Deteriorating Sweatband

[athanasiuskircher]

Hi all,

A question about sweatbands on vintage hats. I have a 1940's Borsalino fedora, and the sweatband has deteriorated rather noticeably since I first acquired it about four months ago.

Obviously, 80+ year old leather is surely going to be somewhat unstable and will require treatment to keep it intact. I put mink oil on the sweatband when I first got it (although I did wear it one time before realizing I should do this) and applied it again several times subsequently.

However, over the course of these past few months the sweatband has continued to crack significantly, and bits of it are falling off. It's a real shame since this is the original sweatband. How can I make sure that this doesn't happen to more vintage hats that I acquire in the future?

Could it be that the hat was a little too snug to start off, and the cracking was from tension, or might this just be due to the age of the leather? Or, both?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

 

[belfastboy]

Hi all,

A question about sweatbands on vintage hats. I have a 1940's Borsalino fedora, and the sweatband has deteriorated rather noticeably since I first acquired it about four months ago.

Obviously, 80+ year old leather is surely going to be somewhat unstable and will require treatment to keep it intact. I put mink oil on the sweatband when I first got it (although I did wear it one time before realizing I should do this) and applied it again several times subsequently.

However, over the course of these past few months the sweatband has continued to crack significantly, and bits of it are falling off. It's a real shame since this is the original sweatband. How can I make sure that this doesn't happen to more vintage hats that I acquire in the future?

Could it be that the hat was a little too snug to start off, and the cracking was from tension, or might this just be due to the age of the leather? Or, both?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

If you have acidic sweat then a bit of Lexol cleaner and then conditioner on the sweat from time to time will help its longevity.

Once a leather has rotted there is no coming back from that. The only option is to replace it. How well a leather sweat ages is dependent on the acidity of the owner's sweat, exposer to sun/heat and most importantly the quality of the leather itself.

 

[shopkin]

I had no idea that the pH of sweat varies that much. 4.5 to 7.5 is a lot.

 

[Dash Riprock]

I had no idea that the pH of sweat varies that much. 4.5 to 7.5 is a lot.

Do they have a Sweat pH Testing kit for this yet?

 

[belfastboy]

Do they have a Sweat pH Testing kit for this yet?

No real point of testing......not sure how you go about changing the Ph of your sweat once you find out.

 

[Dash Riprock]

not sure how you go about changing the Ph of your sweat once you find out.

Diet and exercise maybe.

One's PH levels could be an indicator or barometer of health issues.

 

[belfastboy]

Diet and exercise maybe.

One's PH levels could be an indicator or barometer of health issues.

Then it becomes a question of; what level of effort are you willing to expend to change the Ph? My wife is waaay more healthy than me and her sweat is likely much more acidic as she would go through leather watch straps regularly while mine last forever. Far easier and more accessible to treat the leather sweat with cleaner/conditioner on a regular schedule.

 

[Dash Riprock]

what level of effort are you willing to expend to change the Ph?

Whatever it takes to protect my hat investment!

One needs to have their priorities in line ya know

 

[belfastboy]

Whatever it takes to protect my hat investment! View attachment 704979

Well, as I stated, the easiest, most effective way is to treat the leather sweat, from time to time, with Lexol...cleaner then conditioner.

 

[Jimvint]

Well, as I stated, the easiest, most effective way is to treat the leather sweat, from time to time, with Lexol...cleaner then conditioner.

I learned that here. Using a good leather conditioner periodically should help provided the sweatband isn't too badly deteriorated.

 

[Dash Riprock]

I'm surprised they don't use plastic sweatbands.... it would last longer and the medical community could make some bucks when microscopic pieces and get in to people's skin and cause brain cancer or something

I've been reading about the research coming out concerning tiny pieces of plastic getting in to people's body and even in their brain being a cause of dementia

Makes one wonder... what exactly is in the Lexol product?

Do they list this products ingredients somewhere?

 

[belfastboy]

I'm surprised they don't use plastic sweatbands.... it would last longer and the medical community could make some bucks when microscopic pieces and get in to people's skin and cause brain cancer or something

I've been reading about the research coming out concerning tiny pieces of plastic getting in to people's body and even in their brain being a cause of dementia

Makes one wonder... what exactly is in the Lexol product?

Do they list this products ingredients somewhere?

I am 76, have been using it most of my adult life. I can attest that I am no crazier now than when I began using it.

 

[Dash Riprock]

I am 76, have been using it most of my adult life. I can attest that I am no crazier now than when I began using it.

So that's an un- official clinical study

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Certain countries may still tan leather in animal urine & dung as part of the tanning process to remove the hair & soften the hide. If you’ve ever had a pair of cheap work boots where the leather was tanned in urine, you instantly know it when they get wet.

 

[belfastboy]

So that's an un- official clinical study View attachment 707701

Well, the control group was my alter ego, so there is that. But it may be just as valid as some of the studies coming out of Harvard recently.

 

[Dash Riprock]

Well, the control group was my alter ego, so there is that. But it may be just as valid as some of the studies coming out of Harvard recently.

I hear ya.,..

I think my alter ego must be Red Neckerson since lately I've been singing both country and Western in addition to Southern Rock. I did grow up in a small southern town

Red Neckerson might be a good name for a country western band

 

[Dash Riprock]

Well, I just ordered some Lexol Leather Cleaner Conditioner for my leather sweat band

I was reading up on this product and one article said they thought this product was made from animal brains and should be safe since there wasn't any harsh chemicals.

So, hopefully it's safe but on the off chance it's makes me crazy then that would be the reason for any future posts I make where I'm acting all crazy and going all Lexol

 

[The Spaniard]

If you have acidic sweat then a bit of Lexol cleaner and then conditioner on the sweat from time to time will help its longevity.

Once a leather has rotted there is no coming back from that. The only option is to replace it. How well a leather sweat ages is dependent on the acidity of the owner's sweat, exposer to sun/heat and most importantly the quality of the leather itself.

I think Lexol cleaner is a good cleaner, but for conditioning I prefer Bick 4. Bick 4 has almost no odor and less residue.
This is my experience from shoes.