Removing the Reed?

[Hurricane Jack]

New information for me, thank you. I have never fully refurbished an Akubra so have never had cause to tear one down.

Around here somewhere are stories about Akubras vs the TSA at airports. Several have had to pull their wire reed before boarding rather than surrender their hat to the TSA.

 

[belfastboy]

Around here somewhere are stories about Akubras vs the TSA at airports. Several have had to pull their wire reed before boarding rather than surrender their hat to the TSA.

That is a wow...and not in a good way.

 

[scottyrocks]

I have decided not to remove the reed.

I pulled it out about a inch and felt the the bottom edge of the small piece of leather that was now reedless. It was no softer or more forgiving than before. I cut off the inch or exposed wire and will let it all be.

 

[CRH]

Ok, so is there any advantage to removing the wire for a hat that needs stretching like all the time? What about just cutting /clipping the wire?

 

[Cap_7597]

Ok, so is there any advantage to removing the wire for a hat that needs stretching like all the time? What about just cutting /clipping the wire?

This is a good question. I’ve seen a guy on YouTube that said if you truly want to stretch your hat out, just cut it and then sew it back up.
Not sure if that’s a good thing or not. Be curious to know.

 

[CRH]

This is a good question. I’ve seen a guy on YouTube that said if you truly want to stretch your hat out, just cut it and then sew it back up.
Not sure if that’s a good thing or not. Be curious to know.

It didn't work for me with an Akubra. Now it's relegated to the experimental box. Lol

 

[Olumin]

I only removed the reed on a hat once and I regret doing it. If a hat is too small just buy a larger hat. I dont like the idea of being the guy who damaged a vintage hat that survived perhaps 70+ years before I got my hands on it.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

I dont like the idea of being the guy who damaged a vintage hat that survived perhaps 70+ years before I got my hands on it.

I agree wholeheartedly. After surviving that long & the stories it could tell, an inanimate object deserves a life of its own.