STEP BY STEP NAPTHA BATH

[KarlCrow]

Isn't there something about akubra sweatband quality in general that might cause this? I mean I'm not saying sweats should be guaranteed for gasbaths but they do shrink or expand in general, oddly.

 

[Frunobulax]

As a follow-up to my previous post.


My wife just bought a second-hand Akubra "The Boss" in Sand colour and I had had such success and confidence (from this thread) about doing the naptha bath that I decided to clean this one out the same way. The hat is 5 years old and was hardly worn by the previous owner. There was a lot of household dust on it though and a few grass stains, plus the previous person's sweat in it, so we really wanted to clean it and disinfect it. I read plenty about leather sweat bands drying out in the naptha process but the sweatband on her hat was really in mint condition so I didn't think I had to worry. I put the hat in the naptha bath for 2 hours; 1 hour per side. There was a lot of dust and some oil again that came out so the cleaning was worth it. But as soon as I took the hat out, I noticed that the leather sweatband was turning white and some of the gold paint for the writing was chipping off. I really wasn't expecting that considering that the sweatband was originally like-new. I thought this only happened on much older hats with bands already dried out and cracked with age. I feel terrible about this. Is this normal? Is there anything I can do to put some life back into it?

Of the four pictures: the first two are of the hat before the naptha bath. The last two are of the sweatband with all the white discoloration after the naptha bath. Believe me, the band looks worse in real than in the picture. ]

Bob @RJR is correct. I have experienced and related the same issue in the past. From what i can tell, it's just a (mineral?) deposit of some sort. I've never had an issue with this having a deleterious effect on the sweat. Always treat your sweats generously with Lexol before and after a naphtha bath. The Lexol should take care of this.


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[rclark]

Bob @RJR is correct. I have experienced and related the same issue in the past. From what i can tell, it's just a (mineral?) deposit of some sort. I've never had an issue with this having a deleterious effect on the sweat. Always treat your sweats generously with Lexol before and after a naphtha bath. The Lexol should take care of this.


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Do you treat the back of the sweat with Lexol or just the front?

 

[AbridgedPause]

I really appreciate your feedback guys!
Lexol is hard to find in Canada! I've just ordered a cleaner/condition kit from Amazon.com and will get it in about 2-3 weeks. I'm really anxious to apply it.
Will this only prevent the leather from getting worse and keep it soft, or will it also bring some of the colour back?

 

[AbridgedPause]

Do you treat the back of the sweat with Lexol or just the front?

Good question! I'd like to know this as well.
I'm also assuming that you want to apply it, with the band folded out of the hat, let is penetrate, then wipe off the excess, and continue to wipe until it's dry to the touch so that it doesn't seep into the silk lining and felt once pushed back in. Or is Lexol not that oily/greasy?

 

[Frunobulax]

Good question! I'd like to know this as well.
I'm also assuming that you want to apply it, with the band folded out of the hat, let is penetrate, then wipe off the excess, and continue to wipe until it's dry to the touch so that it doesn't seep into the silk lining and felt once pushed back in. Or is Lexol not that oily/greasy?

I generously treat both sides prior to bathing, but normally just the "shiny" side after.

Has your sweatband also dried out appreciably? I haven't had that happen, even on 60+ yr old hats. Just the white deposit.


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[rclark]

I generously treat both sides prior to bathing, but normally just the "shiny" side after.

Has your sweatband also dried out appreciably? I haven't had that happen, even on 60+ yr old hats. Just the white deposit.


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Thanks Jim!

 

[Bamaboots]

Also, if you have a western or tack shop near you, you should be able to find Lexol or Bickmore 4. Similar products and I've used both. Neither or particularly "greasy" and typically absorb into the leather fairly quickly.

 

[AbridgedPause]

Has your sweatband also dried out appreciably? I haven't had that happen, even on 60+ yr old hats. Just the white deposit.

Right now I'm not sure what the condition of the leather sweatband is. I know that it feels very dry compared to my two other Akubra's sweatbands, so it's definitely dried out. But as far as the condition of the leather itself, I don't know if it's only surface deposit or if the leather (or its colour) is damaged. I know that when I picked it up last night while it was drying and touched it with my thumb, it actually left a whiter thumb print on the sweatband. You can see it in the picture right under where it says "The Boss". This morning the band looks even whiter after it fully dried but I haven't tried to scrub or play with it. Is there some way to find out what the status of the band is? I'm a little scared to try scratching or scrubbing it.
I'll take another picture of it when I get a chance.

