To fix or not to fix, that is the question

[ScottF]

Most if not all of the hats I’ve bought have good sweat bands… and if they seem to be on the dry side, I’ll treat them with a leather conditioner to rid its self of dryness and bring it back to soft comfortable leather… if it’s not cracked and rotting away that is.

I have passed on many hats… due to a bad sweat band or rotted out ribbon… and the felt is really dirty… but, if it’s an earlier hat from the 20s or 30s I’ll buy it to see what I can do with it.

Boxes aren’t worth much unless it has amazing graphics and design… only a few are worth keeping… but, if you want to save history and keep it around, enjoy the restoration! But don’t be heartbroken if it doesn’t come out as you’d like or if it falls apart in the process.

Oh and please post photos!

My Knox twenty had what looked like an 'okay' sweatband - minimal cracking. Apparently it actually was rotted, because a generous application of Lexol, rather than restoring the leather, seemed rather to complete the aging process. It was trashed when finished. It would be interesting to see some more 'before and after' pics of restored damaged sweatbands.

 

[Aureliano]

Thanks. I'm thinking of scraping off the back of the logo so that the leather is very thin, then scoring the logo shape in the new sweatband and peeling away the surface layer - that way I'm not actually cutting through the sweatband.

I tried that but found it hard to make as thin as I wanted to. The leather was very brittle. Also when I attatched it to the sweat with tape for a try before gluing it, it pulled the hell of my hair. No matter what I did it kept pulling it. So plan B was what I did. Good luck again and let us know the results.

 

[tonyb]

As to the boxes ...

If I were to hazard a guess, it would be that there are more vintage hatbox fanciers than vintage hat collectors. The prices on the old boxes may be down from what they were a couple of years ago (as are prices on all kinds of old stuff), but I suspect the prices will climb at rates at least equal to that of vintage hats as the economy turns around.

So if you dig old hatboxes, buy 'em now. It's probably best to find them locally, as the cost of shipping can exceed the value of the (empty) box itself.

I regret tossing out an old box that literally fell apart in my hands. Now I wish I had used it as a veneer, glued over new cardboard. Might have taken an hour or three, but what the heck.

 

[Orvil Newton]

I have the same issue

The Resistol OR clone I bought last summer has rotten stitching on the sweat band. I have decided to have it replaced. Has anyone used Texas Hatters for repairs or have any other experience with this vendor? Any recommendations? TH (First place I've checked) quoted me $20 for a new sweatband. How does that compare with the going rate in your experience?

 

[ScottF]

The Resistol OR clone I bought last summer has rotten stitching on the sweat band. I have decided to have it replaced. Has anyone used Texas Hatters for repairs or have any other experience with this vendor? Any recommendations? TH (First place I've checked) quoted me $20 for a new sweatband. How does that compare with the going rate in your experience?

JW Hats has three of mine, replacing sweatbands. I have no idea as to quality of work, and didn't get any feedback when I posted on this forum, but I was told that he has high-quality sweatbands. When I called to order, he seemed very friendly and had great prices for work, so I ended up just mailing him the hats.

 

[Al Niente]

I am glad to see there are so many interested parties in this thread! Speaks well for the preservation of some cool old hats.

Took my hat to Joe at Henry's. He did a great job sewing in a new sweatband (by hand, no less!) while I waited and fussed over it as I wanted to wear it to an event that night. Gave it a good steaming and blocking. A very good deal at $15, too. Looks great and it is much nicer to wear with the new band in it.

I think the box is a lost cause. I will save the lable just because, but the lid is in pieces. If it isn't worth anything or adds value to the hat, I'll get a new box. ie: one that doesn't smell so bad!

I'll post a pic after I figure out how to do it. Let's see now...........

 

[High Pockets]

Just wondering, when Optimo restores a hat for you what sort of a sweat band and (when necessary) lining do they use? I'm guessing a plain sweatband or a plain lining, or are they allowed to ask Hatco for permission to use the Stetson logo for old Stetson hats?

This Royal Stetson was sold with a worn out sweatband and no liner.
It came back from Optimo today with Graham's new liner and sweat.
I might add that I never specified any color, I just assumed he would install what ever he thought would look best with the particular hat. With a man like him at the helm, I figure it's best to just give him the reins.

