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Charlie DoNuts

New in Town
Messages
6
Location
Chartres, France
Well, part of the issue is Fouquet may not actually be the guy doing all the hat making...

Well, that's a bit interesting! I guess there will be some trial an error. I'll get the pamphlet. Thanks.

The Clash - the best band I have ever seen live - thats my part London
 

drmaxtejeda

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,363
Location
Mexico City
Well, part of the issue is Fouquet may not actually be the guy doing all the hat making...

whatever antique piece of equipment he's using will likely be harder for you to find than a regular Jiffy steamer. In any event, I'm not a hatter, so there's a good chance I have no idea what I'm talking about, but I don't think you really want "high density" steam. The Scientific Hat Finishing pamphlet calls for 15 seconds of steam on the crown and warns against too much which could cause the hat to become too porous.
Thank you!

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jlee562

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,104
Location
San Francisco, CA
What hatters are in New York City? Gonna be there one full day the end of this month and wanted to stop by some good hat shops. Ideas? Is JJ's worth a look?
Missed this post the other day...

JJ is probably the best place to stop. Worth and Worth is in Manhattan too, but their focus is decidedly modern and may not be to everyone's taste. Bencraft is out in Brooklyn, so maybe a bit out of the way of you're on a day trip.
 

Wyldkarma

One Too Many
Messages
1,805
Location
Austin, TX
Missed this post the other day...

JJ is probably the best place to stop. Worth and Worth is in Manhattan too, but their focus is decidedly modern and may not be to everyone's taste. Bencraft is out in Brooklyn, so maybe a bit out of the way of you're on a day trip.

Thanks for that info Jared. We are staying one night in New Jersey near the cruise port prior to sailing then one night in downtown NYC when we get back. I have a Worth&Worth, love it. May have to stop in. I will google them all to see if I can make a day of it. :)

My Worth & Worth in Venezia Blue.

venezia blue.jpg
20180622_131925.jpg
 
Messages
12,018
Location
East of Los Angeles
OMG watching that video was torture ! He took a beautiful hat that he made and then roached it ! I can’t stand that term “ distressed “ , don’t like it in reference to furniture or anything else ! What a shame ! All The Best , Fashion Frank
Based on what little I've seen, my opinion is that Mr. Fouquet's hats are "head art" made to be sold to people who wear them in order to get noticed every time they're out in public. Not my thing, but if you have nothing else to waste your money on...
 

Squashy Roo

New in Town
Messages
2
I have a Stylemaster that I wear every day to work. I handle it by the pinch (I know I shouldn't) and I am right handed. I have noticed that the pinch does not sit in the centre (i.e. above my nose) but is over my right eye. Has handling it by the pinch caused the pinch to move? And if so, can I get the pinch to move back to the centre. Or do I just have an odd shaped head?
 

drmaxtejeda

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,363
Location
Mexico City
I have a Stylemaster that I wear every day to work. I handle it by the pinch (I know I shouldn't) and I am right handed. I have noticed that the pinch does not sit in the centre (i.e. above my nose) but is over my right eye. Has handling it by the pinch caused the pinch to move? And if so, can I get the pinch to move back to the centre. Or do I just have an odd shaped head?
I am a newbie, but I had to learn to crease a bunch of hats all at once. I learned how, more or less, but at first I kept creasing them off-center. It is easy to straighten them again, specially with a good felt, like mine were. And you can apply a little steam, too, if need be.
And it wouldn't matter much if your skull's long axis is a little off, I think. Just put the center of the crease where you want it, and go from there.

It is a lot harder to do that in dentistry. Sometimes you have to call in the guys that went to dental school and then decided they didn't like being real dentists, so they became Orthodontists. :D

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Messages
12,018
Location
East of Los Angeles
I have a Stylemaster that I wear every day to work. I handle it by the pinch (I know I shouldn't) and I am right handed. I have noticed that the pinch does not sit in the centre (i.e. above my nose) but is over my right eye. Has handling it by the pinch caused the pinch to move? And if so, can I get the pinch to move back to the centre. Or do I just have an odd shaped head?
As Dr. Max wrote above, you can use a little steam (or distilled water) if needed to move the pinch back to being centered over your nose if it bothers you that much. I have to crease my hats so the pinch is about 1/2" to the right (my right, that is) of the hat's centerline if I want them to line up with my nose. They all start out that way, but most of them have migrated back to the hat's true centerline to some degree. It bothered me at first, but now I accept it for what it is and wear my hats with their respective pinches wherever they want to be.
 

scottyrocks

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,178
Location
Isle of Langerhan, NY
I have a Stylemaster that I wear every day to work. I handle it by the pinch (I know I shouldn't) and I am right handed. I have noticed that the pinch does not sit in the centre (i.e. above my nose) but is over my right eye. Has handling it by the pinch caused the pinch to move? And if so, can I get the pinch to move back to the centre. Or do I just have an odd shaped head?

