Hat Repair Help

[ToucanSam23]

I picked up this hat at a local vintage store here in Toronto about two months ago. As you can see from the pictures, it is a Knox. Everything was perfect until it was sat on. You might have also noticed the various dents near the ribbon and the crushed brim. My local hatter apparently doesn't have the correct tools to repair the hat so I was wondering if anyone had any tips for me about how to get it repaired or how to repair in myself.

 

[Rick Blaine]

A bit of live steam from the kettle & some gentle manipulation by hand may well put it right. Put something firm, a glass or bowl, behind the crown as you attempt to flatten the creases caused by the careless and errant butt that used it for a seat. Love the ribbon! Good luck.

 

[Tomasso]

[video=youtube;Fy1YfIPuEio]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fy1YfIPuEio[/video]

 

[Johnnysan]

I've done this...it works.

 

[Shangas]

There are special steaming machines that are made specially for hats, but failing that, a kettle with boiling water should work fine. You're basically just ironing out the creases and wrinkles.

 

[ToucanSam23]

Thanks everyone! I hope I succeed

 

[T Rick]

Failing the steam (say you don't have a kettle and don't fancy holding the hat over a pot of boiling water), you should be able to attain similar results by merely wetting the hat lightly with a spray bottle of water (I fixed some quirks and kinks in a Panama doing this). I use distilled water. Got the idea to try this here on the Lounge, and there were a couple of videos linked by others that helped. I'll see if I saved the links... Yes, have a look here for the links.