STEP BY STEP NAPTHA BATH

[Short Balding Guy]

Way to go Anthony! The Coleman White Gas bath has brought many a hat back to wearable condition for me. Well documented. Additionally, I have followed up with some serious hat brushing and steam. Your hat looks great.

 

[BobHufford]

Thanks for sharing that Anthony. The thread needed some new step by step pics.

 

[Bob Roberts]

so I attempted my first bath on Sunday ... I must admit that I am more than pleased with the result

I bathed my 1930s Stetson No.1 Quality that had some pretty deeply soiled areas due to hard wear in its time.

I first treated the heavily soiled areas with a white vinegar solution then dropped the hat in the bath for about 8 hours agitating it ever 2 hours or so ... then simply hung it to dry

The before shots

after treating with the vinegar solution and bathing

some heavy rain was predicted so I tented the situation

the result

The hat looks fantastic... better than the photos show .

I was hesitant to try this at first and admittedly skeptical of what the result would be ... sure glad I did it



Sent from my space aged handheld communication device and universal translator

Bravo!

 

[Michael R.]

Thats Amazing @moontheloon Anthony ! Shiny and New Looking . Thanks !

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Naptha can remove some stains very well.

FYI: http://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/the-stratoliner-society-vintage.8329/page-40#post-1279162

I have had only 2 hats that have had problems with the naptha bath. Both experienced liner fade and leather disintegration issues. I suspect they would have had the issues even without the cleaning. The felt of both turned out better, not the liners or leather sweats. As a result I do treat the leather sweats with some "conditioner" after the bath, brushing and steaming.

 

[Mustang Mike's Hats]

Heck Moon, I'm truly impressed!! You sold me!

 

[moontheloon]

Heck Moon, I'm truly impressed!! You sold me!

I had no idea what I was doing ... just took a shot
... and the damn thing worked !!!

I had read all over that it would do nothing for the ribbon so I was expecting nothing to change ... but as you can see from the pics the ribbon came out beautifully clean

Cannot wait to wear my newly cleansed No.1

 

[moontheloon]

Way to go Anthony! The Coleman White Gas bath has brought many a hat back to wearable condition for me. Well documented. Additionally, I have followed up with some serious hat brushing and steam. Your hat looks great.

Thanks for sharing that Anthony. The thread needed some new step by step pics.

Bravo!

Thats Amazing @moontheloon Anthony ! Shiny and New Looking . Thanks !

Thank you gentleman

I am impressed with the result of my complete shot in the dark

The process took very little effort ... just some time and a walk out to the yard now and then to shake things up

 

[belfastboy]

so I attempted my first bath on Sunday ... I must admit that I am more than pleased with the result

I bathed my 1930s Stetson No.1 Quality that had some pretty deeply soiled areas due to hard wear in its time.

I first treated the heavily soiled areas with a white vinegar solution then dropped the hat in the bath for about 8 hours agitating it ever 2 hours or so ... then simply hung it to dry

I treated the sweat with leather conditioner before and after ... I see no ill affects

The before shots

after treating with the vinegar solution and bathing

some heavy rain was predicted so I tented the situation

the result

The hat looks fantastic... better than the photos show .

I was hesitant to try this at first and admittedly skeptical of what the result would be ... sure glad I did it



Sent from my space aged handheld communication device and universal translator

I was most surprised at how quickly the naptha odour disappeared.

 

[moontheloon]

I was most surprised at how quickly the naptha odour disappeared.

as soon as the hat was dry there was zero odor
No trace of the fuel whatsoever

 

[KarlCrow]

so I attempted my first bath on Sunday ... I must admit that I am more than pleased with the result

I bathed my 1930s Stetson No.1 Quality that had some pretty deeply soiled areas due to hard wear in its time.

I first treated the heavily soiled areas with a white vinegar solution then dropped the hat in the bath for about 8 hours agitating it every 2 hours or so ... then simply hung it to dry

I treated the sweat with leather conditioner before and after ... I see no ill affects

The before shots

after treating with the vinegar solution and bathing

some heavy rain was predicted so I tented the situation

the result

The hat looks fantastic... better than the photos show .

I was hesitant to try this at first and admittedly skeptical of what the result would be ... sure glad I did it



Sent from my space aged handheld communication device and universal translator

amazing. Great hat. What is naptha, is it pure alcohol?

 

[KarlCrow]

it's ok, using a bit of logic, or zoom, camping oil pretty much has to mean what we call parrafin. Easily obtained. Pure alcohol on the otherhand is illegal here except with a purple dye that makes imbibers vomit, and might ruin a hat i expect, as we aren't THAT anxious to solve the homeless problem. Sorry am bed-ridden with a temperature mid-holiday.

such a fantastic result. Well done. I may try this on an old scottish fedora have coming as I have a sneaking suspicion it may need more than a steaming.

 

[Michael R.]

Karl @KarlCrow , I think paraffin is kerosine . Naptha is Coleman Fuel , and I think dry cleaners use something just like it . Dry-cleaning suppliers I imagine sell it . Better triple check before trying .

 

[KarlCrow]

ok thnks

 

[Frunobulax]

so I attempted my first bath on Sunday ... I must admit that I am more than pleased with the result

I bathed my 1930s Stetson No.1 Quality that had some pretty deeply soiled areas due to hard wear in its time.

I first treated the heavily soiled areas with a white vinegar solution then dropped the hat in the bath for about 8 hours agitating it every 2 hours or so ... then simply hung it to dry

I treated the sweat with leather conditioner before and after ... I see no ill affects

The before shots

after treating with the vinegar solution and bathing

some heavy rain was predicted so I tented the situation

the result

The hat looks fantastic... better than the photos show .

I was hesitant to try this at first and admittedly skeptical of what the result would be ... sure glad I did it



Sent from my space aged handheld communication device and universal translator

Good job, Ant. That's a noticeable difference.


Sent directly from my mind to yours.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Karl @KarlCrow , I think paraffin is kerosine . Naptha is Coleman Fuel , and I think dry cleaners use something just like it . Dry-cleaning suppliers I imagine sell it . Better triple check before trying .

When it was more common & you could buy it at most service stations back in the day it was known as white gas. That is essentially what Coleman Fuel is now.

 

[KarlCrow]

When it was more common & you could buy it at most service stations back in the day it was known as white gas. That is essentially what Coleman Fuel is now.

thnks, i think it's obtainable if rare, $10 per ltr from camping stores!

 

[Hurricane Jack]

thnks, i think it's obtainable if rare, $10 per ltr from camping stores!

It is expensive by volume. If you only have one hat to do it might not be much more expensive if you could find a Dry Cleaners to do it. The problem is very few clean hats anymore.

The stuff is dangerous so be safe with it. Stay outside & away from all structures.

 

[KarlCrow]

It is expensive by volume. If you only have one hat to do it might not be much more expensive if you could find a Dry Cleaners to do it. The problem is very few clean hats anymore.

The stuff is dangerous so be safe with it. Stay outside & away from all structures.

ha hopefully i'm wrong about the hat. And don't worry, i had mentally noted reading the forum where you said it was too hot there to do a gas bath on a hat, so figured it was like other spirits and petroleums.

 

[moontheloon]

Good job, Ant. That's a noticeable difference.


Sent directly from my mind to yours.

thanks Jim ... and thanks for the Sunday morning impromptu tutorial

I'm tickled with the result