The Open Road Guild

[RickP]

Hello All - new here so not sure if I should post a question in a new thread of if here is better.

Even though it's snowing here in SW Ohio I have been thinking of summer hats! Decided on an Open Road and pulled the trigger on a Hemp, but I am not pleased with the brim. As you can kinda see in the picture, it is not level which looks very odd when worn. Did I just get a bad one?

Can I flatten out this brim so that is even and will stay that way or should I return and get one of the Shantung ORs?

I've seen posts from Hurricane Jack and StoryPNW and their Hemps look great, with a flat, crisp looking brim.

Ive had really good luck with my hemp stratoliners and steam.. Have straightened out lots of used hat wonkiness with steaming and a brim board or block to cool on

 

[RickP]

Hello All - new here so not sure if I should post a question in a new thread of if here is better.

Even though it's snowing here in SW Ohio I have been thinking of summer hats! Decided on an Open Road and pulled the trigger on a Hemp, but I am not pleased with the brim. As you can kinda see in the picture, it is not level which looks very odd when worn. Did I just get a bad one?

Can I flatten out this brim so that is even and will stay that way or should I return and get one of the Shantung ORs?

I've seen posts from Hurricane Jack and StoryPNW and their Hemps look great, with a flat, crisp looking brim.

For the Stratoliner hemps, I steam and cool with the brim snapped UP... (Steam seems to add a bit of body to the hemp and it holds its shape mo better). Then after cooling, I resteam the front half and iron the front half with the brim snapped down, and iron the front flat. ( use a press cloth for the iron) Gives a nice smooth front brim. A Hemp Open road should respond just as well