 

[Frunobulax]

Right now I'm not sure what the condition of the leather sweatband is. I know that it feels very dry compared to my two other Akubra's sweatbands, so it's definitely dried out. But as far as the condition of the leather itself, I don't know if it's only surface deposit or if the leather (or its colour) is damaged. I know that when I picked it up last night while it was drying and touched it with my thumb, it actually left a whiter thumb print on the sweatband. You can see it in the picture right under where it says "The Boss". This morning the band looks even whiter after it fully dried but I haven't tried to scrub or play with it. Is there some way to find out what the status of the band is? I'm a little scared to try scratching or scrubbing it.
I'll take another picture of it when I get a chance.

Is it supple? Are there surface cracks evident? When you bend it does it give easily?


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[FedOregon]

I've been applying the Lexol to both sides of the sweat... should I not do the underside?

 

[Mustang Mike's Hats]

FINALLY!! After MUCH debate with my wife concerning the safety of having a tub of Coleman Camp Fuel on my patio, my wife acquiesced and allowed me to partake in a MUCH needed bath for my 25 plus year old Rockmont Western hat (the one I'm wearing in my avatar.)

That hat has suffered through three continents, 100's of miles on the trail, probably 1,000 hours or more of arena work and more than a few Cowboy Action shooting events.

Did it come out perfect? No. It's always been a "work" hat. With my lack of regular maintenance over the years I'm not too surprised. THAT SAID, other than a bit of stiffness to the sweatband, and a few areas on the brim that just ain't gettin' any better, there was enough of an improvement that one of my pards at the stables asked me (and I quote) "Did you get a new hat?" I guess I can safely say that it can/does make an improvement. 'Nuff said ...

 

[Mustang Mike's Hats]

I've been applying the Lexol to both sides of the sweat... should I not do the underside?

BTW - I did use Lexol on both sides of the sweatband and it helped.

 

[AbridgedPause]

Have any of you had bad results with old silk linings from the 40's and before following a naptha bath? Is it safe or taking a chance? Is there another way to clean silk linings without removing them from the hat?

 

[Michael R.]

I haven't given any Hats baths yet , but some liners have faded or look washed out , and others haven't is what guys are reporting/saying .

 

[Rockwater]

I had an extremely dirty OPS Stratoliner that I washed the liner first with woolite. The results were not remarkable.
I then rinsed in naptha while I was giving the hat a bath, resulting in a relatively clean liner but with definitely faded printing. But hey, it’s clean.
One other thing I found noteworthy.
That hat was so dirty that I decided to filter the naptha between repeated soakings. What I discovered was, if I left a few drops of water in the bucket, the majority of the dirt gravitated to the water as opposed to dispersing in the naptha. That made repeated filtering of the naptha more proficient.
Photo is looking into the bucket of naptha with the dirt bonding with the water.

 

[belfastboy]

Have any of you had bad results with old silk linings from the 40's and before following a naptha bath? Is it safe or taking a chance? Is there another way to clean silk linings without removing them from the hat?

I had a 40's Mossant liner stretch really badly from a map the bath. Seen on so have not bothered to remove and fix....just live with it

 

[splintercellsz]

I'm looking into giving this a shot.

what's the risk on sweatbands? Add conditioner and put it in the bath? what do y'all do. I guess I'm afraid of losing the sweats, and removing them isn't an option... I can't sew to save my soul haha

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[Michael R.]

I'm looking into giving this a shot.

what's the risk on sweatbands? Add conditioner and put it in the bath? what do y'all do. I guess I'm afraid of losing the sweats, and removing them isn't an option... I can't see to save my soul haha

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Maybe @Tukwila or @RJR or somebody will respond .

 

[Frunobulax]

I'm looking into giving this a shot.

what's the risk on sweatbands? Add conditioner and put it in the bath? what do y'all do. I guess I'm afraid of losing the sweats, and removing them isn't an option... I can't sew to save my soul haha

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You're good. I always treat before and after, but naphtha shouldn't have any effect on the leather. Sometimes I get a few white spots or a bit of a film on the leather afterwards, but it wipes right off.


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