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[Enig]

Start simple and cheap.
(1) If you don't have any, buy 2 hat brushes, one light and one dark, and a couple of the orange sponges for spot removal. To use them, read the Felt Hat Basics thread.

Hm, why two brushes? What's the difference in use?

 

[Lefty]

One for dark hats, one for light. You could just get one, but you'd want to clean it pretty regularly so as not to get all of your dark felt dust in your light hats.

 

[Enig]

I see, guessed it was something like that, but had to make sure. Thanks!

 

[Scott Wood]

After reading about your hot block I thought a bit and then heated my oven to a precise 150f placed my block in for about 20 mins.
Then I turned the oven off, steamed the hat, covered the block with tissue and shaped the hat onto it and left the whole thing back in the oven to cool slowly.
I a hoping that 1/8 will become 1/4 and so far it looks good and is almost "cooked"
I did all this very hands on ad made sure that there was absoutely nothing that I could touch bare-handed at any point.
Will report on the success (hopefully) and be posting photos later in the new hats thread.

Hi,

I'm not into the online photo thing, at least not at this point in time anyway. I had been a couple times, but had issues with the hosting places, and gave up.

This is one of those things with the two half-domes made from aluminum and mounted on a 2-way screw. The back half moves to the rear and the front half to the front when the crank is turned.

Inside each dome is a pretty standard radiant heater element. They are wired in series such that they really each get half their rated voltage. This keeps them from getting too hot too quickly. The heaters the things are meant to go into glow red hot, and we don't need that kind of heat!

There's a power switch and no thermostat, so you get to turn it on and wait for it to heat and then turn it off yourself. I think all of these things worked the same way. Anyway, I heat it up until I can touch it but not hold my hand on it, and that's hot enough.

It's easy to use. I may have made it sound worse than it actually is! lol

I picked this one up because the original cloth covered wires and cord looked horrible. I figured I was in for some making of heating coils as well, but the insides were pristine. So, some new wiring and it was up and running.

later!

Stan

 

[chum]

question about air mail from Australia to USA

What state does the air mail arrive in? I assume the package arrives somewhere in the USA then comes by USPS. My Fed IV left Australia on FEB. 3rd and I am starting to worry!

 

[sixties.nut]

RE: How Long

Chum,

I regularly post small packet shipments to Australia. I believe it embarks/disembarks via NYC.

The quickest shipping time was ten days to New Jersey. Give it another week before you have concerns. A hat box might take another day or two at the most.

Best,
sixties

 

[chum]

Chum,

I regularly post small packet shipments to Australia. I believe it embarks/disembarks via NYC.

The quickest shipping time was ten days to New Jersey. Give it another week before you have concerns. A hat box might take another day or two at the most.

Best,
sixties

Thats what worries me... If it comes to NYC, with all the bad weather in the north east I am afraid of it being lost...I have had alot of bad luck with the USPS!

 

[sixties.nut]

Timing

I wouldn't fret about it, you'll be in good shape !

If you apply today for the Secret Hat Society, you'll get your hat just in time before you get your membership notification ! :eusa_doh: But we can't teach you the inky stinky member hand-shake until we see the hat.

 

[Arch Stanton]

Oiling hats to waterproof them?

Does anybody have any tutorials or an idea of what kind of materials are used to do this? At another forum I read a comment by Steve from Adventurebilt talking about how he does this with all of his own personal hats he wears.

The problem is that he kept his method pretty close to the chest, which I understand since the "secrets" of hatmaking are probably pretty important when it is your livlihood. I kind of got the impression that I shouldn't bother pressing him for details.

Anyway, does anyone here know anything about this practice? Sorry if this has been covered before in this thread, but I don't have the time to look through 500 posts.

 

[chum]

I wouldn't fret about it, you'll be in good shape !

If you apply today for the Secret Hat Society, you'll get your hat just in time before you get your membership notification ! :eusa_doh: But we can't teach you the inky stinky member hand-shake until we see the hat.

IT'S HERE!:eusa_clap Almost a disaster, good thing I had an honest neighbor!
Postal carrier delivered to wrong address(1 block off)! Happens to me all the time!

