Home starching stiff shirt collars

[Dreamofgilgamesh]

Dear group, I've recently bought myself a tunic shirt from TM LEWIN and jolly handsome it is too, but of course now I need to get a selection of detachable collars. I rather like the look of the one's at Darcy Clothing
http://www.darcyclothing.com/shop/collars.html
As you may notice, they have the collars in starched and unstarched. I think I prefer the washable unstarched ones if I'm honest although they are more expensive.
Anyways, to the point. I understand that there are specialist outfits to launder and starch the collars, but at a price of course. I can't imagine that back in the day every chap could afford to have their collars professionally laundered, I imagine they did them at home. So, and now really to the point. If I were to buy the cheaper option of a starched collar rather than the washable, is it possible to make a reasonable job of starching it at home.
Thanks everyone.

 

[Cobden]

What I do is use the powdered starch one can buy from Lakeland (not found it anywhere else) and follow the instructions on the side (make a paste with the starch, certain amount of boiling water mixed with a certain amount of cold water in a bowl with the starch, etc.) but double the amount of starch they suggest. Then add a bit more for luck.

Insert collar into starchy broth.

Attack with wooden spoon, stirring vigorously.

Wring it out, then redunk the collar into the starch. Repeat this a few times.

Once the collar, (and inevitably you, your kitchen, and a stray cat that has gotten into your kitchen) are covered in starch leave it to air dry. With a bucket underneath, otherwise there'll be starch on your patio as it drips.

Once it is "moist"/not quite dry, iron dry. Make sure the iron is on "no steam" mode. Make sure it is not your nice iron. Once it is dry and flat, make quick strokes with the iron on the inside of the collar, in much the same way you would stroke paper with scissors to get a curl. This bends the collar.

Fold the collar (if a bent, rather than stand, collar), iron into place at the edge of the ironing board so you don't ruin all your lovely collar curling.

Get shouted at by girlfriend for inadvertently starching a tea towel you used to clean up the mess you made of the kitchen.

 

[Dreamofgilgamesh]

Well thank you very much for the most detailed instructions, I'm off to Norwich next week shopping and I'll pop into Lakeland for a bag of starch. A few drops of starch in the kitchen and on the tea towel won't qualify for a nagging from Mrs Dreamofgilgamesh, she's contended with drying tobacco leaves and exploding bottles of Elderberry wine to mention but a few, so starch is nothing.

I'm assuming that will work on the pre-starched stiff collars I mentioned? And how would one wash the initial starch from a pre-starched collar, just hot water?

Many thanks for you help, much appreciated.

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

Have a look at this thread for more insights. I think it is a great tutorial. Scotrace did a good job but it seems there are pictures missing now.
How to do It: Stiff Starch Grandma's Way


Ps:I don't wear starched shirts or collars myself. I am far too casual and lazy for this kinda stuff-

 

[Qirrel]

Before laundering, put the collar in boiling water. That should dissolve most of the starch.
By the way, adding a bit of white wax, stearin, borax, soap or gum arabic to the starch solution helps to get a bit more stiffness, a better finish, and helps prevent the iron from sticking to the collar. Also, boiling the starch solution for 15 minutes helps further against the iron sticking.

 

[Annixter]

I've used Scotrace's stiff-starch tutorial with great results, and it can be done without making much of a mess by using the kitchen sink or a wash basin. Aside from collars, I let the garments hang-dry completely, and then I moisten each area I'm ironing with a spray bottle while ironing; I find that this is a better way of not getting starch all over the ironing board cover and iron as opposed to ironing while the entire garment is wet. For collars, I let them dry completely and then moisten both sides before ironing. I place a folded over sheet on the ironing board to soak up any starch liquid to keep things less messy. I also keep a wet/damp cloth handy while ironing starched items to wipe off the iron during the process to keep starch from building up and burning on the sole plate. Cleaning the iron this way allows me to use my good iron while keeping it clean.

Some notes of caution for a beginner: Set aside plenty of time for ironing your first few times because there are tricks you'll learn via mistakes, especially if you ever iron a stiff-front tuxedo/dinner jacket due to the multiple layers of fabric that can sometimes move around against each other. Take it easy and patiently and you'll get it. Also, don't overheat the fabric because the starch will burn and brown; if this happens, don't panic just yet and think you burned the fabric because the browned starch will likely wash out. Once you have it down, starching per the tutorial results in a very nice touch to one's clothing.

 

[Dreamofgilgamesh]

Oh thank you all very much, that's a cracking tutorial, I just have to get a few collars and some starch and then I'll be set.