What can I do to help this panama hat?

[tracyam]

Hello,
I just got this hat. As you can see it looks beaten down pretty hard. When I saw it for sale today I didn't see it as beaten down hat. I saw what it could turn out to be...because I really like the color a lot and it actually fit...which never happens to me in antique stores.
What is the first step? Can I reshape this thing with water? Or is it a total loss?

 

[randooch]

Fascinating! I wonder if maybe enjoying it as is, with a thousand stories to tell, might be preferable to "remaking" it, if that's possible. Eagerly awaiting comment from knowledgeable loungers . . .

 

[RBH]

It looks like a neat hat, I think it is a milan straw. i would try shaping the brim first. Wet it down and put what style you want to the brim, hang it to dry and see what happens. If the brim shapes up ok then you can do the crown.
I have shaped several milan straws that way and they turned out fine.

 

[jpdesign]

Looks to be a coconut palm braid. I would go with RBH on this one and just wet it down a bit and see if it will take a new shape. It can be professionally reblocked if it is indeed a coconut, but you can almost buy a new one for what you would have in it at that point.

Jimmy

 

[Carlisle Blues]

That lid has got character:eusa_clap

I'd wear that hat and prepare myself to tell a thousand tales.

Or I could get it "fixed" and go to Sunday school. Enjoy it

 

[bolthead]

Looks like a coconut braid to me as well......

 

[Dinerman]

easy enough to either wet it, shape it and let it dry, or steam it back into shape. It should respond rather well to either, in my experience.

To get the brim back to the shape it should be, flip it down all the way around, then steam from the top of the brim (the part that doesn't cook the sweatband), using your hands to make it into the upside down bowl shape. Let it dry and cool, then flip it back up all the way around, and the waves and creases should go away. Repeat if necessary.

It shouldn't take much work at all to get this back into being a very serviceable hat.

 

[tracyam]

Hey. Thank you all for the responses. I had thought about leaving it the way it was just for character. But since I didn't contribute to any of it I figured I'd clean it up and start fresh. Maybe one day I can get it in that shape again by my own hands and then the stories will be mine.

The hat is drying right now. It may take a while but if anyone is interested I'll post some pictures when the whole thing is done.
Thanks again.

 

[randooch]

Please do!

 

[RBH]

Hey. Thank you all for the responses. I had thought about leaving it the way it was just for character. But since I didn't contribute to any of it I figured I'd clean it up and start fresh. Maybe one day I can get it in that shape again by my own hands and then the stories will be mine.

The hat is drying right now. It may take a while but if anyone is interested I'll post some pictures when the whole thing is done.
Thanks again.

Please do post some photos, it may help someone else down the road!

 

[tracyam]

I've done what I could to it. I guess it turned out okay...definitely good enough to wear around this summer. If you look closely you can see I wasn't able to completely get out the creases in the crown (check out the last picture towards the back of the crown). I guess I'd need to block it for that.

I'm not sure of the brand name. The label is rubbed out but it looks like it may have once said "Canyon Club." All that is left is "Ca---n C--"

 

[gtdean48]

Great Job!

 

[Carlisle Blues]

You did a fabulous job:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[CigarMan]

I believe it's probably Carlton Club . . .good maker if I'm not mistaken. Was bidding on one similar to this on ebay that sold for $32.00 (didn't win it).

 

[RBH]

FANTASTIC!!!
Now go make some stories to tell of your own!!!

 

[trailrunner]

Wow! I have to say I am pretty impressed with how well that turned out. It looks like a completely different hat to me. Great job!

 

[portolan]

How did you clean it?

Looks like a totally different hat. Congrats! :eusa_clap

 

[billyspew]

Wow

Never really liked straws much, but that has certainly brought me around... I really like the colour.

Bill

 

[tracyam]

Wow. Thanks!

Wow folks. Thanks for all the compliments. I didn't really clean it so much as just run it under the sink to soak it and then started shaping. Well, I did give the hatband a once over with a sponge to clean it off. Then I soaked, shaped, and let it dry once and then went through the whole process again before I was finally somewhat happy with it.