Getting rid of stampede string

[9thmocav]

Hello all, I am trying to improve my impression by once again removing my stampede strings; however due to mistreating the hat and leaving it in a hot trailer with out a keeper causing it to shrink I am unable to get the fit right. I have been able to stretch it enough so I can get it on, but it doesn't fit low enough to be able to ride without it flying off. Does anyone have any suggestions on how i can resize/reshape my hat?

Will Watson
9th KS Cav Co. F
9th MO Cav Co. B
Terry's Texas Rangers Co. D

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: Getting rid of stampede string

Check this out:

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?17636-Group-of-Fed-Artillery-Officers

[rbruno]

Re: Getting rid of stampede string

I reread the thread that John had attached. I think the ribbon has shown up in other pictures as well. Guy also mentions in that thread that the ribbon on the back of a coat was not used to hang the coat but to tie a hat to so it didn't hit the ground if blown off. I have heard several others mention this but no documentation from the period that it was used in that way. As mentioned, I have seen the ribbon tied to the coat, but never seen or heard anything from the period about using the tag in the back. And, I don't know that any enlisted jacket has a ribbon sewn in the back so all the troopers would have just had to loose their hats.

Anyway, back to the question. Depending on the hat and quality, you could try to steam the hat and then put a stretcher into it to make it bigger again. Steam is a great shaping method when it comes to hats. Also, when it gets warmer, you could where the hat and get a good sweat going and then your head and a stretcher when you take it off will help shape it to your head. The other thing that helps a hat stay on is the leather band around the inside of the hat. Again, a quality maker is going to use a good piece of leather to help hold it to your head. If you only have a thin leather strip sewn to the inside of the hat, you may want to take it out and put a good quality wider strip of leather. That might help to. I used to loose my hat a lot. Then I bought a nice Dirty Billy hat with a good leather band and have gone without loosing my hat at a gallop over some long distance ever since.

[9thmocav]

Re: Getting rid of stampede string

Thank you very much for the response, i have a large leather sweatband in, I agree that steam will help I was just wondering if there was any trick to steaming the upper portion of the crown.

Will Watson

[Mark J.]

Re: Getting rid of stampede string

use a spray bottle with water on "fine mist"; wet the crown/upper. Then use an iron with a good steam capability; work the iron with steam close to the felt but sparingly. Go slow. The spray bottle will get more water onto the felt. The iron steam will help heat it up. Good luck.