 

[Genuine Classic Gangster]

I have an Akubra Stylemaster hat that has now become too tight for me because the sweatband shrunk too much after I used it for some years.

My local hat shop has a cleaning & reblocking service, but the last time I used them, after he cleaned and reblocked my hat, it came back to me with what looks like "scratch marks" on many parts of it; so it seems like that hatter doesn't know what's doing or something (he's not really a custom hatter...he just sells OTR hats, and it seems like his equipment for cleaning and reblocking is probably way too limited & basic).

And I've also had the same shop replace sweatbands and liners before, and the replacement parts they used were not very good.

So, I don't want to use my local hat shop to clean and reblock and replace the sweatband of my Akubra, even though using them is my only economical option.

If I instead find a serious hatter who is willing to do those services for me, then after I pay for shipping and servicing, it probably would have been cheaper for me just to buy a brand new Akubra hat rather than to bother having my old one fixed up via servicing.

Then again, it seems like kind of a shame to have to throw away a hat that could still be good if it were to be serviced.

I also have the same dilemma with an old Panama hat which I have. It also needs a new sweatband and to be cleaned and reblocked, but by the time I pay for all of that servicing and shipping, I could almost have bought a brand new Panama hat for the same cost.

So, I'm not sure what I should do...should I just throw away my old hats that need servicing, and which are bad and unusable without servicing but which could be made good and usable with servicing, and buy new hats instead? Or should I take on the high cost of servicing my old hats?

What do you do in situations like this?

 

[BobHufford]

What do you do in situations like this?

I ask what your hat size is ...

 

[belfastboy]

I have an Akubra Stylemaster hat that has now become too tight for me because the sweatband shrunk too much after I used it for some years.

My local hat shop has a cleaning & reblocking service, but the last time I used them, after he cleaned and reblocked my hat, it came back to me with what looks like "scratch marks" on many parts of it; so it seems like that hatter doesn't know what's doing or something (he's not really a custom hatter...he just sells OTR hats, and it seems like his equipment for cleaning and reblocking is probably way too limited & basic).

And I've also had the same shop replace sweatbands and liners before, and the replacement parts they used were not very good.

So, I don't want to use my local hat shop to clean and reblock and replace the sweatband of my Akubra, even though using them is my only economical option.

If I instead find a serious hatter who is willing to do those services for me, then after I pay for shipping and servicing, it probably would have been cheaper for me just to buy a brand new Akubra hat rather than to bother having my old one fixed up via servicing.

Then again, it seems like kind of a shame to have to throw away a hat that could still be good if it were to be serviced.

I also have the same dilemma with an old Panama hat which I have. It also needs a new sweatband and to be cleaned and reblocked, but by the time I pay for all of that servicing and shipping, I could almost have bought a brand new Panama hat for the same cost.

So, I'm not sure what I should do...should I just throw away my old hats that need servicing, and which are bad and unusable without servicing but which could be made good and usable with servicing, and buy new hats instead? Or should I take on the high cost of servicing my old hats?

What do you do in situations like this?

It is a conundrum. The postage alone will cost you upwards of $40 depending on how many states away the shop is. For a light cleaning/steaming, reblock/flange and new sweat I would charge close to $100 and for that you can get a new Akubra or damn close.

Perhaps donate to the Sally Ann or local thrift store and celebrate all the years of wear you got out of it?

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I have an Akubra Stylemaster hat that has now become too tight for me because the sweatband shrunk too much after I used it for some years.

My local hat shop has a cleaning & reblocking service, but the last time I used them, after he cleaned and reblocked my hat, it came back to me with what looks like "scratch marks" on many parts of it; so it seems like that hatter doesn't know what's doing or something (he's not really a custom hatter...he just sells OTR hats, and it seems like his equipment for cleaning and reblocking is probably way too limited & basic).

And I've also had the same shop replace sweatbands and liners before, and the replacement parts they used were not very good.

So, I don't want to use my local hat shop to clean and reblock and replace the sweatband of my Akubra, even though using them is my only economical option.

If I instead find a serious hatter who is willing to do those services for me, then after I pay for shipping and servicing, it probably would have been cheaper for me just to buy a brand new Akubra hat rather than to bother having my old one fixed up via servicing.

