What do you do to a new hat?

[TopGumby]

Is there a routine that you go through when you get a new, new hat?

There are plenty of threads on

• Sanitizing/Freezing
• Cleaning/Restoring
• Stretching
• Shrinking

Vintage stuff, but what about a brand new Akubra Stylemaster? From reading here, it seems that a lot depends on fit...if it's a shade too big, maybe a wet down and a wear-while-shrinking routine, if it's a shade small, maybe a stretch will be in order. If it's way out of wack on the size (61) ship it back or post it here?

If I'm happy with the fit as is, beyond merely wearing and sweating it in, is there anything that you folks would do with a new hat? Does anyone mark non vintage hats they intend to keep, or is that against the code of the lid? Scotchgaurd? Lexol? Re-bash? Secret ceremony?

Or should I just wear it and look at it?

 

[thunderw21]

Run it over with my truck a couple times to break it in.

But seriously, if you don't like the bash (or if it's open-crowned) definitely rebash it. Then wear it! If there's something 'wrong' with it address it and enjoy hat.

 

[Garrett]

Yeah...

What he said.

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

New hat? What's that? Haven't bought one of those in a while. I've been strictly vintage for a while now and each of them seem to arrive with special needs particular unto itself. I think if I got a new hat I'd have to throw dirt on it and crunch it up so I'd then know where to begin.

Have fun!

 

[ScionPI2005]

New hat? What's that? Haven't bought one of those in a while. I've been strictly vintage for a while now and each of them seem to arrive with special needs particular unto itself.

Yep...them vintage hats seem like they all need therapy...lol

No...I see what you're saying. I've had to clean a few when I get them, try to resize them a bit, and change the bash.

But when I get a new hat (new to me, or new to the world), I have to post it on the "new hats" thread. I also get lots of comments from friends and family that know me, mainly along the lines of "Wow, you got another hat."

 

[jpbales]

new hat...

usually what I do first is just look it over and make sure it's not all jacked up, of course.

Then I work on the size of the hat. If it's too big, use some water and the blow drier to work on it a bit, then add sizing strips if needed. If it's too small, then I use my little hat-stretcher block I made to shape it for a few nights.

then, I look for any little strings that might be hanging out and cut them off with a little pair of scissors. I always find them around the ribbon (where they've sewn it on), the bow, and the sweatband in the back where it meets. It's little details like this that make it go from decent looking to excellent.

I make sure the bash and brim are how I want them with a tea kettle and some steam. I always like the bash to look nice and symmetrical and the brim to be snapped down in the front and nice and even all around. It takes some playing around with.

I also make sure the bow is shaped the way I want it, and if not I'll play with it a while and iron it (gently, with a cloth over the iron) to keep it in good shape. I even re-made the one on my new Fed IV because they did a pretty poor job of putting it together. It was really loose and pinched funny in the middle and it looked uneven and cheap. They even used scotch tape on the back of it to hold it together while they sewed it on. I always find "if you want it done right (or how you want it done) then you have to do it yourself."

After all of that, I just wear it to break it in and get used to it! That's basically the routine I've developed. And if it's a vintage hat, I take some extra time cleaning it.

 

[tinmanzzz]

Wear It........

Or try the Cowboy Way.
Soak it.
Shape it.
Put it on .
Wear it till it drys.