I'd apply steam and push out the dents and top crease. Then more steam, put the hat on my head, and form the front of the pinch and begin the side dents. Then take it off my head, more steam, and finish it.

Or you could use water from a spray bottle if you don't work fast. Just let it dry over night.

Regardless of what the rest of a hat looks like, I like the front inline with the center of my face.

And although I used to handle my hats by the front pinch (that's how they do it in the movies, right?), I don't anymore. I use the brim only, and my pinch and creases have stayed 'perfect.'
 
Messages
19,001
Location
Central California
I have a Stylemaster that I wear every day to work. I handle it by the pinch (I know I shouldn't) and I am right handed. I have noticed that the pinch does not sit in the centre (i.e. above my nose) but is over my right eye. Has handling it by the pinch caused the pinch to move? And if so, can I get the pinch to move back to the centre. Or do I just have an odd shaped head?

I agree with trying to take it to an open crown and use steam to remove the old crease and dents as best you can. After you have it to open crown, stand in front of a mirror and find the center of your face/center of the bridge of your nose and then slip a toothpick under the crown ribbon to mark the center. You can now remove the hat and work on shaping it while it’s off your head. Good luck.


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Messages
10,858
Location
vancouver, canada
I'd apply steam and push out the dents and top crease. Then more steam, put the hat on my head, and form the front of the pinch and begin the side dents. Then take it off my head, more steam, and finish it.

Or you could use water from a spray bottle if you don't work fast. Just let it dry over night.

Regardless of what the rest of a hat looks like, I like the front inline with the center of my face.

And although I used to handle my hats by the front pinch (that's how they do it in the movies, right?), I don't anymore. I use the brim only, and my pinch and creases have stayed 'perfect.'

Yes, I too only handle the brim now. Purchased a used not quite vintage Borsa off the Bay and the front pinch area was so well worn that it won't take much for it to wear through and produce hole to appear. In the end it was a relatively cheap lesson on what not to do when handling a good fedora.
 

scottyrocks

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,178
Location
Isle of Langerhan, NY
Yes, I too only handle the brim now. Purchased a used not quite vintage Borsa off the Bay and the front pinch area was so well worn that it won't take much for it to wear through and produce hole to appear. In the end it was a relatively cheap lesson on what not to do when handling a good fedora.

If you want to give yourself a lesson on taking a hat apart and putting it back together, you can remove everything from this hat, reverse it, and sew everything back in. Then steam it back into shape. The hole will be in the back, and although still a hole, less conspicuous.

I did this once. It was an interesting experience.
 
Messages
10,858
Location
vancouver, canada
If you want to give yourself a lesson on taking a hat apart and putting it back together, you can remove everything from this hat, reverse it, and sew everything back in. Then steam it back into shape. The hole will be in the back, and although still a hole, less conspicuous.

I did this once. It was an interesting experience.
Yes, I remember reading an earlier post of yours outlining this. I made a mental note and one day if bored and brave may give it a go. The Borsa is a nice hat and if I lower my expectations about the outcome it could be real fun.
 
Messages
12,018
Location
East of Los Angeles
...And although I used to handle my hats by the front pinch (that's how they do it in the movies, right?), I don't anymore. I use the brim only, and my pinch and creases have stayed 'perfect.'
I've tried to don and doff my hats by holding the brim, but it just doesn't feel right for some reason. I grasp them lightly so it'll probably take longer for any holes to form at the pinch, but they'll most likely appear eventually one of these days. None of 'em are vintage or particularly valuable, so I'm not losing any sleep over it. Also, I'm right-handed so I would think that would make the pinch migrate to the right. But no, they always migrate left. o_O
 
Messages
19,001
Location
Central California
I've tried to don and doff my hats by holding the brim, but it just doesn't feel right for some reason. I grasp them lightly so it'll probably take longer for any holes to form at the pinch, but they'll most likely appear eventually one of these days. None of 'em are vintage or particularly valuable, so I'm not losing any sleep over it. Also, I'm right-handed so I would think that would make the pinch migrate to the right. But no, they always migrate left. o_O

I’ll also confess to picking the up and taking them off by the crown, and sometimes at the pinch. I have a couple that have required reinforcement of the pinch under the liner so I know it’s not good for them.

The migrating pinch, I know it well. ;)


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