Replacement Hat Liner

[theinterchange]

As to the plastic crown liners

I edge toward indifference n it.

I'm the same way. I'm not a fan, but if it's there, I'm not going to go ballistic and rip it out. I could care less if I all my hats did or didn't have a plastic insert.

Randy

 

[Benzadmiral]

I took out and saved the liner of my newer Resistol Open Road clone, since it was sagging and touching my head when I wore the hat. My plan: to see if it's wearable during the nasty "spring" here. My new black Manhattan fedora, though higher-crowned, has a liner which is also pooching downward, and I'm inclined to cut it out too. Since I don't use hair oils, I'm not too worried about staining the felt.

 

[gtdean48]

I took out and saved the liner of my newer Resistol Open Road clone, since it was sagging and touching my head when I wore the hat. My plan: to see if it's wearable during the nasty "spring" here. My new black Manhattan fedora, though higher-crowned, has a liner which is also pooching downward, and I'm inclined to cut it out too. Since I don't use hair oils, I'm not too worried about staining the felt.

Seeing that GA is a humid climate sort of like LA, I do this with quite a few of my hats for late Spring/Summer/early Fall usage. The liner holds more heat in that just the crown of the hat alone. The dead air space of a liner-less hat seems to exchange better thru the felt than thru the liner plus the felt & therefore more tolerable. I tuck the liner back in using the sweatband to hold it in place & haven't had any trouble with them falling down during wear in the winter months.

 

[scottyrocks]

I took out and saved the liner of my newer Resistol Open Road clone, since it was sagging and touching my head when I wore the hat. My plan: to see if it's wearable during the nasty "spring" here. My new black Manhattan fedora, though higher-crowned, has a liner which is also pooching downward, and I'm inclined to cut it out too. Since I don't use hair oils, I'm not too worried about staining the felt.

I read, I think here, that one way to keep a sagging liner up is to spray some starch into the top of the hat, lay the liner in, and hit it with a not-too-hot blow dryer. This will enable the liner to take the shape of the top of the hat and stay there.

 

[danofarlington]

I just use a couple of those big safety pins they used to use for diapers. They also keep the price tag in place on the brim.

 

[hatophile]

I just use a couple of those big safety pins they used to use for diapers. They also keep the price tag in place on the brim.

Kind of like a male Minnie Pearl?

 

[Benzadmiral]

Kind of like a male Minnie Pearl?

How-DEEE!!

 

[danofarlington]

Kind of like a male Minnie Pearl?

Exactly like that. I'm starting to feel self-conscious though because I don't see anyone else doing it.

 

[ChicagoWayVito]

Lining attaching questions

Hi,

I am fumbling my way through shaping and constructing my first hat. Was hoping there were some hatters that could share their expertise on attaching liners. I have some questions?

• Are liners attached before or after the sweatband?
• How are liners attached?
• Should the expansion seam of the liner be in the back or on one of the sides?
• Is there a step-by-step walkthrough of attaching a liner?
• In high quality hats are liners one size fits all or are the liners custom fit to each hat size?

Sorry for some many questions. Any advice and knowledge that anyone can impart will be greatly appreciated.

Cheers!

 

[DOGMAN]

I make liners for my hats and I don't attach the liners.I like to be able to remove them.

 

[tommyK]

I make liners for my hats and I don't attach the liners.I like to be able to remove them.

+1 I've made liners for two of my hats that didn't have liners and did not attach.

I also put them over a wood hat block of similar shape and steam it to mirror the shape of the hat I'm putting it in.

I have re-sewn in liners of vintage hats that I've worked on. I've used a curved needle and you just want to catch the felt not go all the way through it as you do a loose basting stitch. It doesn't take much to hold it in place.

Best thing is to look at some vintage hats and how they did it.

 

[RJR]

Agree with tommyK.

