Trimming a brim

[BlackBrim]

I actually trimmed the 3'' brim of my Akubra Squatter down to 2 3/8'', by hand,

You did a great job.That turned out very nice.Did you use sandpaper after cutting?

 

[CircuitRider]

I've had good luck with an Exacto knife with a fresh blade and the foam sanding blocks sold at walmart and elsewhere. The blocks are also great if you want a softer finish on a hat. Works very well!

 

[Fletch]

One risk you run is that your eye may be finer than your hand. I did 2 Feds - using a compass/pencil and brand new sewing shears - and to me they never were, or will be, quite right. Even after thorough sanding, the edges appear out-of-round. Even 1/16" variation in width is noticeable, and cutting by hand it's unavoidable. The lack of a crisp right-angle cut is also bothersome.

In short, I would say send it to hatter or use a special cutter.

 

[jwalls]

Brim trimmers are a dangerous lot. I had a guy come in with a beautiful true felted edge who wanted it trimmed down to 2-1/2". I refused and offered to buy the hat even though it did not fit me. Beware "Hat Slashers".:eusa_doh: :eusa_doh: :eusa_doh:

 

[Neophyte]

You did a great job.That turned out very nice.Did you use sandpaper after cutting?

I did not. Shortly after trimming the Squatter, I ordered a Campdraft, and I've hardly worn the Squatter since lol. Eventually I will order a Carbon Grey Squatter, have it cut by a professional, and put a feather in it.

For now, though, my plan is to purchase a Bluegrass Green Campdraft.

 

[Bebop]

I guess I've been very lucky to have a consistently steady hand when trimming my own brims. The only one I really messed up was my Akubra Banjo Patterson. Not because I didn't do it evenly but because I did it. :eusa_doh: It now looks unbalanced and just wrong. I figure that if it's going to be done wrong, I want to do the wrong instead of saying, "I should have known better", which I've said too many times when dealing with local hatters. I've just had so many bad experiences with local hatters that I'd rather take a chance and attempt what I can.
Of course that is a totally personal point of view.

 

[BlackBrim]

In short, I would say send it to hatter or use a special cutter.

When cut by a professional hatter is it an unreasonable expecation to expect the brim to look practically flawless?Even when cut by a pro does a trimmed brim often end up looking like the hats obviously had work done on it?

 

[gtdean48]

...Even when cut by a pro does a trimmed brim often end up looking like the hats obviously had work done on it?

Most pro's use a rounding jack, same tool they use when making a custom hat from a felt blank. So your trimmed brim will look like a brim on a custom. JMHO

 

[Alan-Eby]

Cowboy Hat To a Fedora

I have an old wool felt cowboy hat that I found years ago. I've been thinking of trying to cut down the brim and shape the crown, to make a fedora. The hat already has a diamond type crease so I think it'll work.
Has anyone else done this, seen it done, or have suggestions on this idea? I'm wanting to do this myself.

 

[Torpedo]

Et voilà!

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=23489&highlight=conversion+corral

 

[Jingo Mastapone]

I made a simple brim cutter probably much like those little metal jobs shown earlier using a couple small bits of wood. Do it like this: Set your brim on the counter. Place one small wood block next to it. Place another block of a thickness equal to the amount you want to remove on the brim, next to the first block. Attach them to each other however you like. This will give you a brim cutting guide with a brim's thickness allowance under it. Now attach a razor blade to the inside edge of the block that sits on the brim and adjust it so that the rear edge extends down to the level of the outer block or just past, so that it cuts all the way through the felt. If you can manage, mount the blade so that it can swivel. This will allow you to put the guide in place securely and then swing the blade down into the felt, knowing it's in exactly the right spot. Otherwise, the blade is descending onto the brim along with the guide and if you miss with the guide slightly, you've just put a cut in the wrong spot.

[/IMG]

 

[Alan-Eby]

Conversion

Et voilà!

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=23489&highlight=conversion+corral

Thank you for the link.

 

[bumphrey hogart]

I am so new to this I don't know how to put the little pictures next to my name or any images on at all,but I just wanted to say thanks for all the information about trimming brims.I've had a lock of st james 'louisiana' for a while and to say the brim is 'oscar wildean' is an understatement! the brim was 3 1/2 inches,I'd put it away for possible fancy dress parties. after reading this thread and following on to the stetson shaping thread I made a contraption very similar to Jingos this morning.Superb,I now have a hat with 2 1/2 inch brim that is shaped exactly as I like and could easily become my favourite hat,(well apart from the emerald green cashmere dunn & co porkpie, or maybe the brown wool felt lock rambler,or,or,or) anyway I just wanted to say thanks to all you chaps who gave me the means and more importantly the courage to turn a beautiful but unwearable hat into a beautiful wearable one! Three cheers for the Fedora boys.

 

[Rick Blaine]

or "Can I get an Amen"?

...Three cheers for the Fedora boys.

Motion made and Seconded! :eusa_clap

 

[DougC]

Just saw this post and it made me really appreciate my local hatter. I just took a Stetson cowboy into Paris Hatters and asked them to trim a 1/2 inch off the 4 inch brim. Ten minutes later I was out the door with my newly trimmed and re-shaped hat.

 

[Mobile Vulgus]

I might try this

I have a Stetson cowboy hat. Real good quality. It is in silverbelly, too. I might cut the 4 inch brim down and make it a fedora as I really don't like the brim style on this one. Still pondering, but this thread is making me want to give her a try.

 

[EggHead]

There are several hatters in Bay Area (SF)

Anyone had good enough experience with any of them to recommend?

 

[bumphrey hogart]

you obviously don't live in the far south west of England Doug,here if you can't find a way to do a job yourself it doesn't get done.Google 'dreckly' and you'll get what I mean.

 

[DougC]

Bumphrey--googled...wow. It doesn't help me that this particular hatter is directly across the street from my office.

 

[Dm101]

Since I have a hat for experimenting on, I tried marking it with a tailor's chalk, and then cutting it with a normal pair of scissors. It's pretty straightforward. There weren't any really nicks to speak of, but those that were there went as soon as I sanded the edge a little.

As for the tailor's chalk, I just held it firmly, and kept it 1/8 inch from the edge all the way around using my index finger as a stopper.

The hat looks a little more fedora now, and a little less australian cattle hat.

This is the method I'll give a shot with my locking carpentry compass once it arrives!!
Thanks!