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[JWcustomhats]

Here is a question for you guys. Anyone know about dyes for felts? What kind of dye works best, the process you've tried and rescources for dying felts? Thanks!!

 

[hatsRme]

Here is a question for you guys. Anyone know about dyes for felts? What kind of dye works best, the process you've tried and rescources for dying felts? Thanks!!

If memory serves, the inventive, creative Bob Jessee of Black Sheep Hat Works does.

 

[RickP]

Anyone with good suggestions on how to soften up a stiff dress hat? Ive got a nice Sovereign fur felt Stetson Temple that is not thick or heavy but the felt is WAY stiffer than my other Temples. Ive done some steaming and wearing, and its a LITTLE softer but nowhere near as soft as some of my other Sovereign felts. I guess I could give it an alcohol bath to get rid of some stiffner, but Im thinking that would need dissassembly. Short of beating it, vibrating it into submission, sitting on it or running over it with the truck, whats the best way to soften a basically new hat?

 

[moehawk]

Here is a question for you guys. Anyone know about dyes for felts? What kind of dye works best, the process you've tried and rescources for dying felts? Thanks!!

Acid dyes are the best for protein fiber like fur, wool, silk, etc.

 

[belfastboy]

Here is a question for you guys. Anyone know about dyes for felts? What kind of dye works best, the process you've tried and rescources for dying felts? Thanks!!

I have experimented with dyes over the years. Best success is with Acid dyes such as Ciba or Jacquard. The hardest part is getting even distribution and I improved my success by finally finding a stainless steel vat large enough to give the felt room to spread out. I have better success with the dye distribution on darker colours than lighter colours. I have success with overdyes and recreating the original Winchester black cherry. It is still very much a work in progress. In my last visit to Winchester I watched them dye felts and it is a simple process. A very large vat, filled with felts and two guys on an elevated platform stirring the vat with large wooden oars. Real old school!!!!

 

[JWcustomhats]

I have experimented with dyes over the years. Best success is with Acid dyes such as Ciba or Jacquard. The hardest part is getting even distribution and I improved my success by finally finding a stainless steel vat large enough to give the felt room to spread out. I have better success with the dye distribution on darker colours than lighter colours. I have success with overdyes and recreating the original Winchester black cherry. It is still very much a work in progress. In my last visit to Winchester I watched them dye felts and it is a simple process. A very large vat, filled with felts and two guys on an elevated platform stirring the vat with large wooden oars. Real old school!!!!

I love this! So informative and its nice to know it can be a fairly simple process. Thank you so much!!

 

[belfastboy]

If memory serves, the inventive, creative Bob Jessee of Black Sheep Hat Works does.

He did more ribbon dyeing. Not sure what Bob is up to these days. He is a great hat maker

 

[belfastboy]

I love this! So informative and its nice to know it can be a fairly simple process. Thank you so much!!

Maiwa.com has great instructions on how to use Acid dyes.

 

[Zombie_61]

Anyone with good suggestions on how to soften up a stiff dress hat? Ive got a nice Sovereign fur felt Stetson Temple that is not thick or heavy but the felt is WAY stiffer than my other Temples. Ive done some steaming and wearing, and its a LITTLE softer but nowhere near as soft as some of my other Sovereign felts. I guess I could give it an alcohol bath to get rid of some stiffner, but Im thinking that would need dissassembly. Short of beating it, vibrating it into submission, sitting on it or running over it with the truck, whats the best way to soften a basically new hat?

The only Stetson fur felt I've ever owned came to me well used and was already reasonably soft. My Akubras, however, were all purchased brand new, and each one arrived as stiff as you'd expect for a brand new hat just out of the factory. There must be better ways, but I found working the felt with my hands--i.e., bending it (not enough to leave any sharp creases), pushing on it, shaping and unshaping it repeatedly, worked quite well. Eventually they each got softer from me handling them as I wore them. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[side]

Hello, I have seen a Stetson model Ottawa Royal for sale.
I can't get much information about that model. It looks nice though.
Can you help me out?