Hat Help

[jake.koch]

I remember reading through somthing on here last year in regards to reshaping a hat using steam and a certain type of water. I did a search and went through the different help articles but could not find it. If anyone knows where it is located, or knows the method I am trying to describe I would appreciate the help. For what it's worth this is for an attempt at un-telescoping my hardee and prepping it for the paddlewheel event next April.

If anyone that has experience with this believes I would be better off getting a new hardee I would appreciate the input. I want to avoid the expense if possible but if it is unavoidable then I will go that route.

[Spinster]

Re: Hat Help

Jake,

A good teakettle with a spout to focus the steam. This will relax the wool somewhat so you can reshape and reblock.

No special water is necessary, unless your water is hard and you don't want your teakettle to get all scaly inside. Then use Distilled Water. Buy it in the grocery in gallon jugs that look like milk jugs--read the fine pint or you'll end up buying yet another bottled drinking water drawn out of some city tap or another. If you have a dehumidifier running anywhere, use the water out of it--it has no minerals in it.

[dixieflyer]

Re: Hat Help

I have my old Don Rademacher Hardee, and while I could "untelescope" it, I don't know how I would reblock it to the correct shape again.

[jake.koch]

Re: Hat Help

Thanks for the help!

[maillemaker]

Re: Hat Help

Hi Jake!

Tim Bender has a web page on how to steam a hat here:

http://www.benderhats.com/hatcare.html

Steve

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Hat Help

Hallo!

Shaping or forming a hat is far, far "easier" than trying to reblock an already shaped hat when one does not have a hat block.

A picture is worth a thousand words, and a video maybe two thousand. Although not a dress hat (aka Hardee), this will give you a rough idea of how the hat is steamed over a form or "block" to desired shape.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHV5FY0yYN8

In brief and to over-generalize..

Without a "Hardee' type block you are going to have a hard time.

It might be worth a call, and the expense (maybe), in calling a Hardee hat maker to see if they could be hired to reblock your hat- for a service charge. The worst that will happen is that they laugh and hang up on you.

:) :)

As a last ditch effort, maybe, you may find a small kid's sand box or beach bucket, gardening bucket , tub type container, or "bleach type" bottle, that is of the same diameter and shape as a dress hat to use as an ersatz block.

Curt

[dixieflyer]

Re: Hat Help

Curt, danke sehr! I was really having a hard time visualizing how I was going to do that without a block.

[maillemaker]

Re: Hat Help

Thanks for turning me onto those videos, Curt - I never knew how hats were made. Cool stuff!

Steve

[jake.koch]

Re: Hat Help

I didn't even think about the block. I guess you can never say enough about the expertise on this forum. I guess I will go the route of picking up a new Hardee from Mr. Bender. I wasn't keen on reworking my old one anyway as I have finally gotten it "perfect" after a few years.