Any tips on blocking shaping a hat?

[GearHead]

Some of my hats are in need of reblocking and I wanted to find out what I could do myself instead of having it professionally done.
The tear drop front needs to be reshaped on a couple.
On one the one side has drooped done more than other.
Any suggestons or tips?
Thanks!

Erick

 

[SHARPETOYS]

Steam

I use a hand steamer or a tea kettle and steam the hat and shape it with my fingers.

 

[SHARPETOYS]

Not very costly.

These might also help you.


www.hatshapers.com

 

[Canadave]

Have you (or anyone) ever used these?

David

 

[SHARPETOYS]

Happy i;ve heard

Dave some of the guys at COW bought them and said they were happy with them.

 

[GearHead]

Thaks for the info and the link.
I'll have to give it a try.

 

[The Wingnut]

A tea kettle on the boil and patience is enough.

Get plenty of steam rolling out, make sure your hands are clean, and knock out the block. Use lots of steam and be patient. Once you've got it completely round, dent it front to back. Steam that in. Then dent it left to right, about 2/3 of the way toward the back, across the other dent. Steam that in. Carefully round out the back of your 'cross' dent so that you have a semicircle. Pinch as needed to define the curve. Steam that in. Make a fist with one hand, stick it inside the crown, and push up sligtly at the 'cross' , and push down around your fist with the other hand. This makes the 'bump' for the crown of your head. Apply more steam. Only thing to do after this is to put in the front pinch, which is easy enough. Use LOTS of steam, and work it slowly to get the look that you want.

 

[WesternHatWearer]

"A tea kettle on the boil and patience is enough."

If only this was the whole story. I have attempted to shape the brim on a western that I own and it is not as simple as steam and patience.
There is a lot of handwork and crucial hand placement that is required. I worked with my hat for an hour and still had to visit a hat shop to round out what I could not. I will agree patience is key, but do not down play the ability to work the felt with one's hands and to be able visualize the adjustments that are desired or required.

 

[ccorsair]

I just clean up a few hats i got off eBay Used my wife's tea kettle and i have small portable hand steamer but it not as good as the tea kettle. I will post before and after pics if anyone like to see them. One was Stetson that I had stiffen first as it was so relaxed it just would not have held shape. Not sure I got it just right as who ever had it had re-shaped the Pinch badly.
I got it back to where it look like it should be but it took a bit.. The other royal Stetson just needed some shaping was badly wrinkled like it had been crushed and the top re shaped made round like pork pie but after steaming it till to more tear drop shape with bit of a pinch but i still not sure that its original shape.
Will have to look into to the hat sharpers they would come in handy if they worked.

 

[T Jones]

Have you (or anyone) ever used these?

David

Yeah, they work pretty good. They get the job done.

Here's a couple of Resistol Stagecoaches that I reblocked and put new ribbons on. They originally had very tall tapered crowns....

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

...or, you can use a paint can and bubble wrap like I did on this Resistol conversion...

 

[ccorsair]

Very nice. What are the forms made of? Do they look like they will last?
May look are them if I get into hat re-blocking full time . right now just two has need me bash on them.. but who knows what will come my way later.

thank for sharing.

CC

 

[T Jones]

Very nice. What are the forms made of? Do they look like they will last?
May look are them if I get into hat re-blocking full time . right now just two has need me bash on them.. but who knows what will come my way later.

thank for sharing.

CC

Thanks buddy. The Hat Shapers are made from plastic. I think if you're going to use them on your own hats every now and then, they'll do the job just fine as an alternative to buying the higher priced wooden hat blocks.
If hat blocking, hat making, and refurbs is something you're planning to do professionally, full time, then you would want to buy the wooden blocks.

 

[RJR]

I agree with TJ.I have a straight dome Hat Shaper and its just fine for occasional use.

 

[ccorsair]

I think I stick to what working for now.. I in Sacramento right now and i kind sad we don't have any good hat stores that do blocking. I fond local western shop that helped in stiffing but they don't have much knowledge of Fedora hats even when they carry Stetsons fedora styles. But i think they trying to get away from those hats as well..
Will be moving to AZ some time soon. Will see what find there.

 

[O'Sully]

Does one need to turn the sweat out and remove the lining before using the hat shaper?