Reshaping a soft, almost floppy brim?

[MattJH]

At the local Burlington Coat Factory, there's been the same very light gray fur felt Hockel with matching light-grey grossgrain ribbon sitting there that's exactly my size for a few months. It's $39.98. I haven't picked it up because the brim is so pliable that as soon as I shape it the way I want (back upturned, front downturned) and I place it on my head, it pops back out into its upturned form again -- that is to say that the brim upturns all the way around.

For the price, it's an extremely nice-looking and nice-feeling fur felt. Soft, soft, soft, soft, soft. But if I bought it, what would I do to shape it? Is it as simple as shaping it over a pot of boiling water? And if I mess it up, is it as simple as redoing it until it turns out right? Is there a better way to shape the brim?

Also, if there's a wrinkle in the grossgrain, what's the best way to smooth it out?

I've read all the shaping threads, but they all mostly deal with the crown (that I've found, at least!) and not the brim or the grossgrain. Help? I may pick it up this week if the replies I get here instill confidence in me that I can make the hat look the way I want it to.

 

[Feraud]

You can try steaming the brim (or crown) to shape and let it sit. If that does not help there is felt stiffener available to add support.
One of our members talked about successfully fixing a wrinked ribbon.
Not sure where that was....

 

[reetpleat]

I would think steaming would fix any ribbon.

As for the brim, it may be that the problem is that the curve of the brim is not curved enough. A brim does not stay that way on it's own. It relies on the tightness of the outer part being a little bigger than it would be if it were flat in comparison to the inner part. Think of a bowl. If the hat is too flat, nothing will keep the brim as you want it. It might be possible to somehow shrink the outper part of the brim with steam maybe, but I would not buy it unless you got good info from someone who knows it can be done and how.

 

[Feraud]

I believe the problem described here -

I haven't picked it up because the brim is so pliable that as soon as I shape it the way I want (back upturned, front downturned) and I place it on my head, it pops back out into its upturned form again -- that is to say that the brim upturns all the way around.

is due to the fact the hat has been stored for a long time with the brim turned upwards. This has produced the present brim "memory". A bit of steam and/or daily use (with necessary adjustments) should remedy it.

 

[Matt Deckard]

You can use an iron from a distance to steam the hat.

For the price the felt is worth the fee. It's a steal. Once in a while you'll see them restock the 12 buck fur felts.

 

[reetpleat]

I believe the problem described here -
is due to the fact the hat has been stored for a long time with the brim turned upwards. This has produced the present brim "memory". A bit of steam and/or daily use (with necessary adjustments) should remedy it.

I gotta disagre on this one. mny people store their hats with the brim flipped up, or even wear them that way. I have never seen it cause a hat to not stay flipped down.

 

[John in Covina]

One of our members talked about successfully fixing a wrinked ribbon. Not sure where that was....

**********
Wet the ribbon with plain room tempurature water. THe water seems to relax it instantly. It should dry and remain smoothed out.

 

[tonyb]

Straightening ribbon wrinkles

As MattC (I believe it was) advised, oh, a year or more ago ... hit that wrinkle with a bit of steam and then smooth it over with the flat side of a (clean, of course) butter knife. I've done it myself. Worked like a charm.

 

[ideaguy]

Tony! a CLEAN butter knife? ah, I wish you'd have told me a while ago...
marmalade all over a Royal Stetson ribbon. Nice color, but...

 

[Rick Blaine]

Get a Brim block (flange)

Hat stiffner

& an iron...
& go to town on it

 

[Orgetorix]

I had success getting most of the wrinkles out of my BCF hat's ribbon with steam and pressure from my fingers and a hot butter knife.

The BCF hats are fantastic values for the money. I wear mine almost daily, and I'm getting the urge to go back and hunt for a gray one.