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TelemarkTumalo

One of the Regulars
Messages
157
Location
Bend, Oregon, USA,
I'm interested in this Stetson/Filson collab., but none available locally and sold out on line in my size. Wondering if Stetson makes a model similar without the Filson tax?

Screenshot 2023-11-03 at 12.18.56 PM.png
 

jlee562

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,099
Location
San Francisco, CA

StoryPNW

One Too Many
Messages
1,136
Location
Pacific Northwest
I got my Resistol SA absolutely drenched the other day, and it is not a long oval like my head is so the brim wants to deflect a little all the time, but after getting soaked the brim is super wonky. I don't have any flanges yet so I am attempting to fix it with what I have laying around. I am working on something with some steam, a hat box, and a hat jack currently, time will tell if it works or not. Any suggestions on how to fix the snap brim on my SA without a flange?
 
Messages
19,001
Location
Central California
Has anyone ever removed the stitches and made an underwelt brim edge into a raw edge in order to gain a bit of brim width? I can see where an overwelt might be more problematic as some of the felt would have been covered and protected and perhaps faded differently than the exposed felt, and the newly exposed felt would be on the top of the brim and more obvious. On an underwelt, I think it’s might be less pronounced and the newly exposed felt would be on the bottom of the brim. I have a few candidates in mind.
 

StoryPNW

One Too Many
Messages
1,136
Location
Pacific Northwest
I am considering getting a block for reshaping and getting out old creases. I don't intend to fully tear down the hats to do this though. Since I am a 7 1/2 would you recommend a 7 3/8 or smaller block for this purpose? Or another tool? I also am considering a a flange or two, are the 3d printed ones ok for occasional rookie use? Thanks guys!
 
Messages
19,409
Location
Funkytown, USA
I am considering getting a block for reshaping and getting out old creases. I don't intend to fully tear down the hats to do this though. Since I am a 7 1/2 would you recommend a 7 3/8 or smaller block for this purpose? Or another tool? I also am considering a a flange or two, are the 3d printed ones ok for occasional rookie use? Thanks guys!

No advice on flanges, but purchase any block below your size will be helpful I have one of those full-crown aluminum stretchers that comes in about a size 7 when closed (I'm 7 1/4). That way, you can get your crown over it with the sweat on and use different areas of the block to smooth out and shape a wayward crown. I move the felt around to the surface on the block I want to use at that time.
 

Bird Lives

A-List Customer
Messages
416
Location
Issaquah, WA
There's a possibility I might be in Frankfurt Germany for a week in December. Is there a good hatter there?

I need a hatband restitched in one hat, and another could use a good steaming a maybe a reblock.

I know there's a Stetson Frankfurt Store, but do they have a hatter there? I called but at that time no one spoke English on the phone.
 
Messages
10,832
Location
vancouver, canada
There's a possibility I might be in Frankfurt Germany for a week in December. Is there a good hatter there?

I need a hatband restitched in one hat, and another could use a good steaming a maybe a reblock.

I know there's a Stetson Frankfurt Store, but do they have a hatter there? I called but at that time no one spoke English on the phone.
Have you checked the hat shop in Pike Place? She does repairs and she is much closer than Frankfurt .
 
Messages
19,001
Location
Central California
I am considering getting a block for reshaping and getting out old creases. I don't intend to fully tear down the hats to do this though. Since I am a 7 1/2 would you recommend a 7 3/8 or smaller block for this purpose? Or another tool? I also am considering a a flange or two, are the 3d printed ones ok for occasional rookie use? Thanks guys!


I’ve had good luck buying used flanges. With some patience you can usually find one at a small fraction of the cost of a new one. Used blocks are more expensive. With both, it’s not just size but profile. You probably don’t want all your hats to look the same and have the same blocking.

I only have one 3-D printed block and I vastly prefer wood; although the 3-D block is working well for now. The wood just seems more durable and less dependent on careful usage (@T Jones has my 3-D printed block so maybe he can add his thoughts).

I hav a rounded dome aluminum “block.” It’s heated, but I removed the heating element and the cord. It works great when I need an anvil inside the crown the work out old creases and wrinkles in the felt. I work small sections at a time and the hats never take on the shape of the block. The block is 21” in circumference and very tapered. I would never want a crown to have that shape, but it works great for what I use it for and it works equally well on a wide range of sizes.

Having a block that is one or two sizes smaller that the hat size is nice for not only working out old creases. The block can be used to stretch out the felt and change its shape/blocking. It’s not as good as a full strip down and re-block with the correct size block, but you can do a lot. My tapered aluminum block gets used all the time whereas my fitted crown blocks are used infrequently. I use my flanges quite a bit.

Good luck!
 

T Jones

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,788
Location
Central Ohio
I’ve had good luck buying used flanges. With some patience you can usually find one at a small fraction of the cost of a new one. Used blocks are more expensive. With both, it’s not just size but profile. You probably don’t want all your hats to look the same and have the same blocking.

I only have one 3-D printed block and I vastly prefer wood; although the 3-D block is working well for now. The wood just seems more durable and less dependent on careful usage (@T Jones has my 3-D printed block so maybe he can add his thoughts).

I hav a rounded dome aluminum “block.” It’s heated, but I removed the heating element and the cord. It works great when I need an anvil inside the crown the work out old creases and wrinkles in the felt. I work small sections at a time and the hats never take on the shape of the block. The block is 21” in circumference and very tapered. I would never want a crown to have that shape, but it works great for what I use it for and it works equally well on a wide range of sizes.

Having a block that is one or two sizes smaller that the hat size is nice for not only working out old creases. The block can be used to stretch out the felt and change its shape/blocking. It’s not as good as a full strip down and re-block with the correct size block, but you can do a lot. My tapered aluminum block gets used all the time whereas my fitted crown blocks are used infrequently. I use my flanges quite a bit.

Good luck!
Well, the 3D printed block did what it was supposed to do. I blocked a heavyweight Western on it for @deadlyhandsome and it did a good job. I have a custom made 3D printed block, myself, that Randall Alan made for me. I've had it for about 5 years and it's still going strong.
 

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