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DIY Hat Shaping
- Thread starter Giddyap
- Start date
Did my question fall through the cracks here, or is this forum void of such help?
Last edited:
- Messages
- 11,261
- Location
- vancouver, canada
- Messages
- 11,261
- Location
- vancouver, canada
The honest answer is ...maybe. The only definitive way to truly flatten a brim is to build a brim press. Cut a hole to match the crown shape is a 2'x2' plywood board. Then set the hat on a 2'x2' ply board 1/2 to 5/8" thick, set the board with the hole over top and with 4 clamps squeeze it in the 4 quadrants.....(after giving it a good ironing to soften, but don't get it too wet as it can take a long while to dry). If you don't want to go to that extent, then try just ironing it flat. It may hold and stay flat or it might not.
Thank youuuuuuu!
suitedcboy
One Too Many
- Messages
- 1,360
- Location
- Fort Worth Texas or thereabouts
Caveats: 1. you will lose some or all of the rounding of the brim that makes it a snap brim where front can be snapped down and have the back up. An open road may have little of this to begin with. 2. The ovality may change if the brim has been steamed and the head shape altered to fit prior owner(s). if it does have a bump at forehead and fits well then you could cut the round piece of plywood with jigsaw to replicate your head shape and put that into hat before the plywood plates are applied. Go big on this shape piece and sand to get the finished size and also to be nicer to sweatband. I have used this plywood brim press method to take a round oval with wonky brim from from fitting a long oval head into a round oval hat with pretty good results.
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jlee562
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 5,231
- Location
- San Francisco, CA
I think the question is what are you trying to accomplish?
If the brim looks a bit wonky, I don't think ironing if at home without a proper flange is going to give you a great result.
If you're trying to make it completely flat like a Boss of the Plains or contemporary "festival" kinda hat, I also don't think you're going to get a great result. The binding adds a nonzero amount of tension.
If the brim looks a bit wonky, I don't think ironing if at home without a proper flange is going to give you a great result.
If you're trying to make it completely flat like a Boss of the Plains or contemporary "festival" kinda hat, I also don't think you're going to get a great result. The binding adds a nonzero amount of tension.
