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Dyeing a Hat
- Thread starter J.T.Marcus
- Start date
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- 10,902
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- vancouver, canada
Yes, this is what I used on the felt. I used a half strength black dye as I wanted a mid grey. It came out a mid grey with lots of nice blue tones in it. As the water has to be hot (just below the boil) the felt will continue to felt up on you becoming denser and smaller. It should be a raw felt not an existing hat with the leather sweat installed. The hot water will destroy the leather sweat.
Deeeluxe Definitely
One of the Regulars
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This is astounding! How did you apply the dye?Six weeks ago, I asked if anyone here had tried dying a hat with hair color. Since nobody "fessed up," I decided to conduct my own experiments, on two prime candidates. The first was a "silverbelly" Stetson cowboy hat which had been worked in till nearly worn out. (I couldn't read the number of x's in the sweatband.) After two washings, it was still badly stained.
I used Revlon ($2.97) brown-black. Here's the result. It's still a "beater," but
a better one, now.
The second was a "stingy brim." I had pirated its sweatband and ribbon, some time ago. I don't remember the brand, but it is thin, dense, high quality fur felt, although badly faded. (Note the darker felt, which had been under the sweatband.)
Here's what it looks like after dying (brown-black), and adding a wide black ribbon and bow, with an inset grey-brown ribbon.
I learned a few practical departures from the instructions:
(1) Remove both the sweatband and the ribbon, before dying. They will take
dye, but you want color under them.
(2) When you mix the two parts of the color, add an equal volume of water.
This will make the paste thinner and easier to use on a hat. It will also
make enough to do two hats, at one time.
(3) Don't use the conditioner! It will lighten the color, and make it uneven.
In hair, this is called "highlights, but you don't want "highlights in a hat.
And here they are on a live model:
I am attempting to make an old black hat a richer, blacker black. I'm definitely trying to avoid hot water (I don't want to ruin my crease or remove the sweatband particularly). A cold water rinse and dry off in air conditioning should make this feasible.
Because it's already nearly black, I don't really need the inside dyed. The ribbon is already detached and the liner is missing.
I was considering leather dye as someone suggested in another topic, but I don't know if that will leave a sticky residue or not.
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You’re responding to a post from a guy who hasn’t been seen here in 12 years. I think J. T. went west.
Deeeluxe Definitely
One of the Regulars
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- 132
I could have sworn I've seen him around; I must read exclusively old threads. I hope that isn't the case, but if so, his contributions are greatly appreciated, and his insights will be missed.
wow...this may be the oldestthread I've ever come across on any forum...
from 2007...
but since I'm here I'll add that I once dyed a Beaver Brand 5x silverbelly felt hat with day old coffee.
I removed the liner and ribbon hat band and soaked it it a big tupperware bucket of coffee. When it had sat for a day It came out of the coffee in it's original cone felt shape. So I went thru the reshaping process with an old wooden hat block and some wooden spatulas and spoons, raised the crown a bit, which narrowed the brim a bit, strung it tight, and let it dry. When the dust had settled I steamed a new pinch, and added a new matching ribbon band to it. To my surprise, it dried to more of a tan than coffee color, but it turned out great. In fact, it's the hat I'm wearing in my avatar.
from 2007...
but since I'm here I'll add that I once dyed a Beaver Brand 5x silverbelly felt hat with day old coffee.
I removed the liner and ribbon hat band and soaked it it a big tupperware bucket of coffee. When it had sat for a day It came out of the coffee in it's original cone felt shape. So I went thru the reshaping process with an old wooden hat block and some wooden spatulas and spoons, raised the crown a bit, which narrowed the brim a bit, strung it tight, and let it dry. When the dust had settled I steamed a new pinch, and added a new matching ribbon band to it. To my surprise, it dried to more of a tan than coffee color, but it turned out great. In fact, it's the hat I'm wearing in my avatar.
- Messages
- 10,902
- Location
- vancouver, canada
I betcha it smelled great......like breakfast!!!
Hi Susan, I've decided to give the PRO Sabraset Dye 680 Jet Black a try. Do you have any advice for me before I dive in? Do I need to wash the old Stetson Barley (Vitafelt) in any particular way using a particular cleaner? (I would love to start wearing this one again) Do you think I will need to dye it twice? Please tell me of your experiences. To any and everyone. All reasonable advice and suggestions welcomed and considered. Thanks in advance!
Attachments
Hi Susan it's Kevin once again. Before, I was rushing through the research and missed that it was you who had mentioned the washing with a strong detergent, etc. Pardon me for the mistake. I am a bass player. My favorite hat got mauled while I worked. It kept me warm (too warm) on stage and I sweated a bit. I'm just trying to reclaim it. My buddy's new puppy chewed the leather band off and I've replaced it already.
