Help with lost nap on vintage Sools

EVEN-STEVEN · Mar 23, 2009

I need your advice, guys. I have a sweet, vintage, fuzzy Borsalino that has this permanent crimp/crease/fold in the top of the crown that defies my attempts to bash the lid to my liking. :rage: I've tried steam - didn't work. Then I sprayed the crown with distilled water, smoothed out the crimp, and it let it dry - with no success. In the photos it appears that there is a line of missing nap in the felt but the fuzzy nap is uniform through the crimp.

Should I use spray stiffener on the crown? Should I break out the old steam iron? Do I need to have the lid re-blocked? Should I toss it? Thanks for your help!

Feraud · Mar 23, 2009

A - send it my way, or..
B - leave it as is and enjoy it!

DOUGLAS · Mar 23, 2009

If the crease or crimp does not come out using any of your techniques, I would leave it as is. It is now part of the hats character. I have many hats with minor issues I live with. It is a beauty, grin and bear it.

carter · Mar 23, 2009

That's a beautiful felt. Have it reblocked.

avedwards · Mar 23, 2009

I have no idea as I have never had similar problem, but my £0.02 anyway.

1. Accept it, but maybe this isn't the most favourable option, as it is not a rugged looking hat but a smart one.

2. Have it professionally reblocked.

3. I know you've used steam, but maybe steam all the creases away so that it becomes open crown and when dry recrease it. (This suggestion is just a guess, it seems cheaper than a professional reblock.)

bobalooba · Mar 23, 2009

I know many brick and mortar shops will reblock a hat for free. If this isn't feasible I would wear as is. Tossing it seems silly because I know a few loungers would jump at the oppurtunity for a hat.

gtdean48 · Mar 23, 2009

carter said:
That's a beautiful felt. Have it reblocked.

:arated:

G MAN · Mar 23, 2009

I think it adds character and would just wear it as is. It would only bother me if it were on the side or on the brim but up top is fine.

Art Fawcett · Mar 23, 2009

I think this would work itself out on a reblock ES, but before you send it out try taking ( oh geeze I HATE to say this publicly as I just KNOW I'll be blamed for ruined hats) a wire brush and LIGHTLY brush the knap in counterclock direction. If the knap doesn't raise, try "picking" the felt with a needle to bring fibers up to the surface, then wire brushing. If you have a block your size, put it on the block before doing this so you can both steam and water as needed without taking chances on the shape.
Take it slow over a few days time and I think it'll be fine. It won't be remedied quickly, even if you DO send it out.

For everyone else..please don't use wire on anything but a plush or silk finish. Even then, uh, please don't. lol

EVEN-STEVEN · Mar 23, 2009

Thanks everyone!

Art - should I try a stiff bristle nylon brush before I try a wire brush?

Art Fawcett · Mar 23, 2009

Couldn't hurt ES

Woodfluter · Mar 24, 2009

!!! I don't really know, but...!!!

Just a suggestion, and I willingly hand the wooden ruler to Art so he can rap my knuckles; however...

If I had the hat in that situation, I believe my next step would be rummaging in the kitchen for a suitable stainless steel mixing bowl, then placing that upside down on the counter, getting out a compact steam iron, setting it to "wool", putting the hat over the bowl and a cotton cloth over the hat, and pressing it repeatedly until the unwanted crease relented. Might take several campaigns. But Art and others will set you straight. Sending out for blocking should be the logical thing, but I'm stubbornly committed to tweaking.

Best of luck, Steven.

- Bill

Pilgrim · Mar 24, 2009

Looks to me like you just need to have it blocked and that crease should be flattened out in the process. That's inexpensive, and worth it.

feltfan · Mar 24, 2009

I vote with the faction that says it's character in an
old hat. You can't pay to get a hat like that. Meanwhile,
you have an awesome Borsalino with a unique finish and
what appears to be a Cavanagh (felted) edge.

It doesn't pay to be too OCD with vintage stuff.

scottyrocks · Mar 24, 2009

I'd leave it alone.

Wil Tam · Mar 24, 2009

I have a couple of 'long hair' Borsos...

That one looks more like a velour 25 to me, you can try using a boars hair brush ... bristles are stiff but not crazy stiff [huh] good luck!

It's a beauty, so don't f**k it up yo!

Just askin' but what kind of bash do you want to use?

----------------
Now playing: Shins, the - So Says I
via FoxyTunes

The Elizans · Mar 27, 2009

Charater all the way!

Some things are best left alone. As a wearer of pre-1940 hats exclusively, I often have to be content with moth holes and [light] stains inside and out. Gentle remedies are almost always the best. this hat looks superb, I'd be tempted to say if you've tried stream and water, you're stuck with it as is. Rather than a wire brush (which leaves me a little concerned, but i am open to new ideas) get a pigs bristle hat brush; the right tool for the right job.

apell · Sep 26, 2016

Greetings all,
I foolishly and very carelessly set my Sools fedora upside down resting lightly inside another hat. ANd it rested there for several months. The Sools has a raised nap and now the nap in certain areas of the crown is shiny. I want to raise it back up and have tried brushing it lightly with a hat brush. It didn't work. Is there anything I can do at home to help it or must I send it away to have it cleaned, looked at?

I really love the hat. There is no place locally that can help.

If I DO need to send it away, where do I send it?

Thanks for any and all assistance.
Andy

moehawk · Sep 26, 2016

Try brushing it against the nap with steam, then again with the nap. This helped get an old crease line with flattened nap out of a vintage Velour of mine. It took a few minutes of brushing and steaming, now looks great.
Good luck, hope it works.

LuvMyMan · Sep 26, 2016

apell said:
Greetings all,
I foolishly and very carelessly set my Sools fedora upside down resting lightly inside another hat. ANd it rested there for several months. The Sools has a raised nap and now the nap in certain areas of the crown is shiny. I want to raise it back up and have tried brushing it lightly with a hat brush. It didn't work. Is there anything I can do at home to help it or must I send it away to have it cleaned, looked at?

I really love the hat. There is no place locally that can help.

If I DO need to send it away, where do I send it?

Thanks for any and all assistance.
Andy

Can you purchase a can of compressed air made for cleaning the inside of your computer? If so, you can use that to "fluff" the nap and then follow the already given advise of using a hat brush...even a hat sponge against the nap....you may have to work on it for a while...it did not get flattened out quickly so it may take some time and effort to resolve the issue.

Help with lost nap on vintage Sools

One of the Regulars

My Mail is Forwarded Here

I'll Lock Up

Call Me a Cab

One of the Regulars

One of the Regulars

Sponsoring Affiliate

One of the Regulars

Sponsoring Affiliate

Practically Family

One Too Many

My Mail is Forwarded Here

I'll Lock Up

Practically Family

Familiar Face

New in Town

I'll Lock Up

I’ll Lock Up.

Similar threads

Log in

Forum statistics