 

[humanshoes]

Never could bring myself to put glue in a hat that I've spent so much time and effort on, however, every production hat I've ever purchased, even some very expensive ones, have use this method. Initially, I used double sided tape to secure my liners in place, but I gave it up as it just seemed too cheesy for my taste. I've basted a few in place, but that's problematic if you like to remove your liners in warmer weather as I do. Now I just make sure they're trimmed properly, secure the edges under the sweatband and leave it at that. My customers seem to like the option of easily removing their liners so that's worked out well for me. As to the seam, I've seen them with side placement which is okay, but looks odd to me so I always place mine at the rear. I learn something new with every hat I make and at least half the fun for me has been in the learning process. Enjoy the journey and if you ever make the perfect hat (a dream I've given up on) let me know and I will buy it from you immediately.

 

[ChicagoWayVito]

Thank you for the responses. Makes me feel much better about just placing the liner inside. I checked the Akubra that I purchased and they did glue it in (at least in spots) but I don't like the idea of glue. An episode of "How Its Made" covered mass produced Top and Bowler hats indicated that they were glued in with hot melt glue. While there is a place for hot melt glue I don't like the idea of using it on a hat.

 

[tommyK]

Most will stay in place just fine with nothing attaching. Better nothing than glue. As others have said, if it's a summer hat you might want to remove the liner anyway.

 

[tommyK]

One of my liners.

I didn't sew it in as I keep hoping to find a ruined, cheap donor hat from a similar time period with a liner I can rob ( I know, fat chance right?).

 

[gtdean48]

I've used double-sided tape but mostly just tuck behind the sweatband...
I've sent off quite a few to be refurb'ed so I take the older liners out & clean them up for use later...

 

[tonyb]

Never could bring myself to put glue in a hat that I've spent so much time and effort on, however, every production hat I've ever purchased, even some very expensive ones, have use this method. Initially, I used double sided tape to secure my liners in place, but I gave it up as it just seemed too cheesy for my taste. I've basted a few in place, but that's problematic if you like to remove your liners in warmer weather as I do. Now I just make sure they're trimmed properly, secure the edges under the sweatband and leave it at that. My customers seem to like the option of easily removing their liners so that's worked out well for me. As to the seam, I've seen them with side placement which is okay, but looks odd to me so I always place mine at the rear. I learn something new with every hat I make and at least half the fun for me has been in the learning process. Enjoy the journey and if you ever make the perfect hat (a dream I've given up on) let me know and I will buy it from you immediately.

Pretty much my sentiments as well, although I do stitch liners into place. I've never had any difficulty doing it, but I know of a few people who say it gives them fits. I'd much prefer those people just put in the liner and call it good rather than use glue. Glue not only mars the liner material, it doesn't do the felt any favors, either. I've seen liners glued in with waaaay more glue than necessary. The glue penetrates the felt and takes the felt with it when the liner is removed.

I'm in complete agreement with your last sentence, by the way. You can aim for perfection, and get closer to it with practice, but I know of no one who has ever quite gotten there.

 

[Joao Encarnado]

I've seen liners glued in with waaaay more glue than necessary. The glue penetrates the felt and takes the felt with it when the liner is removed.

Most of the time the liner gets glued to the sweatband also. You want to turn the sweatband and almost damages it because of so much glue.

 

[Frunobulax]

Pretty much my sentiments as well, although I do stitch liners into place. I've never had any difficulty doing it, but I know of a few people who say it gives them fits. I'd much prefer those people just put in the liner and call it good rather than use glue. Glue not only mars the liner material, it doesn't do the felt any favors, either. I've seen liners glued in with waaaay more glue than necessary. The glue penetrates the felt and takes the felt with it when the liner is removed.

I'm in complete agreement with your last sentence, by the way. You can aim for perfection, and get closer to it with practice, but I know of no one who has ever quite gotten there.

So, is there anything you can do to soften the glue to remove it? Or are you just faced with carefully removing the glued liner from the glue? Anything you can do to clean the leftover glue off the inside of the hat?