Hat Stiffener ?

[D.W. Suratt]

I stopped by the local western store (the only hat store around) to pick up a few hat sponges, and other items. I was going to buy some stiffener for one of the hats I had bought on e-bay. The lady at the store said they did have it, but told me that if I wanted to save money to use hair spray. She said that's all the stiffener was. Anyone ever heard of this?

 

[Dinerman]

what kind of hat do you need to stiffen up?
I ask, because there might be an easier, and better way to do it.

 

[D.W. Suratt]

The tan Lee I posted on the e-bay victories thread. When I got the hat it was so limp it wouldn't even take a shape. I wet the hat, and got it to hold the shape I want, but just barely.

 

[Dinerman]

Sometimes the heat of steam can re-activate the stiffener.

And if you do decide to use spray stiffener, go light on it.

Remember, vintage hats were not as rock hard as the majority of what's out there today.

 

[D.W. Suratt]

I'll give the steam a try before going with the stiffener. If I do decide to use it though I think I'll go back and buy a bottle. I don't think I trust the hair spray deal.

 

[Riot Earp]

Don't use hair spray. I tried that once. It stiffened the hat but left a thick, sticky white film. It was pretty awful.

 

[DVNO]

Hey guys. I'll ask my question in this old thread..

May I use hat stiffener on fur felt hats? This might be not the smartest question on earth but i don't wanna do something wrong. I have a nice fur felt hat that has no stiffness on some parts. I steamed it but it always loses it's shape after some time.

 

[Joao Encarnado]

Hey guys. I'll ask my question in this old thread..

May I use hat stiffener on fur felt hats? This might be not the smartest question on earth but i don't wanna do something wrong. I have a nice fur felt hat that has no stiffness on some parts. I steamed it but it always loses it's shape after some time.

You can. Nowadays, felt cowboy hats have a lot of stiffener.

 

[Mustang Mike's Hats]

I've used stiffer if I'm redoing an older hat that has lost it's rigidity. I used to do a lot of renovations on some pretty beat on cowboy hats and it was the only way to get the hat to a place where they could really hold a recrease. I've never really needed it on new felt. Also, take care of the felt is light colored. I'm the past, I've made the mistake of applying too much, to quickly and it may cause it to bleed through the felt. (rookie mistake) it was scary and time consuming to fit it!! So, go easy and don't rush it. Hope that helps ...

 

[milandro]

I was wondering about felt hat stiffeners ( in different hardnesses)

I found on line this Belgian shop which advises this recipe ( translated) about a water soluble hat stiffener ( I have asked them to clarify exactly which stiffener they mean)

“

FELT 1/3 = 1 part stiffener / 3 parts water.
You brush the felt on the inside with a brush. The more you use, the harder the felt will be. Let rest for 2 hours in a plastic bag. Steam well (10 min) and pull on mold to form hat.

STRAW 1/2 = 1 part stiffener / 2 parts water 1/1 = pure use For all kinds of straw cloches / sinamay Brush with brush. This may be allowed to dry in advance .
Steam well (10 min) and pull on mold to form hat.

GENERAL Regardless of the material, you must always steam well. As a result, the white disappears, which is created by applying stiffener. If a shiny layer has been formed on the inside, you have used too much stiffener . GOOD LUCK ! "

Until now I have had good results on felt with a cloth starching spray. It’s all natural and water soluble. It’s called “ Crack free” but the stiffening is sufficient for medium-stiff hats not for very hard ones (although I did touch up a western hat dome that I have reshaped and it went well )


I was also wandering if anyone knows what they use at JJ hats center. It is obviously a third party product (although now they seem to sell and call it a “ secret formula” ) as they have applied a sticker on someone else’s product.

Could it be some form of Hair spray? In that case has anyone found an odorless hairspray? Dove sells an Unscented hairspray. Has anyone tried it?

See the spray used by JJ Hats ( in the first video they just put some aluminum film on a third party can!)

He says at 36” , and I quote: “ The Secret, alien Spray, HAIR SPRAY” ( so it is hair spray!)

 

[dkstott]

According to Kevin@ JJ hat. They use Ultra hair spray.

I was wondering about felt hat stiffeners ( in different hardnesses)

I found on line this Belgian shop which advises this recipe ( translated) about a water soluble hat stiffener ( I have asked them to clarify exactly which stiffener they mean)

“

FELT 1/3 = 1 part stiffener / 3 parts water.
You brush the felt on the inside with a brush. The more you use, the harder the felt will be. Let rest for 2 hours in a plastic bag. Steam well (10 min) and pull on mold to form hat.

STRAW 1/2 = 1 part stiffener / 2 parts water 1/1 = pure use For all kinds of straw cloches / sinamay Brush with brush. This may be allowed to dry in advance .
Steam well (10 min) and pull on mold to form hat.

GENERAL Regardless of the material, you must always steam well. As a result, the white disappears, which is created by applying stiffener. If a shiny layer has been formed on the inside, you have used too much stiffener . GOOD LUCK ! "

Until now I have had good results on felt with a cloth starching spray. It’s all natural and water soluble. It’s called “ Crack free” but the stiffening is sufficient for medium-stiff hats not for very hard ones (although I did touch up a western hat dome that I have reshaped and it went well )


I was also wandering if anyone knows what they use at JJ hats center. It is obviously a third party product (although now they seem to sell and call it a “ secret formula” ) as they have applied a sticker on someone else’s product.

Could it be some form of Hair spray? In that case has anyone found an odorless hairspray? Dove sells an Unscented hairspray. Has anyone tried it?

