What Hat Are You Working On Today?

[RickP]

Cleaning up the brims on a big pile of Stetson Hemps. Lots straighter and less wavy now. They have rapidly become my favorite summer hats.

 

[VoodooSan]

Cleaning up the brims on a big pile of Stetson Hemps. Lots straighter and less wavy now. They have rapidly become my favorite summer hats.

Cleaning up the brims on a big pile of Stetson Hemps. Lots straighter and less wavy now. They have rapidly become my favorite summer hats.


View attachment 628139

Nice family shot!!

 

[RickP]

Nice family shot!!

Note TWO sage hats... one faded and one about new... they almost look like different colors in the sun.

 

[RickP]

the subject of Stratoliner Hemp brims came up earlier today... for anyone with a misbehaving Hemp front brim, (wierd wavy front brims) Ive have decent luck with steaming the front half of the stratoliner basically flat. Leave the rear on the normal brim flange so it turns up normally. If anyone gets frustrated with theirs, my trick is to flatten the WHOLE front half of the brim....

 

[rogueclimber]

my trick is to flatten the WHOLE front half of the brim....

I have no special equipment, could I just use a regular steam iron and iron the front half flat?

 

[RickP]

I have no special equipment, could I just use a regular steam iron and iron the front half flat?

For something like this, a large flat (CLEAN) countertop or cutting board, covere4d with a towel, A good Steam Iron, and a press cloth or light towel is about all you need. DONT iron directly on the hemp. DONT try to iron into shape.... steam the brim up good and damp, lay it on a flat surface and gently work it flatter with the fingers. It may take a few sessions but eventually it will start behaving. Just dont be in a hurry... enjoy the process
The heavier weave like the hemp Stratoliners have will generally hold their shape reasonably well after drying, but you can always hit it with some hairspray or hat stiffener and add a bit more body to hold it as you like it. And dont be ashamed if it isnt perfect, or look just like someone elses hat.......If I wanted mine to look just like everyone else Id just go buy a hat thats stamped out by the hundreds. Tell them thats its your extraordinary good looks or head lumps and bumps that make your hat unique! lol

 

[rogueclimber]

For something like this, a large flat (CLEAN) countertop or cutting board, covere4d with a towel, A good Steam Iron, and a press cloth or light towel is about all you need. DONT iron directly on the hemp. DONT try to iron into shape.... steam the brim up good and damp, lay it on a flat surface and gently work it flatter with the fingers. It may take a few sessions but eventually it will start behaving. Just dont be in a hurry... enjoy the process
The heavier weave like the hemp Stratoliners have will generally hold their shape reasonably well after drying, but you can always hit it with some hairspray or hat stiffener and add a bit more body to hold it as you like it. And dont be ashamed if it isnt perfect, or look just like someone elses hat.......If I wanted mine to look just like everyone else Id just go buy a hat thats stamped out by the hundreds. Tell them thats its your extraordinary good looks or head lumps and bumps that make your hat unique! lol

Great info. Thank you!

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Great info. Thank you!

Be sure to keep the brim break nice & sharp so as not to end up with a bird beak brim.

 

[RickP]

I guess Im working on several hats today... I finally got around to putting up some more hat racks on the wall.... got the big pile of stacked hats in the corner taken care of! All the felt is on the wall...Just a few of the straw lawnmower hats are now safe on the wall

After a few days Ill take a look on how to better sort and organize


This was WAAAAY easier than panting the walls lol

 

[VoodooSan]

I guess Im working on several hats today... I finally got around to putting up some more hat racks on the wall.... got the big pile of stacked hats in the corner taken care of! All the felt is on the wall...Just a few of the straw lawnmower hats are now safe on the wall

After a few days Ill take a look on how to better sort and organize


This was WAAAAY easier than panting the walls lol






View attachment 631233 View attachment 631234
View attachment 631232

Those look AWESOME, Rick! Very nice!

 

[RickP]

Now once they are organized a bit, It will be so much easier to remember which ones need brushing next!

 

[Frontporchcharlie]

I recently bought a 70's or 80's Biltmore Cowboy Hat. I thought I would share the transformation. I love the quality of this hat. I'm glad I finally got my hands on a vintage Biltmore.