 

[Scott Wood]

IT'S HERE!:eusa_clap Almost a disaster, good thing I had an honest neighbor!
Postal carrier delivered to wrong address(1 block off)! Happens to me all the time!

Society soooo secret it can't be found!!!:whistle

 

[Brad Bowers]

Oiling hats to waterproof them?

Does anybody have any tutorials or an idea of what kind of materials are used to do this? At another forum I read a comment by Steve from Adventurebilt talking about how he does this with all of his own personal hats he wears.

The problem is that he kept his method pretty close to the chest, which I understand since the "secrets" of hatmaking are probably pretty important when it is your livlihood. I kind of got the impression that I shouldn't bother pressing him for details.

Anyway, does anyone here know anything about this practice? Sorry if this has been covered before in this thread, but I don't have the time to look through 500 posts.

No tutorials that I know of. It's a tricky process, because it's easy to get too much oil on the hat and significantly darken the color. The oil is also a specific oil, refractionated coconut oil, as I recall.

It doesn't waterproof the hat, but adds a measure of water resistance. J. W. Hats in Salt Lake sells a kit to do this yourself, along with instructions. I don't know how much it costs. If you're interested, give J. W. a call. Don't bother e-mailing him, as he doesn't answer them very well.

Brad

 

[sixties.nut]

Woo Hoo !!!

Hey take another look in that box. I'm missing a quaker oats cracker jack whistle! Naw, it would have come by UPS, I suspect jimmy hoffa somewhere with a dandy whistle.

Congrats on Hat !:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[theinterchange]

First off, welcome to the Lounge sixties.nut! And cool Man From U.N.C.L.E avatar.

Second, when did the term "dacron" fall out in favor to "polyester"? I've tried to do some research online but keep falling short. I know the material was introduced in the 50's but when did polyester take over from dacron? The reason I ask is I'm trying to date a few items.

Randy

 

[Scott Wood]

First off, welcome to the Lounge sixties.nut! And cool Man From U.N.C.L.E avatar.

Second, when did the term "dacron" fall out in favor to "polyester"? I've tried to do some research online but keep falling short. I know the material was introduced in the 50's but when did polyester take over from dacron? The reason I ask is I'm trying to date a few items.

Randy

Not that this has anything to do with when but I believe that Dacron was a brand name, probably Dow or somebody when they introduced their version, and everyone else just called it by what it was: a polyester formed from monoesters (don't quote me I am off to check on this for myself now )

 

[theinterchange]

Not that this has anything to do with when but I believe that Dacron was a brand name, probably Dow or somebody when they introduced their version, and everyone else just called it by what it was: a polyester formed from monoesters (don't quote me I am off to check on this for myself now )

Yes, I did find Dacron to be a brand name but it seems like it disappeared from popularity in clothing, and I was curious if someone could enlighten me about it. As an aside, I know for a fact that you can still buy Dacron fishing lines.

Until recently, I've concentrated mostly on hats and have a limited knowledge of vintage clothing... trying to get an education. ;-)

Randy

 

[Chinaski]

No tutorials that I know of. It's a tricky process, because it's easy to get too much oil on the hat and significantly darken the color. The oil is also a specific oil, refractionated coconut oil, as I recall.

It doesn't waterproof the hat, but adds a measure of water resistance. J. W. Hats in Salt Lake sells a kit to do this yourself, along with instructions. I don't know how much it costs. If you're interested, give J. W. a call. Don't bother e-mailing him, as he doesn't answer them very well.

Brad

Has anyone on the Lounge done this oiling process? It sounds intriguing and I think more data is needed. If anyone did it, what were the results?

 

[Enig]

Tried getting a hat brush from a local hat shop, but they didn't have any left, and didn't know if they would be getting new ones. So I guess I shouldn't rely on them when it comes to hat brushes. Any recommandations for a good brush? Aaron's was sold out, I noticed.

 

[Lefty]

I bought mine on the web, from some western shop that I've never visited again. It was the cheapest at the time.

 

[St.Ignatz]

I've purchased hat brushes on line with mixed results. My best local source has been my shoemaker. He has brown, light and black bristle (horse hair) in both applicator and buffing sizes. Try them you may be very surprised.
Tom D.