How to treat a rippled leather sweat band?

[Viper Man]

Hi! What do you experts recommend for a vintage sweat band that is rippled?
I won this hat in an auction and I haven't received it yet but is there some method to "fix" this sweat? Should I use Lexol and a stretcher or investigate having it replaced? Here is a photo...

Thanks for your time!

 

[Feraud]

You should also consider taking no action until after you have worn the fedora.
I have had a couple of sweatbands that are rippled and/or puckered and experienced no adverse conditions wearing the hat. The sweatband did not at all affect wearing and enjoying the hat.

 

[J.T.Marcus]

It's caused by the felt shrinking, not the leather. If you follow the stretching instructions you've read in other threads, you should be able to eliminate most of the puckering. However, this will make the hat about a half size larger than it is , now. If the hat is already a perfect fit, just wear it, as it is.

 

[Tango Yankee]

As Feraud observed, you may be trying to fix something that ain't broke. Here's what I would do:

Upon arrival, examine the sweatband. Is it still soft/supple? If so, then you probably have no worries. Look behind the sweatband. I've found that when previous owners try to make a too-large hat fit by putting something (newspaper, paper towels, felt...) behind the sweatband it tends to cause that rippled effect.

Try on the hat (if the sweatband is still good.) How does it fit? Is it uncomfortable? If so, then you really only need to do one thing--treat the sweatband.

I've come to the conclusion that it's a good idea to treat the sweatband of any vintage hat I receive with Lexol. I've had a couple of apparently good sweatbands go south quickly once I started wearing the hat and sweating into the sweatband. I can't say for sure that treating the sweatband will prevent this as I have no way to know for certain whether or not a particular sweatband would have dried up quickly or not, but it can't hurt!

If it really bothers you, your idea of treating and using a stretcher to straighten it out would be next.

Good luck, and enjoy your Cavanagh!

Tom

 

[Viper Man]

Excellent info as always. Thanks, gents.

 

[carldelo]

Using Lexol

I just picked up some Lexol NF Neatsfoot formula. Do you treat both sides of the sweat band, or just the part that touches your head? Any opinions on the best way to put it on without getting it on the felt? I'd turned the band out, but it's really dry and I don't want to crack or rip anything. I could line behind the band with plastic or paper towel, I guess. Oh, BTW, this treatment is leading up to a hat stretching, and I bought Neatsfoot because it said 'non-darkening' on the label. Thanks for any opinions, Carl