Shaping a fedora?

[jlee562]

Sure, why not? You may or may not need steam. A spray bottle with distilled water may also help.

 

[Otateral]

Here's one on creating a teardrop crease. Same basic principle for side creases.

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?38228-Teardrop-Workshop

 

[RBH]

I hope this merge helps you out.
Welcome to the Lounge.

 

[zetwal]

Welcome to the Lounge.

+1
Welcome, Dobb ... :yo:

 

[Dobb]

Very helpful, thank you. And thanks again for the nice welcome.

 

[scottyrocks]

Sure, why not? You may or may not need steam. A spray bottle with distilled water may also help.

I'll second the spray bottle over steam. No danger on overheating and shrinking the hat with water. You just spray it until it is coated - don't saturate it, shape, and let sit overnight.

 

[jbucklin]

My latest attempt to reshape my Beaver Brand hat:

 

[Otateral]

I love it, but I'm not as technically savvy as others.

 

[Woodfluter]

Hi Dobb, and welcome aboard! Many nice, helpful folks here.

I understand why some have reservations about steam...I did initially. But if you make a tapered spout extension from aluminum foil for a teakettle, it's as targeted as anything can be. Also, you don't have to (and shouldn't) get the hat hot at all. It's not about the heat, but rather the humidity. A spray bottle will yield droplets -- small, but droplets nonetheless, and it won't penetrate far into a good fur felt hat unless you pat it in and spend time wetting it down. Then you have to wait for it to dry.

With steam, you get molecular water. Small quantities will penetrate the felt much better, and it will dry much faster when you're done. You keep it far enough away that your hand wouldn't be hurting if it got between the steam and the hat. Not at all like steaming vegetables. You lightly and briefly steam the part you want to reshape, do that, then move to the next little bit. I've done this to quite a number of vintage hats and to Akubras and other newer hats as well, some of them repeatedly, and never had the slightest indication of shrinkage.

 

[Dobb]

Hi Dobb, and welcome aboard! Many nice, helpful folks here.

I understand why some have reservations about steam...I did initially. But if you make a tapered spout extension from aluminum foil for a teakettle, it's as targeted as anything can be. Also, you don't have to (and shouldn't) get the hat hot at all. It's not about the heat, but rather the humidity. A spray bottle will yield droplets -- small, but droplets nonetheless, and it won't penetrate far into a good fur felt hat unless you pat it in and spend time wetting it down. Then you have to wait for it to dry.

With steam, you get molecular water. Small quantities will penetrate the felt much better, and it will dry much faster when you're done. You keep it far enough away that your hand wouldn't be hurting if it got between the steam and the hat. Not at all like steaming vegetables. You lightly and briefly steam the part you want to reshape, do that, then move to the next little bit. I've done this to quite a number of vintage hats and to Akubras and other newer hats as well, some of them repeatedly, and never had the slightest indication of shrinkage.

Thanks for the welcome and the advice.I also now have a nice Mallory Stetson in green with a green band.On this one, I plan to go the other way and push the crease out because I think it looks better that way. I'm comfortable with the steam so that is the method I'll use.

 

[tealseal]

Moving troubles

I suppose this is a good thread to post this in, assuming it's not hijacking from the OP.
I recently completed a move. To do it, I packed away my hats into boxes. In Box 1, two Stetsons and a Magill, stacked upon each other with foam rings as spacers. In Box 2, my grey Cervo and, on top separated by a foam ring, my homburg. I had to put the homburg on another hat, because of the brim shape.
The contents of Box 1 survived, but the hats in Box 2 (my BEST HATS :eusa_doh: ) did not. The Cervo's brim is all manner of wonky, and the homburg's front pinch is no longer symmetrical...it almost looks like the pinches have "twisted."
What should I do? Should I try to fix these myself or is it time for a professional block and flange?

 

[scottyrocks]

It can be done by you. A least I know it can be done by me, but I don't like hats that look like they just came out of a factory. I like them to look lived in - 'character' is the desired trait.

Wetting, or steaming, these hats and realigning the pinches and brims should not be excessively difficult. With some massaging and poking, they may return to their original shape, as the felt will have some memory.

 

[tealseal]

It can be done by you. A least I know it can be done by me, but I don't like hats that look like they just came out of a factory. I like them to look lived in - 'character' is the desired trait.

Wetting, or steaming, these hats and realigning the pinches and brims should not be excessively difficult. With some massaging and poking, they may return to their original shape, as the felt will have some memory.

Thanks, scotty. I too like my hats to have a bit of character, but the brim of the Cervo, for me, exceeds "character." When the hat goes on, it looks almost sinusoidal! Since I don't have a flange, how can I fix the brim? I'll try steaming out the dents on the homburg. Wish me luck!

 

[zetwal]

I agree that steaming or spritzing with clean water may very well allow you to reform them to your liking. Try that first (if you're comfortable doing so). If you don't like the results, you can always take/send them to a hatter.

 

[scottyrocks]

Thanks, scotty. I too like my hats to have a bit of character, but the brim of the Cervo, for me, exceeds "character." When the hat goes on, it looks almost sinusoidal! Since I don't have a flange, how can I fix the brim? I'll try steaming out the dents on the homburg. Wish me luck!

I've had brims go uberwonky on me from improper storage in a warm place. I've fixed them without a flange. I wet them down, and then bend and slide the brim through my fingers and the palms of my hands repeatedly, sometimes while watching TV. Sometimes it takes a while, but eventually they've come back into shape.

 

[tealseal]

So, tomorrow's project is a spray-bottle of distilled water, a sad looking Cervo, and the Hat Channel.

 

[wmc]

The crown of my hat touches the top of my head. Should
the fit be that way. How can I raise the bash without leaving
the lines of the old crease?

 

[Otateral]

My head rests at the top of the crown on a teardop bash as well.

 

[wmc]

My head rests at the top of the crown on a teardop bash as well.

That's what mine is ... a teardrop bash.

 

[job]

If the hat is setting correctly on your head and still touching the top of your head then steam the top and raise a dome in middle of the tear drop.