FIX A TOP HAT BRIM?

[filfoster]

Am I right to suppose that it is unwise to use steam to restore the 'curl' to a top hat brim that has gone flat? I imagine that the steam will fatally weaken the shellacked buckram or pasteboard brim 'core' within, and/or weaken the glue that holds the silk plush to the brim? Has anyone tried this?

Which leads to the question: How do you restore the curl?

 

[filfoster]

Top hat brimming with enthusiasm

26 looks and no posts? What manner of Loungers are you? Someone must know how to do this!

 

[Brad Bowers]

I've fixed the brims of Derbies with a combination of a tiny bit of steam and some denatured alcohol to reset the shellac. Worked with no problems. If the brim problem is severe, it should probably be reset with a brim shackle, which is how it is curled from the factory. That requires a qualified hatter, but I think if you're careful, you can probably do it by hand and have it turn out okay.

Brad

 

[filfoster]

The universal cure: Alcohol!

Brad: Thanks! I will try this. The flattening is not severe and just needs a little adjustment. I will use the steam sparingly and the alcohol liberally.

 

[Brad Bowers]

Brad: Thanks! I will try this. The flattening is not severe and just needs a little adjustment. I will use the steam sparingly and the alcohol liberally.

Just make sure it's denatured alcohol, and use it sparingly, too.

Brad

 

[Charlie Huang]

worthlesswithoutpics

 

[filfoster]

ETOH

Just make sure it's denatured alcohol, and use it sparingly, too.

Brad

I will use the alcohol sparingly on the brim. In me-self, maybe a bit more liberally.

 

[filfoster]

Mr. Lucky

I just finished following Brad Bower's advice with the denatured alchohol (why so expensive? $9 a bottle?) and steam to fix the vintage Christy's of London topper. I was as nervous as a plastic surgeon working on a mob boss's girlfriend.
I had to use a lot of alchohol (on the hat) to soften the 70+ year old shellac. It had to 'sit' for about 5 minutes before I could feel some flex. I applied it with a very soft artist's dust brush or watercolor feathering brush (about 1" wide, very light bristles but dense). I applied it on both sides of the brim-three times. I found that using my hands to gradually flex the brim back to a slight curl was best done while actually wearing it. The steam was horrible and gave me terrible, disfiguring scalds. Just kidding on that last.
The hat is 'resting' now and I am desperately hoping as it cools that the shellac will re-solidify and become stiff again. I will post more later. If I do not, you will know that I reacted very, very severely to the loss of this hat.

 

[filfoster]

Live Another Day!

I am becoming less agnostic! The brim is now hard again, and has taken the proper 'curl'. I do not want to do this again anytime soon, although now I have a lifetime supply of denatured alchohol and so could.

Thank you, Brad Bowers!

 

[Brad Bowers]

You're welcome, filfoster!

Working on hats can be daunting at first, but it's worth the effort to bring these vintage jewels back to life. I don't guess we'll see before and after photos, will we?

Brad

 

[filfoster]

Photos

You're welcome, filfoster!

Working on hats can be daunting at first, but it's worth the effort to bring these vintage jewels back to life. I don't guess we'll see before and after photos, will we?

Brad

I might manage an 'after' photo when my younger daughter is home on Christmas Break (sophomore at Univ of South Carolina-'fighting roosters' as we say in our house). She requires a new digital camera for her Kappa Delta 'historian' job-a flimsy dodge for a new camera, if you ask me.