Reshaping A Preformed, Wool Felt Fedora

[The Fedorable]

I'm wondering is it possible? I have a Jaxon Pinch Crown which I love at the moment. If anything, I want to reshape the crown so that I can give the hat a "raiders" turn and possbily make the crown more symmectrical from when I got it.

 

[Dinerman]

Careful trying to re-shape wool felt. Fur felt can take it, but wool has a tendency to shrink and taper when exposed to steam or water.

 

[The Fedorable]

Careful trying to re-shape wool felt. Fur felt can take it, but wool has a tendency to shrink and taper when exposed to steam or water.

Oh, really? Okay, I'll try to. Is there anything else I should watch out for?

 

[jlee562]

It's not impossible per se, but it's difficult with the blocked in creases and the nature of the wool.

 

[gtdean48]

Oh, really? Okay, I'll try to. Is there anything else I should watch out for?

Use cold water to soften wool felt hat for reshaping & let it dry slowly = dark, cool place.
Lots of wool hats are treated with waterproofing like Scotchguard to repel water by the factory.
While steam deactivates shellac & loosens fur felt fibers, the hot water is bad for wool.
You'd never wash a good wool sweater in hot or even warm water, right?

I've reshapen some wool crushers & had to retreat with Scotchguard for camping lids.

 

[johnnycanuck]

there is always a risk of shrinkage but if you use cold water and air dry (out of sunlight or heat) you should be fine.
Johnny