 

[VoodooSan]

I recently bought a 70's or 80's Biltmore Cowboy Hat. I thought I would share the transformation. I love the quality of this hat. I'm glad I finally got my hands on a vintage Biltmore. View attachment 631648 View attachment 631649 View attachment 631650 View attachment 631652 View attachment 631653 View attachment 631654 View attachment 631655 View attachment 631656

Very nice transformation. Congrats!

 

[RickP]

One of my Grandfathers Champs. I had replaced the trashed leather sweat a while back. Today I decided after the success of removing the cellophane liner cover on another hat, that this one needed the same treatent. Removed the yellowed cellophane and the logo was beautifully clean underneath. NO MORE CRUNCHY HAT! Had a haircut earler ths week so it actually fits again. Not my first pick in styling, but with the history, I DO take it out for coffee now and again


ooops... just noticed that ive got the liner in backwards lol.. Good thing I hadnt stitched in in

 

[VoodooSan]

One of my Grandfathers Champs. I had replaced the trashed leather sweat a while back. Today I decided after the success of removing the cellophane liner cover on another hat, that this one needed the same treatent. Removed the yellowed cellophane and the logo was beautifully clean underneath. NO MORE CRUNCHY HAT! Had a haircut earler ths week so it actually fits again. Not my first pick in styling, but with the history, I DO take it out for coffee now and again


ooops... just noticed that ive got the liner in backwards lol.. Good thing I hadnt stitched in in
View attachment 633473 View attachment 633475 View attachment 633474

Nice work, Rick! What a WONDERFUL piece of family history!

 

[RickP]

today I de-cellophaned two Champs, a Knox and a couple Towncrafts.. inside of hats look way cleaner and its really nice that they dont "crunch" when you put them on. Id probably think twice about doing this to a higher end collectable hat, but since these are modest little hats I have no qualms about it. Now not only will they head out the door on top of the head, but I can take it off to show someone the liner without apologizing for the appearance

My only disappointment was discovering that the logo on my unlined Champ Featherweight is actually printed on the cellophane cover- not the felt... so it will have to stay... It doesn't look bad at all, and its not near as "crunchy" as the others were, so its not bad. Maybe somedeay Ill find a loose decent Champ liner and I can manufacture a satin logo piece to glue or sew up inside. As an unlined hat, in summertime East Texas, having a bit of something to protect the felt from a sweaty noggin is probably a good thing

I feel like I got somethng done today!

 

[RickP]

Interesting development with the other 3x beaver long oval with the cattlemans crease that arrived yesterday. I was getting a lot of dust off after brushing and started seeing what looked like pale red spots on the ribbon. Did some cleaning last night with the foaming cleaner and left it out on the patio to dry. This morning I discovered that the felt is not silverbelly but a nice pale greenish grey tint, and the hatband ribbon and edge binding are actually a rose / brown color. I do think Im going to shape the brim with a swept outback style brim. This ones going to be a nice hat! Nice surprise for the start of the day

 

[VoodooSan]

Interesting development with the other 3x beaver long oval with the cattlemans crease that arrived yesterday. I was getting a lot of dust off after brushing and started seeing what looked like pale red spots on the ribbon. Did some cleaning last night with the foaming cleaner and left it out on the patio to dry. This morning I discovered that the felt is not silverbelly but a nice pale greenish grey tint, and the hatband ribbon and edge binding are actually a rose / brown color. I do think Im going to shape the brim with a swept outback style brim. This ones going to be a nice hat! Nice surprise for the start of the day
View attachment 633588

Holy moly that's gorgeous!!! Congrats on the unexpected wonder that you scored! Also, what brand of foaming cleaner are you using on your hats, Rick?

 

[RickP]

Holy moly that's gorgeous!!! Congrats on the unexpected wonder that you scored! Also, what brand of foaming cleaner are you using on your hats, Rick?

Its the bickmore foaming light color. Smells at first, but leaves almost zero residue when dry

 

[RickP]

After thinking it over today, Ive come to the conclusion that the hat had been sprayed with one of the spray cleaning powders... and then never brushed off ( so it hardened and set a bit). The Bickmore foaming clean did a really nice job at removing the residual. I used up the last of my foaming cleaner and have more ordered. Ill have to be happy with steaming and wrinkle correction for a few days till it gets in and I can hit a few areas again to finish. I also need to take a look and snug up the wind cord a bit but Ill prob wait till Im all done with the cleaning so I only have to undo it one time. Looks good enough that I do think it will make a coffee shop trip in the morning.