See the spray used by JJ Hats ( in the first video they just put some aluminum film on a third party can!)

He says at 36” , and I quote: “ The Secret, alien Spray, HAIR SPRAY” ( so it is hair spray!)

 

[milandro]

According to Kevin@ JJ hat. They use Ultra hair spray.

Thank you very much, is it a particular brand? Many brands qualify their hairspray as “ Ultra” .

I also wonder whether it is scented or unscented. Judging by the way they use it (with no particular care) it seems to be very forgiving and doesn’t appear to leave any color film.

Being almost bold I have never placed too much attention on hairspray brands.

 

[dkstott]

Kevin told me Ultra super hold hair spray is what he uses, but any generic brand will work. Scented or unscented is okay.

On really soft felt well worn hats that his customers want to get really stiffened, he'll also use Scout.

The key is to let it dry completely before steaming.

 

[milandro]

Thanks, this is consistent ( sorry about the pun ) with the advise of the Belgian shop.
By the way I have just received an email and they tell me that they do sell stiffener which is water soluble and another which is methanol based. The first can be diluted with water and the second can’t.

I will experiment with some hairspray too and then will decide which one is the best. It will be nice if some other people with experience with hairspray would comment (I have read the comment dismissive of this approach, but I think the trick is not to spray too much in one go and then always to steam afterwards. The JJ hats videos show them using this can of hairspray abundantly and if they are still in business after years and years of having used this approach it is unlikely that, at least the brand they use, will leave any film on hats.

If anyone has any doubts, please, watch the videos above^.

 

[milandro]

According to Kevin@ JJ hat. They use Ultra hair spray.

I have been lucky enough ( it isn’t as easy as I thought), to find some No Perfume Ultra Fixative hairspray (It only has in the beginning the scent of the propeller gas after few seconds it disappears) sold by a chain of shops in the NL, Kruidvat .

It appears to work very well, no scent and no residue. I bought 3 cans, it will last me a while.

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

Thanks, this is consistent ( sorry about the pun ) with the advise of the Belgian shop.
By the way I have just received an email and they tell me that they do sell stiffener which is water soluble and another which is methanol based. The first can be diluted with water and the second can’t.

I will experiment with some hairspray too and then will decide which one is the best. It will be nice if some other people with experience with hairspray would comment (I have read the comment dismissive of this approach, but I think the trick is not to spray too much in one go and then always to steam afterwards. The JJ hats videos show them using this can of hairspray abundantly and if they are still in business after years and years of having used this approach it is unlikely that, at least the brand they use, will leave any film on hats.

If anyone has any doubts, please, watch the videos above^.

Works great says my Vita-Felt Strat, Featherweight Borsa, velour Borsa, etc etc.
B

 

[Paulo Bender]

Sorry for resurrecting the topic after so long,
I'm still learning to use the forums and their rules, I appreciate any help and ask for your understanding.
I'm an apprentice hatmaker and I'm testing some things with clear shellac mixed with alcohol, on pure cotton and fur felt. How do you usually apply it? I ask because I'm using a conventional plastic sprayer and it leaves mini bubbles spread all over the surface giving it a shiny look, when I pass a brush over it I soften the effect but I also remove a large part of the gum. With a brush they harden like a rock and the hat doesn't.

 

[belfastboy]

Sorry for resurrecting the topic after so long,
I'm still learning to use the forums and their rules, I appreciate any help and ask for your understanding.
I'm an apprentice hatmaker and I'm testing some things with clear shellac mixed with alcohol, on pure cotton and fur felt. How do you usually apply it? I ask because I'm using a conventional plastic sprayer and it leaves mini bubbles spread all over the surface giving it a shiny look, when I pass a brush over it I soften the effect but I also remove a large part of the gum. With a brush they harden like a rock and the hat doesn't.

Are you using top quality denatured alcohol to dissolve the shellac? I mix a very dilute mixture (1 tablespoon to 300ml of alcohol.) and stir it regularly over a 24 hour period to make sure the flakes are fully dissolved. I apply the light mixture by brush and apply multiple coatings to get the stiffness I want.

 

[Cuvier]

When I needed to restiffen my Western Stetson I was given a small bottle of stiffener and was told to dilute it in alcohol. I used the best denatured alcohol I could find and a fine mist aerosol sprayer. After I mixed it I strained the mix and ran it through a paint shaker before attaching the sprayer. I used several light coats and paid attention to the fur direction as I lightly brushed it in. I allowed it to dry between coats and I didn't get any spotting. I stopped when I got the stiffness I wanted. The local hatter here was impressed with my work. She offered me a job. I really wanted her to work it but she broke her hand and couldn't.

 

[belfastboy]

Sorry for resurrecting the topic after so long,
I'm still learning to use the forums and their rules, I appreciate any help and ask for your understanding.
I'm an apprentice hatmaker and I'm testing some things with clear shellac mixed with alcohol, on pure cotton and fur felt. How do you usually apply it? I ask because I'm using a conventional plastic sprayer and it leaves mini bubbles spread all over the surface giving it a shiny look, when I pass a brush over it I soften the effect but I also remove a large part of the gum. With a brush they harden like a rock and the hat doesn't.

If you mean your brush hardens like a rock and the hat does not I think there has to be something wrong with your mix or the ratio. As I stated I use a dilute mixture and get some stiffness after just one coat. Yes, the brushes harden if you don't spray them with the denatured alcohol after use. If you give them a generous spray after use they stay supple for many coats. What do you mean by 'remove a large part of the gum?" That sounds weird as my mixture never ever approaches anything resembling 'gum'. It is a very dilute mixture that gasses off almost immediately.