Felt hat basics

[Canadave]

another hat size chart

I like this one, because it's a little more exact, and includes British and French sizing. http://www.hatlife.com/headsize.php

David

 

[RedPop4]

Thank you.

 

[Fedora]

What is confusing for American hat is there is no rhyme of reason involved. Look at 3 hat charts and you are apt to get 3 different head circumferences for a 7 1/4 sized hat. I have seen a 7 1/4 listed as a 22 5/8, 22 3/4 and even 23!!! And that is why I use head measurements when making a hat. Fedora

 

[Mindraker]

What about the sweatband? What is the procedure for cleaning the sweatband?
Thanks,
Mindraker

 

[44forrest]

Gentlemen,
Thank you so much for offering this information on hat care. However I have another question concerning storing hats. I keep mine in hat boxes, should I put them in upside down (on the crown) or upright? This may have been address earlier but I did not see it, please advise.

JS

I have purchased hats that have been stored in the box upside down for years at a time and the brims were turned up and needed to be reshaped.

 

[Sir Dobbs]

I've got a bar of naptha, running water, and a dirty felt hat. What do I do?

 

[John in Covina]

Wrong Naptha!

I've got a bar of naptha, running water, and a dirty felt hat. What do I do?

****
There is a liquid Naptha found in Paint Departments at Hardware stores thart is used. It is a volatile spirit and was one of the original "DRY CLEANING" solutions. It acts as a degreaser and will unlock dirt that is tie to grease from sweat and oils plus grease and oil from say food. It won't remove sugars or carbs those need another treatment.

I am not sure if you need to take the hat apart to do cleaning with naptha liquid. I don't know if it is ok for the leather band or safe on any plastic or satin.

I would not used Naptha Fels soap on the hat.

 

[North Valley]

My Two Cents

As a "master Hatter", I tell people that they should not use more than a nice horsehair hat brush to dust off a hat.
Using a sponge or stiff brush damages the finish by pulling up hairs that lay just into the nap of the felt making it look fuzzy.
As for spray on cleaners, BAD IDEA! These cleaners are foreign to the processes that make felt. They go onto (and also penetrate) the felt and once inside the felt core, never can be cleaned completely out.
If a hat does need renovated or cleaned, it should always be sent to a reputable hatter only.
As for wet hats, Just let them dry naturally while on a hat holder.
They hats I make do not get wet! If you check my web site you can see why.
Rodney

 

[feltfan]

They hats I make do not get wet! If you check my web site you can see why.
Rodney

Would that be http://www.northvalleyhatco.com ?

I'm not sure I understand how it is your hats "do not get wet"?
Do you have a patented process that makes raindrops go around
the hat? Or do you mean the rain doesn't penetrate?

 

[North Valley]

Not Wet

Hello Feltfan,
My hats are treated during the finishing process and after the hats are complete with a special product that I use.
I live in a region thatreceives an average 65" -70" of annual rainfall. From this, I knew that rain and snow would always be a problem for felts hats here. I decided to do something about it. It's not patented, but I do use it as a selling tool.
Note: felt in itself is a porous material. It is not the felt or the fur fibers themselves that get wet. It is the spaces between the fibers that allow the water to penetrate. Therefore, the higher quality the felt, the more dense and less porous it will be. That makes it naturally mor resistant to water.
Never-the-less, it must be treated to not allow water to penetrate in a way that will not take away from the lusterious finish of the felt.
I hope that all my yadder made some sense here???
Rodney

 

[tonyb]

If a hat does need renovated or cleaned, it should always be sent to a reputable hatter only.
Rodney

While I appreciate having another professional around here who's willing to share some of his hard-earned expertise, my own admittedly limited experience has me wondering if the above advice, no matter how well intended, is necessarily valid.
I and numerous others here have successfully cleaned dirty old hats, to no apparent ill effect, using stuff like VM&P naphtha. Others have gone steps further and acquired their own blocks and flanges, and some have learned to do creditable jobs of ribbon and sweatband replacements.
I doubt that most of us would bother learning these skills if there were hatters in every town with whom we would feel comfortable entrusting our hats, like there were back in the day. But with guys like you a real scarcity nowadays, and with many of us a bit averse to sending a hat out of state and waiting on its return, especially when all it really needs is something we can tackle ourselves, well, we tackle it ourselves.

 

[Canadave]

...As for wet hats, Just let them dry naturally while on a hat holder...

What is a hat holder?

David

 

[OldSkoolFrat]

What is a hat holder?

David

Here you go:

http://www.noggintops.com/page.cfm?p=86

 

[Feraud]

While I appreciate having another professional around here who's willing to share some of his hard-earned expertise, my own admittedly limited experience has me wondering if the above advice, no matter how well intended, is necessarily valid.
I and numerous others here have successfully cleaned dirty old hats, to no apparent ill effect, using stuff like VM&P naphtha. Others have gone steps further and acquired their own blocks and flanges, and some have learned to do creditable jobs of ribbon and sweatband replacements.
I doubt that most of us would bother learning these skills if there were hatters in every town with whom we would feel comfortable entrusting our hats, like there were back in the day. But with guys like you a real scarcity nowadays, and with many of us a bit averse to sending a hat out of state and waiting on its return, especially when all it really needs is something we can tackle ourselves, well, we tackle it ourselves.

Your comments are valid but are dependent on a couple of necessary considerations. Is a person willing to take the time to lean the skills. Bear in mind the learning process might include destroying a hat or two. I would not want to lean to clean and block a hat on one of my Stetsons or Dobbs.
Next is purchasing and storing block, flanges, ribbon, and whatever sewing equipment is necessary. How often will you really use this stuff?
Each person can judge for themselves what they can and are willing to do for themselves versus sending to a hatter for service.

 

[dnjan]

Will this cleaner work for smudges, etc. on straw hats and also stains on hat ribbons? If not, any suggestions?

 

[SHARPETOYS]

Soap and water on straws and you can use Naptha or lighter fluid on your ribbons...

 

[dnjan]

Thanks. Any special soaps to either use or avoid? Dish detergent? Laundry soap?

 

[SHARPETOYS]

I use ivory pure soap on my straws and have never had a problem.

 

[J.T.Marcus]

Washing Your Hat?

I've been washing felt, and straw, hats in cold water and mild dish washing liquid, for some time. After a cold rinse, I shape it, and hang it to dry. I rarely notice any shrinkage, and the hat holds the shape in which it dries. Am I the only one who does this?

 

[Dinerman]

I've never cleaned them that way, and I don't think I'm about to. Seems like it'd leave residue in the felt.