

I am interested in knowing if there is a good recommended solution, material, or substance for long term preservation of quality fur felt hats.

Please excuse if I somehow have over looked the obvious, or missed a clear communication about this.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Going out on what I hope is a very short and stout limb here...
To be clear:
I have searched the threads and conversations here on Fedora Lounge, as well on Google and various "hat sites" (village hat shop, etc...)
I am not seeking general cleaning solution.
I am not looking for a specific spot remover.
I am not wanting a water-proof method.
I am not interested in a general storage procedure.

I am interested in knowing if there is a good recommended solution, material, or substance for long term preservation of quality fur felt hats.

Please excuse if I somehow have over looked the obvious, or missed a clear communication about this.

Felt doesn’t take much to keep it safe. Avoid temperature extremes, particularly heat, and keep it safe from moths. The leather sweatbands don’t need a lot more than keeping them for getting too hot, but I also treat them with Pecard’s Antique leather treatment. For long term storage, a proper hat box with a wide edge support ring to hold the hat upside down is my preference.

Aside from moths and environmental damage (water, stains, etc), and leather sweatband deterioration, felt hats don’t take a lot of preservation. I think heat dried out leather and moths are your biggest worries.

 

[BobHufford]

Have you considered off-site storage? What size do you wear? Just curious ...

 

[GHT]

Store your hat in a cardboard hat box when not in use. Never leave your hat in the sun or in the car. Avoid hanging your hat on a hook for extended periods of time. If your hat gets wet allow it to air dry. Never use heat to dry a hat.Handle your hat by the brim instead of the crown.

What is the best way to store a hat? If you have the space, storing your hat in a proper hat box is the best way to preserve and protect your hat. Ideally a hat box should have an insert with a hole cut out for the crown and the hat itself should be stored upside down. The crown should be suspended so it doesn't hit the bottom of the box. The box should be large enough that the brim doesn't hit the sides. The brim should be suspended so that it is completely free. You don't want the brim to be bent or touching the sides. The box should be stored in a cool, dark, dry place.

If it's a wool hat, you may consider adding some cedar balls or blocks to protect them from moths. If the hat is dirty be sure to clean it first. Dirt can cause damage or discoloration when a hat is stored for long periods of time. There are a number of good quality brushes on the market made specifically for cleaning your hat.

 

[belfastboy]

Going out on what I hope is a very short and stout limb here...
To be clear:
I have searched the threads and conversations here on Fedora Lounge, as well on Google and various "hat sites" (village hat shop, etc...)
I am not seeking general cleaning solution.
I am not looking for a specific spot remover.
I am not wanting a water-proof method.
I am not interested in a general storage procedure.

I am interested in knowing if there is a good recommended solution, material, or substance for long term preservation of quality fur felt hats.

Please excuse if I somehow have over looked the obvious, or missed a clear communication about this.

Quality fur felt is an amazing fabric. The care and feeding of which is simple and straightforward. Store your hats in an environment that avoids extreme prolonged heat, Buy a quality hat brush. Brush your hats regularly....brushing stops the build up of dust and lessens the opportunity of moths to settle into the fibres and make them their home. If the hat gets wet set it aside and allow to dry without a heat source and in a way that does not deform the shape. Occasionally treat the sweatband with a quality cleaner/conditioner. Do all the above and you increase the chances of being able to pass your hat collection down to the next generation.

 

[JakeHacker]

Have you considered off-site storage? What size do you wear? Just curious ...

I seem to hit the exact middle between 7 1/8 (57) "seems a little snug" and 7 1/4 (58) "seems a little loose". However that also seems to vary a bit from hat to hat, and from manufacturer to manufacturer. Sometimes i wonder how exacting the measures and standards are for hats anyway? Oh well, maybe I am lucky in that both sizes work for me, sort of anyway, or it could be all subjective.
Hope that helps, and thanks for asking.

 

[JakeHacker]

Store your hat in a cardboard hat box when not in use. Never leave your hat in the sun or in the car. Avoid hanging your hat on a hook for extended periods of time. If your hat gets wet allow it to air dry. Never use heat to dry a hat.Handle your hat by the brim instead of the crown.

What is the best way to store a hat? If you have the space, storing your hat in a proper hat box is the best way to preserve and protect your hat. Ideally a hat box should have an insert with a hole cut out for the crown and the hat itself should be stored upside down. The crown should be suspended so it doesn't hit the bottom of the box. The box should be large enough that the brim doesn't hit the sides. The brim should be suspended so that it is completely free. You don't want the brim to be bent or touching the sides. The box should be stored in a cool, dark, dry place.

If it's a wool hat, you may consider adding some cedar balls or blocks to protect them from moths. If the hat is dirty be sure to clean it first. Dirt can cause damage or discoloration when a hat is stored for long periods of time. There are a number of good quality brushes on the market made specifically for cleaning your hat.

So it really is that simple and straight forward! I am accustomed to a lot more effort with my shoes, coats, and especially my suits.
It will be nice to have something relatively low maintenance, simply air drip dry as necessary, brush regularly, and good storage, nothing to it.
Thanks for the response, I had difficulty believing it was that basic.

 

[JakeHacker]

Quality fur felt is an amazing fabric. The care and feeding of which is simple and straightforward. Store your hats in an environment that avoids extreme prolonged heat, Buy a quality hat brush. Brush your hats regularly....brushing stops the build up of dust and lessens the opportunity of moths to settle into the fibres and make them their home. If the hat gets wet set it aside and allow to dry without a heat source and in a way that does not deform the shape. Occasionally treat the sweatband with a quality cleaner/conditioner. Do all the above and you increase the chances of being able to pass your hat collection down to the next generation.

Thanks. I typically use a light coat of mink oil on my leathers, I imagine that will be fine for most sweatbands. I appreciate the input.

 

[JakeHacker]

Have you considered off-site storage? What size do you wear? Just curious ...

I have several nice ceder lined closets where I generally keep the hats, if for any length of time. So "No" I have not considered off site storage.

 

[belfastboy]

Thanks. I typically use a light coat of mink oil on my leathers, I imagine that will be fine for most sweatbands. I appreciate the input.

I prefer a lighter conditioner such as Lexol or Peckards.

 

[Rmccamey]

I seem to hit the exact middle between 7 1/8 (57) "seems a little snug" and 7 1/4 (58) "seems a little loose". However that also seems to vary a bit from hat to hat, and from manufacturer to manufacturer. Sometimes i wonder how exacting the measures and standards are for hats anyway? Oh well, maybe I am lucky in that both sizes work for me, sort of anyway, or it could be all subjective.
Hope that helps, and thanks for asking.

I'm right there with you, Jake. I have hats from 7 to 1/4 that fit and have tried some 7s and some 1/4s that would never fit my head. When dealing with vintage hats, I've found it wise to have realistic expectations, a hat stretcher and a few strips of felt to tweak the size as necessary. Fortunately, there are a lot of heads in our size, so selling or trading those sizes is not too much of a problem.

 

[JakeHacker]

I prefer a lighter conditioner such as Lexol or Peckards.

I am not familiar with either, are they of specific benefit? If so, what?

 

[belfastboy]

I am not familiar with either, are they of specific benefit? If so, what?

I would use Mink oil on my baseball gloves and found it thick and a bit sticky. Fine for a leather baseball glove but not a sweat band. Lexol comes in both a cleaner that I would use first then the conditioner. It is lighter viscosity and the excess wipes off easily.

 

[glider]

Mink oil is good for water proofing boots but I'm not to sure about using it on a sweat band