Adding stiffener to a straw hat

[GI Joe]

How do you keep the stiffness in the brim of a straw hat?

I like the brim of my Stetson Retro snapped down but the brim has started snapping up more easily. Would felt hat stiffener work on straw?

Thanks!

 

[RBH]

I use Scouts felt hat stiffner on my PB Indy straw often.
If you have a can I would give it a try. I have a Retro that I do not wear often, the straw on it is pretty stiff as is. BUt with wear I could see it getting 'softer'.
Also when you take it off be sure to place it crown side down.

Please let us know your results.

 

[Uncle Vern]

Have you tried simply wetting the hat and shaping it as it dries? I've done it to a lot of straw hats. I just finished doing it to an old western-style Panama "Equador) hat, and it behaved nicely. You can dry it very gently with a a hair drier if you're in a hurry.

 

[GI Joe]

Good ideas. Thank you, Gentlemen!

 

[job]

Has anyone tried to add stiffener to a panama hat? Could you use felt hat stiffener?

 

[RBH]

I have used Scouts stiffener on many of my straws.
It worked for me.
And ... Welcome to the Lounge!

 

[monbla256]

Has anyone tried to add stiffener to a panama hat? Could you use felt hat stiffener?

Most Panama's come with a very light coat of a stiffener to help hold a crease in them so how stiff do you want it? The Shantung "panamas" have a much heavier coat of a "shellac" but I don't think it is the same as the stiffener used for felts. Remember anything you apply to the outside of a Panama ( or any other type of straw hat) will coat and close up some of the open areas in the weave and make the hat MUCH warmer to wear in the heat. The idea behind a Panama is it's lightness and ability to pass air when worn in a hot climate I don't think it would work well. JMHO

 

[job]

I just received a 13.99 panama hat from bob and for the price it is a nice hat. It is in a bogey style but the front of the brim is flat where the back curls up in a typical fedora shape. The front brim is a little floppy and I figured using steam and maybe holding it to a cup to make it curve uniformly would not hold because of the light weave. I did use some Kahl fur felt stiffener on it and it did not discolor it and did help a little. I think it may take me a few tries to make it hold a downward shape. Thanks for the advise RBH.

 

[Aureliano]

I do what Rusty advised you.

 

[Rodkins]

I just received a 13.99 panama hat from bob and for the price it is a nice hat. It is in a bogey style but the front of the brim is flat where the back curls up in a typical fedora shape. The front brim is a little floppy and I figured using steam and maybe holding it to a cup to make it curve uniformly would not hold because of the light weave. I did use some Kahl fur felt stiffener on it and it did not discolor it and did help a little. I think it may take me a few tries to make it hold a downward shape. Thanks for the advise RBH.

If you apply a light mist of distilled water to the brim, shape it as you desire, and let it dry it will hold that shape quite well without any stiffener. If after it dries you don't like the shape, you can always iron it back out flat (use a t-shirt or white hankey when you iron, though)
This works for me on my panama bob straws.

 

[riccardo]

I just received a 13.99 panama hat from bob and for the price it is a nice hat. It is in a bogey style but the front of the brim is flat where the back curls up in a typical fedora shape. The front brim is a little floppy and I figured using steam and maybe holding it to a cup to make it curve uniformly would not hold because of the light weave. I did use some Kahl fur felt stiffener on it and it did not discolor it and did help a little. I think it may take me a few tries to make it hold a downward shape. Thanks for the advise RBH.

Hi to all,
I WANT a PB 13,99 hat too!!!
I've emailed him a week ago but I've no answer from him.
Could anyone help me to contact Bob?
Hey job, could you post a pics, could you describe your new PB's hat?
Many tanks.

God bless you.

Riccardo

 

[riccardo]

Hi to all,
I WANT a PB 13,99 hat too!!!
I've emailed him a week ago but I've no answer from him.
Could anyone help me to contact Bob?
Hey job, could you post a pics, could you describe your new PB's hat?
Many tanks.

God bless you.

Riccardo

Hi to all,
today are arrived !

Two nice PB's panama hats.
Many thank Bob, you too....are a nice person.

God bless you.
Riccardo.

 

[RBH]

Hey Ric! Always good to hear from you!
Let us see some photos!!!
take care my friend!

 

[fedoralover]

Felt hat stiffner on a Straw Hat

I'm not sure if this has been posted before, but I think the question has come up,
"how do you stiffen up a too floppy or out of shape straw or panama hat"? I recently bought a Cuenca panama off ebay, it was totally out of shape, the brim warped and the crown in a somewhat telescoped shape. It was super floppy and just gently steaming it did nothing. I didn't want to spend the money to send it off to a hatter so I thought what the heck, I'll try some of my felt hat stiffner on it. while it isn't as good as total reblock, it still came out decent enough. The stiffener didn't discolor the straw or seem to have any ill effects. Here's the result. Thought I'd post the info for others to know.

I used it the same as on a felt hat, just lightly sprayed it on, let it dry and then steamed it again and put the shape in I wanted and held it until it cooled down.

If others have tried it and it messed up the hat, please post your experiences as well.

fedoralover

 

[randooch]

Looks sharp! I'll remember that tip as summer approaches.

 

[bolly]

whoa,I prepare to buy this straw hat,now not sure...

 

[RBH]

Glad it worked FL, I have used Scouts stiffner many times with great luck.

whoa,I prepare to buy this straw hat,now not sure...

I wonder.....

 

[fedoralover]

Glad it worked FL, I have used Scouts stiffner many times with great luck.
QUOTE]

I used to use Scouts but the store I would buy it from quit carrying it and now offer Bickmore instead. It worked fine, I was a little afraid it might change the color or make the straw too stiff, but it did neither one. The hat is still very floppy, but will hold a shape.

fedoralover

 

[gqmagic]

I need to do this to my Monti Colado, the brim is more wavy than I like, the one on the right



I saw somewhere someone sprayed starch on the brim, would that work? Is that almost like stiffener?

 

[Anthony Jordan]

I have a new panama and a paper hat (for knocking-about purposes):I've tried steaming on both to correct their wavy brims, which seems to have worked so far!