Rock Hard Stiffener?

[Randalscott]

I think on a black wool hat you don't need the German refined shellac. The Chinese or Indian stuff should be OK. It is not Super Blonde so don't use on a light coloured felt but black should be okay. Make certain you use Denatured alcohol not isopropynol....there is a risk the flakes will not fully dissolve. Perhaps experiment with degrees of strength of your mix.

Great, thank you!

 

[Randalscott]

So as I'm gearing up to do this, I found this article, in which Bob Miller argues for using Everclear or Diesel instead of denatured alcohol. ALL his arguments make perfect sense, and they're both easier and cheaper for me to access, so Im wondering what this group feels about this?

Perhaps the difference is negligible in the end, but admittedly I am very curious what others think about this?

 

[belfastboy]

So as I'm gearing up to do this, I found this article, in which Bob Miller argues for using Everclear or Diesel instead of denatured alcohol. ALL his arguments make perfect sense, and they're both easier and cheaper for me to access, so Im wondering what this group feels about this?

Perhaps the difference is negligible in the end, but admittedly I am very curious what others think about this?

I don't feel anything....but I think that he is a writer looking for material. It is essentially click bait. Yes, he is correct that you want to buy the purest denatured alcohol available. I use the Mohawk brand....labelled Shellac Reducer. If I am making a hat with a $250 beaver felt that I will sell for $500 I am using the purest shellac flakes I can obtain (German refined) and the purest denatured alcohol. ...minimum 95% ethyl, no water and a wee bit of methyl so I can't make afternoon cocktails with it. Why screw around looking to save a few bucks? That makes zero sense to me. But you are working with a cheap wool felt hat....not much to lose here so if you want to save a buck or two, sure why not.

 

[ErWeSa]

If you want to stiffen your hat that it is "like a piece of thin plywood" here are two methods the makers of top hats used (I am, however, afraid that it will become so stiff that it might break):

First method: shellack dissolved in ammonia, see here:

Second method: scatter the shellac on the felt and then iron it in, see here (the process starts at 01:35):

 

[Randalscott]

If you want to stiffen your hat that it is "like a piece of thin plywood" here are two methods the makers of top hats used (I am, however, afraid that it will become so stiff that it might break):

First method: shellack dissolved in ammonia, see here:

View attachment 717324

View attachment 717325


Second method: scatter the shellac on the felt and then iron it in, see here (the process starts at 01:35):

View attachment 717326

Fascinating! Thanks for the info.