Soften a brim?

[Comer]

I bought a vintage western hat, 101 Ranch brand. The brim is really stiff and I'd like to soften it do it's flexible. I work outside using survey instruments and a stuff brim just doesn't work well. Any advice?

 

[RBH]

Welcome to the Lounge.
First off wearing the hat in all weather will help soften the brim and crown.
Also you can work the brim in your hands but be carefull you do not fold the felt or you can 'break' it.
Gently work the felt back and forth and it will soon soften up.

 

[Comer]

Thanks! I've been doing a little of that just to see if it would and it does! Just going to take it slow and careful.

 

[EggHead]

I have done this before and it may work for you. Put some rubbing alcohol into a spray bottle and spray the brim gently. It will soften right away, but when alcohol dries up it may stiffen up a little. Start slowly and gently at first. Results may depend on how much stiffener there is in the brim and thickness of the brim.

 

[Rick Blaine]

I bought a vintage western hat, 101 Ranch brand. The brim is really stiff and I'd like to soften it do it's flexible. I work outside using survey instruments and a stuff brim just doesn't work well. Any advice?

101 Ranch has an interesting history. The last of the "wild west shows" it also had a dude ranch on the original property, obtained when it was still NDN territory.

Welcome to TFL, Comer, glad you're here!

 

[danofarlington]

My local hatman said you can work the brim with your fingers, and eventually it will de-stiffen.

 

[Comer]

Thanks for the welcome and thanks for the advice!

 

[danofarlington]

It will soften right away, but when alcohol dries up it may stiffen up a little. Start slowly and gently at first.

It's got to work. I know that alochol limbers me up too.

 

[Mark B.]

Does your local hatman say how long this may take? I have been trying to de-stiffen the brim on a Stetson 25 Open Road, circa 1960, for about 2 months now. I have even tried steaming it and working the brim with my hands but it always stiffens back up.

My local hatman said you can work the brim with your fingers, and eventually it will de-stiffen.

 

[danofarlington]

He made it sound like it would be a few days of continuous plying with the fingers. Maybe it can't be done that way. As for the steam (from reading on this site), I had the feeling that steamed hats return to their form after steaming, and so it is not a de-stiffener per se. Actually my knowledge of this is now exhausted.

 

[gtdean48]

.... I have even tried steaming it and working the brim with my hands but it always stiffens back up.

Steaming it will reactivate the shellac which is the stiffening agent you are attempting to breakdown.
Use room temp distilled water instead. I have yet to try the alcohol method mentioned earlier but that seems viable.

 

[Mark B.]

Thanks Dan....I checked around on the lounge and some have suggested the alcohol method. I will give that a try next.

 

[Mark B.]

Thanks Dean...I will try the room temp distilled water first. A little nervous about the alcohol method.

Steaming it will reactivate the shellac which is the stiffening agent you are attempting to breakdown.
Use room temp distilled water instead. I have yet to try the alcohol method mentioned earlier but that seems viable.

 

[Eric P]

I have had my hats stiffen back up using alcohol. It also re-activates the shellac.

Thanks Dean...I will try the room temp distilled water first. A little nervous about the alcohol method.

 

[EggHead]

Thanks Dean...I will try the room temp distilled water first. A little nervous about the alcohol method.

If you take some vintage brandy inside, that ought to make you less nervous and less stiff

 

[Mark B.]

Thanks for the tip Mr. Head.............The vintage brandy worked on me but the brim on my hat remains the same.....stiff,stiff,stiff..

If you take some vintage brandy inside, that ought to make you less nervous and less stiff

 

[Mark B.]

Thanks Eric.................It's beginning to sound like I might have to just put up with the stiff brim on the hat.

I have had my hats stiffen back up using alcohol. It also re-activates the shellac.

 

[EggHead]

Thanks for the tip Mr. Head.............The vintage brandy worked on me but the brim on my hat remains the same.....stiff,stiff,stiff..

So you are saying that after you applied alcohol and it dried up, the brim became stiff?

My hat had thin felt and I sprayed alcohol generously on both sides of the brim. it was soaked in alcohol. When it dried up, it was much more flexible than before. I also used paper towels to get the excess moisture out. It's possible that shellac was absorbed by them.

 

[Yeps]

Get caught in a torrential downpour, or, at least, really soak your hat.

 

[Mark B.]

I did not really soak it....just kinda sprayed some on both sides....no damage as a result so I will try soaking it if the distilled water method doesn't work....Thanks again for the help.

So you are saying that after you applied alcohol and it dried up, the brim became stiff?

My hat had thin felt and I sprayed alcohol generously on both sides of the brim. it was soaked in alcohol. When it dried up, it was much more flexible than before. I also used paper towels to get the excess moisture out. It's possible that shellac was absorbed by them.