New old hat

[MDphoto]

So I've been thinking about getting an old beater hat so I can so I can have a little project to work on. I've always thought it would be fun to have a restoration project and after reading some of the old post on here about some of you making your own blocks and such really got the bug in my system.
Today I happened to come across an old Dobbs in my size, although, it is a little tight.

Here are a few pics for you guys to see

So uh, where do I start? :eusa_doh:

Edit: Not sure how to get the image to show up in the thread

 

[tonyb]

Well, where to start depends on how extensive a refurbishing you have in mind. You could just clean it up in naphtha and give it a stretch to make it fit a little better. In that case, you should be able to soak it whole in the solvent without it being at all the worse for it. (I've yet to see naphtha do any harm to any of the standard hat components -- the felt and ribbon and liner and sweatband. That's no assurance it can't happen, but the odds are on your side.)

A more ambitious job would involve taking it apart (removing the sweatband and liner and ribbon and bow), cleaning the body in solvent, reblocking the crown and reflanging the brim, perhaps replacing the sweatband and ribbon, and putting it all back together again. Assembling the proper equipment and material for such an undertaking is time-consuming and a bit costly, so unless you expect to make this hat-fixing thing an ongoing activity, you might wish to do a quick cleanup and call it good. But, you know, hat refurbishing and making can be a satisfying way to spend some time, and I certainly wouldn't discourage a person from jumping in.

 

[MDphoto]

Thanks for the reply Tony.

I was looking at doing it the more "ambitious" way. I was looking at doing the refurbishing the easier way, but then figured, why not have some fun and learn something new? I need a hobby anyway and I am in the process of making my own block (Cow tutorial).

I've done some searching on this site and have learned about Naptha, but was curious about "odorless mineral spirits" that Home Depot sells. The mineral spirits are $13 per gallon and the Naptha is around $7 a quart. They seem to be the same thing.

 

[Craig Robertson]

MDPhoto: I think taking a crack at a complete refurbishing is a wonderful idea...and could prove to be a great learning experience. Even if all you learned was that you'd rather have someone else do it in the future! It looks like a great hat to work with. Good luck.

 

[Stoney]

MD,

You want to ensure that you size the block to your head shape as well as circumference. the shape does not need to be exact, just close in overall shape.

Another thing is that you must size the block large enough that the resulting reblocked hat will accept the sweatband , which will be sized to your head. Generally about 3/8" larger will work, depending upon how thick the sweatband material is. About 5/16" if you are using the very thin sweatbands or a lttle more like about 7/16 if you are using a thicker sweatband. This is based on my block making for a smaller head size (6 7/8) so you may need a little extra room. Remember that you can always sand the block down a little more, but it's hard to put wood back on once it's been removed.lol

I think your first step should be in obtaining a copy of Scientific Hat Making and Refurbishing. I'm sure that you will have a pretty good idea of how to proceed once you've read through the book. Copies are available on e-bay.

Good Luck and have fun,

Stoney

P.S.

I would suggest that you buy at least one flange to study before making your own.
They are a bit more tricky to make than blocks.

 

[tonyb]

Thanks for the reply Tony.

I was looking at doing it the more "ambitious" way. I was looking at doing the refurbishing the easier way, but then figured, why not have some fun and learn something new? I need a hobby anyway and I am in the process of making my own block (Cow tutorial).

I've done some searching on this site and have learned about Naptha, but was curious about "odorless mineral spirits" that Home Depot sells. The mineral spirits are $13 per gallon and the Naptha is around $7 a quart. They seem to be the same thing.

Yeah, those COW tutorials certainly do demystify matters. I'd bet they've left several people saying to themselves, "Heck, I could do that."

I can't say with absolute confidence how naphtha compares to mineral spirits, or to Coleman fuel or any of the other stuff you might be considering. But I can tell you that VM&P (varnish makers' and painters') naphtha has never done any apparent harm to any hat I've subjected to it. And it seems to clean better than denatured alcohol and Coleman fuel. But then, I've read here that Coleman fuel is chemically the same thing as naphtha, and my knowledge of such things is insufficient to either defend or debunk that assertion.

To echo Stoney's comments -- making your own block seems pretty straightforward. And there's the added benefit (over buying an old one on eBay, say) of getting what you want right from the start. A flange looks to be another matter altogether. Problem is, it's often hard to tell from auction photos and descriptions just what sort of flange is on offer.

Let us know how it goes, MDphoto. I'm looking forward to reading of your adventures.

Oh, and where to start? You've already done quite a bit of reading, so you have a pretty good idea of what's involved. So maybe it's time to disassemble that hat. An X-Acto knife comes in handy. Take the hat apart, give the body a good brushing and soak that sucker in solvent. (I assume you've also read some of the numerous naphtha threads and therefore you're aware of the hazards and will take the standard precautions.)

 

[Tango Yankee]

For VM&P Naptha

Like you, I was a bit shocked at the price of naptha at Lowes and HD.

Try Ace Hardware if you have one in your area. They had to special order it, and I had to buy a case of four 1-gallon containers, but it cost me a bit over $40. This was over a year ago, so the price may have gone up a bit.

Cheers,
Tom

 

[MDphoto]

Thanks for great input guys.

Stoney, I read a thread an older thread of yours where you made your own block and it just sounded so fun, so you I have to pass a little bit of the blame your way for getting me in this mess! lol
Thank you for the advice on the added measurements. I may have to reread your thread, but I keep thinking you added 1/4 to your block.
Oh, and thank you for the tip on the book. I was looking at one on Ebay a few days and thought someone mentioned it on the lounge somewhere, but for the life of me, I couldn't remember the title.

Tony, you're right those tutorials on COW do demystify some things and probably get some people in trouble. I'm hoping my block won't end up as a really big paper weight! I'm looking forward to taking the hat apart and seeing how things were done. I think it will be a fun learning experience.

Tango, I know I read that in a past post and I knew I wasn't going to buy a case of Naptha, at least not yet. If I'm really awful at a hat refurbishing or just don't like it, I don't want to be stuck with so much leftover!

Thanks again guys.

 

[Stoney]

MDPhoto,

Your right about the 1/4 inch extra That i used for the measurement on my first block. I've found that to be slightly on the tight side, so I recommended a bit more for you to start with. I'm making another one now that will start out 7/16" larger. I may have to sand a little off, but I think it's a good place to start since I'm using thicker leather sweatbands now than I was when I put the first block together. I'm going to use the first block to make a template, then add a bit more material to the front and back of the block. Although the first block makes a nice fitting hat, this one should be a better fit for the thicker sweatbands.