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You are replying to a member who hasn’t signed in since 2008 & only posted 7 times.
Thanks HJ!
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- Messages
- 10,902
- Location
- vancouver, canada
I am a custom hat maker that dabbles in dyeing hats. You need to use a good Acid dye such as Jacquard. Follow the instructions to the letter if you want an even dye job. Yes, the hat must be 'scoured' using an Orvus Paste to rid the hat of dirt and body oils. Any oil/stain will prevent the dye from being absorbed. Also you need a dye pot large enough to give the felt room to move. The hat must be stripped down of all trimmings and the leather sweat band. It gets expensive and once you look more closely into it you might be dissuaded from doing it. The good news is that black is the easiest to work with and gets the best results. Maiwa.com has a good free PDF on working with Acid dyes. The Jacquard website has good instruction as well. My advice: follow the instructions to the letter.
Deeeluxe Definitely
One of the Regulars
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- 132
Hey there, @KevyKev .
I also replied to someone who's not been seen in a long while! It happens. I hope JT Marcus is okay, and Susan for that matter.
I followed the hair dye method proposed by JT Marcus, and then I also soaked it in dye in the sink, with salt. Rinsed in vinegar for color staying. It actually smells really nice, believe it or not. It's not identifiable as vinegar, just a fresh and clean aroma.
The hours in hot water did slightly deform the crown shape, but I just reblocked by hand and redid it (I needed to straighten out the crown and raise the height); looks better than ever.
Someone remarked it looks brand new (but if I really investigate it under bright lights, it's not quite perfect, and that's fine by me). I'd rather have something that fits my face/form perfectly with some tiny imperfections than something brand new and only a pretty good fit.
The dyeing did annihilate the poor sweatband (it looks nearly identical to a piece of beef jerky now) and all the stickers inside. I'm hoping to get a crummy, moth-eaten Royal De Luxe Stetson and donate the insides (liner - which it was missing when I got it - and sweatband).
Let it dry in cool air, and on a block if you have one, to prevent deformation.
It was a little starchy feeling for a while, but with wear, it softened back up. Maybe a second vinegar bath would have sped up that process, but it feels as nice as before the dyeing now. I can't remember the exact ratio of vinegar to water, but it was probably the amount suggested on the internet for using vinegar as a color stay.
I was luckily just dyeing something midnight blue to black. As for beige to brown or something, I'm unsure how it will work. I'm not sure which was more effective - the hair dye or dye bath - so I did both. I believe I used RIT, but that part is hazy now. It doesn't look mottled or uneven.
I'd say it's worth a shot. My hat isn't pristine like something factory pressed today, but I'd be hard pressed (hah) to find anything in these proportions from that era with this quality felt, and even if I did, the hat has too much sentimental value at this point. I've been wearing it in some form or other for 9 years.
Good luck!
I also replied to someone who's not been seen in a long while! It happens. I hope JT Marcus is okay, and Susan for that matter.
I followed the hair dye method proposed by JT Marcus, and then I also soaked it in dye in the sink, with salt. Rinsed in vinegar for color staying. It actually smells really nice, believe it or not. It's not identifiable as vinegar, just a fresh and clean aroma.
The hours in hot water did slightly deform the crown shape, but I just reblocked by hand and redid it (I needed to straighten out the crown and raise the height); looks better than ever.
Someone remarked it looks brand new (but if I really investigate it under bright lights, it's not quite perfect, and that's fine by me). I'd rather have something that fits my face/form perfectly with some tiny imperfections than something brand new and only a pretty good fit.
The dyeing did annihilate the poor sweatband (it looks nearly identical to a piece of beef jerky now) and all the stickers inside. I'm hoping to get a crummy, moth-eaten Royal De Luxe Stetson and donate the insides (liner - which it was missing when I got it - and sweatband).
Let it dry in cool air, and on a block if you have one, to prevent deformation.
It was a little starchy feeling for a while, but with wear, it softened back up. Maybe a second vinegar bath would have sped up that process, but it feels as nice as before the dyeing now. I can't remember the exact ratio of vinegar to water, but it was probably the amount suggested on the internet for using vinegar as a color stay.
I was luckily just dyeing something midnight blue to black. As for beige to brown or something, I'm unsure how it will work. I'm not sure which was more effective - the hair dye or dye bath - so I did both. I believe I used RIT, but that part is hazy now. It doesn't look mottled or uneven.
I'd say it's worth a shot. My hat isn't pristine like something factory pressed today, but I'd be hard pressed (hah) to find anything in these proportions from that era with this quality felt, and even if I did, the hat has too much sentimental value at this point. I've been wearing it in some form or other for 9 years.
Good luck!
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