Re-blocking a cheap panama

[HatRak]

I've got an old panama that I'm interested in having re-blocked. It's a Dorfman-Pacific that I picked up at a summers-end sale for a song about ten, maybe fifteen years ago. The hat body is quite good, probably a Cuenca, with a tight, consistent weave. The downside to the hat is the size. It was made to be a one-size-fits-all monstrosity with this elasticized sweat band that supposedly adjusts to fit whoever. I bought it knowing that I wouldn't like the way it fit, but the hat body was just too nice to pass up for the ridiculous price. (I think I paid about $10.00 for the hat. Figured it would be OK for wearing around the yard while mowing or something.)

Now, having never actually worn it, (I've got other, much nicer panamas) I was wondering if it would be worth having it re-blocked; install a good, leather sweat; and add a decent ribbon. Right now it is blocked as a center-dent with a turn-down, 2-1/2", outback-style brim. I'm thinking about having it re-blocked as a simple teardrop, front-pinch fedora in my actual size.

Have any of you had a panama re-blocked and sized? What was your experience? Who did it for you? I'm also wondering about the cost. Is it worth the money to re-block a decent, but essentially unremarkable, Cuenca panama, or would I be just as well off to spend the money on something new?

 

[Aureliano]

I'd say get something new.[huh]

 

[Mr E Train]

I'd say get something new.[huh]

Seconded.

 

[cybergentleman]

padding

can you just add some padding behind the sweat and snug it up a tad?

if you want it as a yard hat, why waste the money on a reblock

 

[HatRak]

can you just add some padding behind the sweat and snug it up a tad?

if you want it as a yard hat, why waste the money on a reblock

The way this thing is built, it has an elastic sweat band that tapers into the hat, sort of like the net on a basketball hoop. It's tight towards the crown, loose towards the brim. It snugs down fine, it just looks like you could run a finger between your head and the hat all the way around the brim. Just looks really weird. I'm pretty sure I'm going to take everyone's advice and just buy something new. I figure that, by the time I get this thing straightened out, I'll have a $100.00 in a $60.00 hat.