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zetwal

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,343
Location
Texas
I'm new at hats and working with them so...are you thinking that water might activate a stiffener already in the hat which steam didn't activate? I had heard that you needed steam but as I said, there's a lot that I don't know yet.

I have had good results with water. Try it and see if it works for you in this instance. I have never had to apply any chemicals. For me, that would be a last resort.
 
Messages
10,524
Location
DnD Ranch, Cherokee County, GA
I'm new at hats and working with them so...are you thinking that water might activate a stiffener already in the hat which steam didn't activate? I had heard that you needed steam but as I said, there's a lot that I don't know yet.

Water does not activate the stiffener. The heat of the steam does as the felt cools. Water will make the felt pliable to get a crease in & the heat will help set it when it dries & cools.
Borso's of the 70's were during the factory move & not of the soft & shape-able ones before that. I have one of the mid-80's that took quite a bit of steaming to hold a crease.
You may try wetting it with distilled water, shaping in your crease then hitting it with steam. YRMV....
 

Aureliano

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Messages
4,753
Location
Macondo.
You may try wetting it with distilled water, shaping in your crease then hitting it with steam.

May I ask why distilled water? I've never used it and are interested in knowing the benefits. When I visited the Cervo Factory years ago before I knew the lounge, I saw them use water from the Cervo river nearby to clean and soften the felt, figured if that didn't ruin them, NYC water won't either.
 

Van De Laak

New in Town
Messages
20
Hi all,

After my good experience with my Bailey Willis (wide brimmed pork pie), I would like to get another Bailey. This time perhaps the Bailey Jamison. (brown) I think is a smart looking hat. Has anyone any experience/thoughts regarding this hat? I noticed that the brim can be worn down as well. Thank you for any advise.

Here is a link with a few zoomable pics.

With brim down:

http://www.butterystore.co.uk/stock/item/bailey-jamison-cordova

I took the plunge and ordered the hat. I'll try to snap some pics after I received it, for those who might be interested and post them here.
 
Messages
10,524
Location
DnD Ranch, Cherokee County, GA
May I ask why distilled water? I've never used it and are interested in knowing the benefits. When I visited the Cervo Factory years ago before I knew the lounge, I saw them use water from the Cervo river nearby to clean and soften the felt, figured if that didn't ruin them, NYC water won't either.

My last house was on a well with copper pipes throughout the house & my current house is on county water which has fluorine & other additives. In a tea pot, tap water is fine but to spray directly on a hat, especially lite colored ones, I don't want to take chance.
 

Aureliano

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,753
Location
Macondo.
My last house was on a well with copper pipes throughout the house & my current house is on county water which has fluorine & other additives. In a tea pot, tap water is fine but to spray directly on a hat, especially lite colored ones, I don't want to take chance.

I see what you're saying. It makes sense. NYC water... I'm telling you, Tom, haven't stained a hat yet and I spray em'! :)
 

bowlerman

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,294
Location
South Dakota
Ever have a couple hats that you just don't think you could pull off in public, and all of a sudden a bit of insomnia coaxes out a new affinity for them? Yeah, me neither... ;)

I don't know, I'm kinda beginning to warm back up to these two: Stetson 3X Eddie Bauer and a stingy brimmed Wormser.
tryingout006copy.jpg

tryingout033copy.jpg
 

bowlerman

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,294
Location
South Dakota
I think "one" can, but it might be best done with a block, steam, and an iron, or else sent to a pro. I've had some success with minor offenses, and recently reblocked my mallory torino. It still isn't perfect, but I think it's better than the job the guy at the local western store did. (only problem is I left it over the kettle to run and tend to my son for probably one minute, and came back to find the sweatband had shrunk about four sizes. Thankfully a quick fetch of the hat jack remedied that problem, though the sweatband is no longer in its pristine and seemingly untouched state.)
 

scooter

Practically Family
Messages
905
Location
Arizona
Hey B-man, for what it's worth, I really like the Eddie Bauer on you. Funny how we establish a notion in our minds as to what we can "pull off" and what we can't.
 

randooch

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Messages
4,869
Location
Ukiah, California
I think "one" can, but it might be best done with a block, steam, and an iron, or else sent to a pro. I've had some success with minor offenses, and recently reblocked my mallory torino. It still isn't perfect, but I think it's better than the job the guy at the local western store did. (only problem is I left it over the kettle to run and tend to my son for probably one minute, and came back to find the sweatband had shrunk about four sizes. Thankfully a quick fetch of the hat jack remedied that problem, though the sweatband is no longer in its pristine and seemingly untouched state.)
Thanks. I just wanted to know whether to pursue derbies with dents or let 'em pass. Your experience makes "one" hopeful. (What, you no likey my vintage lingo?) :)
 

Brad Bowers

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Messages
4,187
Smaller dents can usually be worked out of the crown with a generous application of steam to the outside of the hat. You can use your fingers to help smooth them out to a certain degree. If the dents are too large you might still end up with some waviness on top, but I've learned to live with that, too. Most people don't even notice it. If the felt has any kind of a sharp crease, though, you're out of luck without a complete reblock and ironing. It's usually more trouble than it's worth with old Derbies.

Brad
 

bowlerman

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,294
Location
South Dakota
I likey, I likey! :)

Brad makes good points, too.

On the other hand, every so often a derby comes up on Ebay that has such a perfect dent, scratch, or any other sort of blemish, that I end up kicking myself for passing it up!
 

zetwal

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,343
Location
Texas
I'm missing something simple, I guess. Select picture, Control C, Control V, I get nothing.

Open and enlarge the eBay picture and right click on it, select copy. Then paste with control v into your post. Does that do anything for you?
 

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