Then again, it seems like kind of a shame to have to throw away a hat that could still be good if it were to be serviced.

I also have the same dilemma with an old Panama hat which I have. It also needs a new sweatband and to be cleaned and reblocked, but by the time I pay for all of that servicing and shipping, I could almost have bought a brand new Panama hat for the same cost.

So, I'm not sure what I should do...should I just throw away my old hats that need servicing, and which are bad and unusable without servicing but which could be made good and usable with servicing, and buy new hats instead? Or should I take on the high cost of servicing my old hats?

What do you do in situations like this?

Clearly the answer is to buy expensive vintage or custom hats so the math is obvious and you you won’t have to worry about deciding if they are worth the expense of a refresh.

If the hat doesn’t hold any special significance or nostalgia than I say replace it/them. Even if it’s slightly more you’ll end up with a new hat(s). Traditionally, men replaced their hat and relegated the old one to rough use (gardening, chores, fishing, camping, etc.). Alternatively, you can buy 100+ hats and rotate through them so none wear out in your lifetime…this is the Fedora Lounge way.

 

[Edward]

I've faced this with a couple of hats that wore out or got damaged over time. In the end, I decided that if I don't have any use for them any longer (I live in a third floor apartment, so no 'yard work' or gardening for me....), the best thing to do is pass them on via eBay or whatever. There's always someone out there who might not mind a little damage, or who might see it as a cheap way to try hats before taking the plunge fully, or needs one for fancy dress or stage work or even *does* have the tools to repair them. I sold a 1970s wool overshirt on eBay a few months ago. It had a bit of damage, but I got my money back, and it later cropped up on Etsy, repaired, being sold by a profession vintage seller who had carefully mended it and was selling it on to a different audience. It pleased me to see that.

 

[dkstott]

Hats and caps that I no longer wear or like typically make their way to friends, relatives or Goodwill.

 

[belfastboy]

Clearly the answer is to buy expensive vintage or custom hats so the math is obvious and you you won’t have to worry about deciding if they are worth the expense of a refresh.

If the hat doesn’t hold any special significance or nostalgia than I say replace it/them. Even if it’s slightly more you’ll end up with a new hat(s). Traditionally, men replaced their hat and relegated the old one to rough use (gardening, chores, fishing, camping, etc.). Alternatively, you can buy 100+ hats and rotate through them so none wear out in your lifetime…this is the Fedora Lounge way.

Yes, I remember my father always having two hats. One for dress and when it had run its course relegated to garden use and a new one sourced. It was part of the rhythm of life

 

[belfastboy]

I've faced this with a couple of hats that wore out or got damaged over time. In the end, I decided that if I don't have any use for them any longer (I live in a third floor apartment, so no 'yard work' or gardening for me....), the best thing to do is pass them on via eBay or whatever. There's always someone out there who might not mind a little damage, or who might see it as a cheap way to try hats before taking the plunge fully, or needs one for fancy dress or stage work or even *does* have the tools to repair them. I sold a 1970s wool overshirt on eBay a few months ago. It had a bit of damage, but I got my money back, and it later cropped up on Etsy, repaired, being sold by a profession vintage seller who had carefully mended it and was selling it on to a different audience. It pleased me to see that.

I donated a few hats to a young women enrolled in a "Clown College"...yep apparently they exist!. When I gave them to her she cried tears of joy as she had been searching with no luck in the thrift shops for an old hat to fit her clown's persona. I never felt so pleased at something seemingly so insignificant making a young lady cry. It was a good day.

 

[MikeinRome]

Clearly the answer is to buy expensive vintage or custom hats so the math is obvious and you you won’t have to worry about deciding if they are worth the expense of a refresh.

If the hat doesn’t hold any special significance or nostalgia than I say replace it/them. Even if it’s slightly more you’ll end up with a new hat(s). Traditionally, men replaced their hat and relegated the old one to rough use (gardening, chores, fishing, camping, etc.). Alternatively, you can buy 100+ hats and rotate through them so none wear out in your lifetime…this is the Fedora Lounge way.

Amen to that last sentence!

 

[Edward]

Amen to that last sentence!

Mrs Marlowe alternately refers to this joint as "Jackety Wars" and "Those enablers"!