What Hat Are You Working On Today?

[RickP]

I have the Guy Morse-Brown curling iron and have really been happy with it, especially on thinner felt. I haven’t tried heating the iron, I just use a steam iron to soften the brim edge and then press the brim between the iron and wooden form. I just do a little bit at a time and work my way around the brim. It takes me about 10 minutes or so, but ends up producing a really nice, tight curl. The slotted curling blocks out there work ok as well, especially on western weight felts, but I pretty much use the Guy Morse-Brown for everything as you can really get a sharp looking curl by hand pressing.

Hope this helps! I think RickP is pretty happy with this tool as well. I’d love to see some “After” pics, I love the Josey Wales hat!

I second the Guy Morse- Brown Irons. I have both sizes... Pricy but way better than the wooden and 3d printed tools.

 

[thekiyote]

I second the Guy Morse- Brown Irons. I have both sizes... Pricy but way better than the wooden and 3d printed tools.

Hmm I guess I’m adding this to my never ending list of tools I need to buy

 

[RickP]

Finished freshening up a pure beaver silverbelly western for one of my coffee co-horts. It is such a pleasure to work on really nice furfelt... Think I need to save my shekels and buy a pure beaver of my own someday soon. Hat was in pretty nice condition but had 60 yrs of drop marks, a few creases and a few old mis-shapen pinches. Basically I did some steaming, cleaning, smoothing, and a little pouncing to smooth the surface out. I opened up the top pinches a bit, and rounded out a flat front brim. It was a pleasure to work on a hat with honest wear but no abuse for a change lol

Before

Today

 

[RickP]

Hmm I guess I’m adding this to my never ending list of tools I need to buy

I picked up a cheap electric single burner element just to heat them.... my smoothtop stove just wouldnt heat them

 

[thekiyote]

I picked up a cheap electric single burner element just to heat them.... my smoothtop stove just wouldnt heat them

But I shouldn’t have any problems with a gas stove right?

 

[RickP]

Gas stove will work great... prob better heating than electric.... I dont have gas in the house and heatiing out on the propane grill is a pain.... I havent really cleaned that grill in ages lol

 

[RickP]

Im fortunate that my hat and tool addiction is a hobby not a business.... If I see a tool I really want I just get it and enjoy it.... I dont try to justify the cost. I justify it in the persuit of knowledge

 

[jeffgarf]

Im fortunate that my hat and tool addiction is a hobby not a business.... If I see a tool I really want I just get it and enjoy it.... I dont try to justify the cost. I justify it in the persuit of knowledge

At least that's what we tell ourselves

 

[RickP]

Big thrill here today! the old Whippet Liner came in today and its now in my hat... Perfct condition and looks WAYYYY better than a white satin.... The world is now as it should be.... Hat is back to normal, seems happier, looks cleaner, fits better lol! Time to do a little bit of cleaning, steaming and shaping

Before

Now

 

[Judgmentalist]

Big thrill here today! the old Whippet Liner came in today and its now in my hat... Perfct condition and looks WAYYYY better than a white satin.... The world is now as it should be.... Hat is back to normal, seems happier, looks cleaner, fits better lol! Time to do a little bit of cleaning, steaming and shaping

Before
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Now
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You know, Rick, when you first posted about this I was like I wonder how much this is gonna move the needle for me - but I love it

 

[RickP]

Its always amazed me just how many decent old hats are out there without liners.... guess old timers had never heard of woolite lol. Ive salvaged many a filthy liner by removing plastic and giving it a gentle cool water woolite agitation. Ive tried to resist removing old vintage onion skin liner covers, but old dingy plastic goes away around here.

Guess old timers figured if the liner gets grungy with hair pommade, just pull it out and ditch it. Kinda related to the thinking that if a hat got dirty, just throw it in the attic and buy a new one. Specific vintage liners are indeed hard to find. No one knows if the hat on my head has a new or old liner, but I know.

 

[HatsBySam]

Its always amazed me just how many decent old hats are out there without liners.... guess old timers had never heard of woolite lol. Ive salvaged many a filthy liner by removing plastic and giving it a gentle cool water woolite agitation. Ive tried to resist removing old vintage onion skin liner covers, but old dingy plastic goes away around here.

Guess old timers figured if the liner gets grungy with hair pommade, just pull it out and ditch it. Kinda related to the thinking that if a hat got dirty, just throw it in the attic and buy a new one. Specific vintage liners are indeed hard to find. No one knows if the hat on my head has a new or old liner, but I know.

I’ve recently been replacing the satin sides on the liners that were trashed and preserving the center panels. It’s probably sacrilegious, lol, but sometimes they’re too far gone and I figure it’s better than trashing the whole thing.

 

[RickP]

good idea!

 

[blewnote]

I’ve recently been replacing the satin sides on the liners that were trashed and preserving the center panels. It’s probably sacrilegious, lol, but sometimes they’re too far gone and I figure it’s better than trashing the whole thing.

Nah that's smart.

 

[blewnote]

Its always amazed me just how many decent old hats are out there without liners.... guess old timers had never heard of woolite lol. Ive salvaged many a filthy liner by removing plastic and giving it a gentle cool water woolite agitation. Ive tried to resist removing old vintage onion skin liner covers, but old dingy plastic goes away around here.

Guess old timers figured if the liner gets grungy with hair pommade, just pull it out and ditch it. Kinda related to the thinking that if a hat got dirty, just throw it in the attic and buy a new one. Specific vintage liners are indeed hard to find. No one knows if the hat on my head has a new or old liner, but I know.

Tell me about removing the plastic, please!

That's something I've been thinking about doing to keep the liner in a hat but let it breathe more. Is the plastic sewn in? Do you cut it? I'd like to know what works in case you learned anything the hard way lol

 

[RickP]

Most of the time all you have to do is make a slit in the old plastic big enough for a couple fingers and gently pull. ( the plastic/ cellophane isnt all that tough) When the slit reaches the stitching, gentle steady pressure sideways will pull the plastic off at the stitches.. just dont yank it fast... slow and steady. as long as the thread isnt rotted youll be golden

 

[HatsBySam]

Lost both of the folks earlier this year. I’m very grateful to have Dad’s woodworking brand. I’m using it to add some custom details to some hats for my siblings.

 

[Judgmentalist]

Lost both of the folks earlier this year. I’m very grateful to have Dad’s woodworking brand. I’m using it to add some custom details to some hats for my siblings.

Very sorry for your loss.

 

[HatsBySam]

I’ve been jealous of Rick’s lineup of straw fedoras for awhile, lol, and haven’t had much luck finding a dark brown one that fit, so I thought I’d try my hand at making one. This is using a dark chocolate Parasisal body from Leko.

 

[RickP]

I’ve been jealous of Rick’s lineup of straw fedoras for awhile, lol, and haven’t had much luck finding a dark brown one that fit, so I thought I’d try my hand at making one. This is using a dark chocolate Parasisal body from Leko.

That works!