Trimming feathers for hat

[Bjorn240]

Anyone have any tips for trimming feathers in your hat. None of my weekday/work hats have feathers, and I’ve recently been wearing four pheasant feathers in my Akubra field hat. But they rub on the ceiling of the car and otherwise get a bit in the way... so was thinking about trimming them down some. Any ideas or tips?

 

[Just Jim]

Hunt grouse instead?

Seriously, pheasant tail-feathers in the hatband was a big thing when I was in high school, but the height annoyed me to no end. I never managed to cut one down and have it look "right". When you shorten it, the proportions get off. Then you try to narrow it, but the pattern is off and the edges look too thick.

Eventually I started using the shortest tailfeathers in hatbands, and used the long ones for tying streamers and flies. If you really want to cut them down, the best way is to hold the barbs (so they don't flex and give you a jagged cut-line) then cut them with a new single-edged razor blade. Don't bother trying something like an exacto knife or utility knife, the edge is too jagged to give a clean edge on the feather.

 

[Bjorn240]

Excellent. I have Feather-brand razor blades, so that ought to work. And I do hunt grouse, too, so I could use those, instead. BTW, which is the wrong end of Nebraska? I travel to Omaha for work frequently, and it's a great town.

 

[scottyrocks]

The only hat I have a large feather in right now is a western. I tied a leather lace around the base under the 'ribbon,' and secured the bottom of the feather to one of the tails of the lace at the back of the hat so that it dangles on the back of the brim, not sticking up.

But if I were to trim a large feather I'd do it from the bottom, cutting it off at the overall length I wanted, and then trimming off the 'hairs' until it looked like it did originally, just shorter.