keeping a vintage sweatband supple

[moehawk]

I know what you mean when you say "microsurgery"....I reattached the unreeded sweatband on my old Young's by hand, what a pain! The thread had rotted, most of the holes were still good, but what tiny precise stitching ability is needed to do it right! I did my best at the time, made the hat wearable, but still could be vastly improved. That is, if I can bring myself to reattempt it.

 

[Just Daniel]

Anyone have a nice sweat go dry and crack after the first wear? I have a nice 50s Stetson 25 and the sweat looked perfectly fine on arrival. I wore it yesterday out in the sun and today the sweatband is dry and shriveled in parts.

This happened to me once before - I remember Justin saying he treated all his sweats with mink oil on arrival. I think I am a convert, regardless of the initial appearance of the leather.

 

[Frunobulax]

Anyone have a nice sweat go dry and crack after the first wear? I have a nice 50s Stetson 25 and the sweat looked perfectly fine on arrival. I wore it yesterday out in the sun and today the sweatband is dry and shriveled in parts.

This happened to me once before - I remember Justin saying he treated all his sweats with mink oil on arrival. I think I am a convert, regardless of the initial appearance of the leather.

I've had it happen a couple times. I have a Playboy that I wore countless times even, but one day I took a walk, sweated just a little, and it developed a dry spot right in front after that.

Sent directly from my mind to yours.

 

[Just Daniel]

Whew. That’s exactly what happened - it dried and cracked in a spot like a bad magic trick. I’m oiling it down but I don’t have much hope for the sweat.

I've had it happen a couple times. I have a Playboy that I wore countless times even, but one day I took a walk, sweated just a little, and it developed a dry spot right in front after that.

Sent directly from my mind to yours.

That

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Anyone have a nice sweat go dry and crack after the first wear? I have a nice 50s Stetson 25 and the sweat looked perfectly fine on arrival. I wore it yesterday out in the sun and today the sweatband is dry and shriveled in parts.

This happened to me once before - I remember Justin saying he treated all his sweats with mink oil on arrival. I think I am a convert, regardless of the initial appearance of the leather.

I’ve received a couple of NOS hats with pristine looking sweatbands only to have the leather disintegrate the first time I wore them. Dry rot is a fact of life with old leather, and the cheaper leather is particularly susceptible.


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