jonbuilder
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Hat bash gone wild
Esteemed Loungers,
(Off Topic) I would like to introduce my self. I am just getting started with fine hats. I think it was Patty from Vintage leather Jackets who introduced me to the lounge. I was dropping in now and then for a quick pick. During the past few months, I decided I wanted to start owning and enjoying hats and started researching past threads. I have to tip my hat to knowledge, contribution, through and enthusiasm that going into the posts I have been readying.
(Back on topic) Following is a link to my first fedora hat a Royal Stetson and third of four has I have purchased on ebay. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=160264740799&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=006 I guess I am following my jacket preferences with vintage hats. Moving on I decided I would try to re bash a perfectly good hat that looked a little tired. I had success stretching a Stetson 25 western looks like a Stratoliner with steam and a vintage hat stretcher. I also steamed, stretched and re bashed a Mexican straw hat by inserting a hat stretcher and holding over a pot of boiling water with good results. Feeling new confidence, I opened the crown of the Royal Stetson and put in a colander over a pot of boiling water for about 15 minutes. When I took the hat out, the leather sweatband had shrunk. I tried to work leather condition in to sweatband to no avail the leather was brittle and tearing. Now my only option is to have the hat re block and finished by a profession hatter. After viewing the crumpling sweatband, I notice the hat is a whippet. Would any on like to comment what happen to the sweatband? Was the leather dry rotted, or my procedure to harsh? As far as value, the felt on the hat seems excellent to my limit experience and I do not think I would go wrong to invest with an other $100 in shipping and re blocking cost.
Esteemed Loungers,
(Off Topic) I would like to introduce my self. I am just getting started with fine hats. I think it was Patty from Vintage leather Jackets who introduced me to the lounge. I was dropping in now and then for a quick pick. During the past few months, I decided I wanted to start owning and enjoying hats and started researching past threads. I have to tip my hat to knowledge, contribution, through and enthusiasm that going into the posts I have been readying.
(Back on topic) Following is a link to my first fedora hat a Royal Stetson and third of four has I have purchased on ebay. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=160264740799&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=006 I guess I am following my jacket preferences with vintage hats. Moving on I decided I would try to re bash a perfectly good hat that looked a little tired. I had success stretching a Stetson 25 western looks like a Stratoliner with steam and a vintage hat stretcher. I also steamed, stretched and re bashed a Mexican straw hat by inserting a hat stretcher and holding over a pot of boiling water with good results. Feeling new confidence, I opened the crown of the Royal Stetson and put in a colander over a pot of boiling water for about 15 minutes. When I took the hat out, the leather sweatband had shrunk. I tried to work leather condition in to sweatband to no avail the leather was brittle and tearing. Now my only option is to have the hat re block and finished by a profession hatter. After viewing the crumpling sweatband, I notice the hat is a whippet. Would any on like to comment what happen to the sweatband? Was the leather dry rotted, or my procedure to harsh? As far as value, the felt on the hat seems excellent to my limit experience and I do not think I would go wrong to invest with an other $100 in shipping and re blocking cost.
