How to relax Stratton "campaign" hat's extreme stiffness?

[Mojave Jack]

My failed experiment...

I scored a Stratton sheriff's style hat in forest green (cheap!) to try my hand at removing the stiffener and reshaping it into a campaign-style hat. This sucker was stiff as cardboard, but fit my head perfectly. The brim was permanantly turned up all the way around.

The before:

So I soaked it in denatured alcohol for two days, and though it didn't feel much softer, I took it out because the bags had started to leak from all my kneading, apparently. To make sure I had gotten as much stiffener out as possible, I rinsed the hat thoroughly with naptha afterwards. Both the denatured alcohol and the naptha turned quite green, as did my hands, but apparently the color was all that washed out! I dried it on my electric block (without heat, for fear of igniting the inflammable chemicals I had applied!).

On taking it off I dicovered that I had an open crowned piece of green cardboard. I also discovered that I must be a 7 LO, and that my electric block is not. (check the classified if you're looking for a 22" vintage electric hat block!) This thing wobbles back and forth on my head like an old table now. It doesn't help that a barber that I've known for four years balded me three days ago with a a clipper cut from hell.

I did, however, learn that, in addition to probably being a LO, the leather sweatbands can survive the dip in the denatured alcohol and the naptha just fine. I cleaned it with a Coach leather cleaning product (swiped from my wife) and conditioned it using the companion Coach conditioner. The sweatband, anyway, looks brand new!

 

[Tomasso]

The before:

Let's see the "after".

 

[deanglen]

MJ,
You're saying that it dried too small? Wrong shape? Too round? If so, why not just drench it again and put in on your head after patting off the excess moisture? If it fit once, it should stretch back out again. Then steam it back to the furry creatures they got the felt from and bash it ! Or am I missing something here?[huh]

dean

 

[Tango Yankee]

I also discovered that I must be a 7 LO, and that my electric block is not. (check the classified if you're looking for a 22" vintage electric hat block!)

I checked... it's not in the classifieds yet!

Same queries as Deanglen... you may be able to keep working it to get what you want out of it, assuming you think it's worth your time and effort.

Good luck!

Cheers,
Tom

 

[Mojave Jack]

Actually, it dried too wide! The length is still good, but the width is too wide for my head. Which is why I have concluded that I must be a LO, because my head measures exactly 22" around. I had the biologists at work put the calipers on my cranium the other day so I could look at the length/width ratio, and here's what I got:

22" circumference

Length: 20.0 cm, 19.7 cm, and 19.5 cm Mean: 19.73
Width: 15.4 cm, 15.3 cm, and 15.2 cm Mean: 15.3

I think the hat was a LO, too, because the brim went all cattywhompus when it dried. Here's the pics:

Whatever the stiffener was that Stratton used, it definately is not soluble in denatured alcohol, or, apparently, naptha. It is every bit as stiff now as it was before.

 

[deanglen]

MJ,
I like how it looks! Steam it and crimp the center crease tighter, like my present avatar, and push the sides in while it is soft, or soak it and use the lamp heat approach or simply let it shrink back. Just don't give up on it. Man, I wish I was there to do some work on it. MAKE IT FIT!! If it did once, it can again. Easy for me to say, I realize But it looks great!

dean

 

[Mojave Jack]

I checked... it's not in the classifieds yet!

Same queries as Deanglen... you may be able to keep working it to get what you want out of it, assuming you think it's worth your time and effort.

Good luck!

Cheers,
Tom

lol Well, here's a pic! It'll be there soon, since it clearly does not help my hats!

The thing works great, it's just the wrong size for my head. I'm glad I tried the Stratton on before putting my favorite Hardeman on it!

I've rebashed the Stratton a little, as you can see in the pics, but honestly, it's not as nice as my Australian slouch, so there's no good reaosn to spend much more time on it. I will, however, continue to experiment on it. I want to try having my seamstress put in the edge stitching, and try my hand at putting in some vents.

 

[Mojave Jack]

I'll keep playing around with it, Dean! I bought it as an experiment, so I can't really go wrong. The block is clearly wrong for my head shape, though, so there's no good reason to keep that. Someone will get a lot more use out of it than I will. I may have to follow Mark's example and make my own block.

 

[deanglen]

MJ,

Thanks for your willingness to will that hat into shape. We will be waiting upon your next post. BTW, you are hereby placed as Acting Corps Commander of the CHC. Congratulations! We look to you for leadership. No pressure! lol

dean

 

[Mojave Jack]

Thanks, Dean! lol

The Stratton is a Self-Conforming hat, according to the band, so it may come around on it's own. In the meantime, though, it's headed for some steam, then to the sewing machine.

 

[deanglen]

What does "self-conforming" actually mean the hat is capable of doing?

dean

 

[scotrace]

Wow.










Eek.







Good news: Not a Whippet.

 

[Mojave Jack]

lol The Whippet is safely stored away, far away, from the denatured alcohol, the block, and my meddling.

 

[cooncatbob]

You might try very hot water with borax in it t remove the stiffener.
Bob.

 

[Bruce A. Fulmer]

Goat hunting hat

Plus the hot water and Borax will get the green off your hands.
Seriously, put a thin ribbon and chin strap on it, buy a pair of snake-bite boots, get a 6.5x54 Mannlicher-Schoener (carbine,ds triggers,spoon bolt handle and all) and go goat hunting.

 

[Rooster]

Small world.....I did the same thing with my campaign hat yesterday... It must have been national hat altering day
My hat is so stiff it will deflect bullets! That never bothered me much, but what did is the fact that I'm a LO 7 3/8 and this hat is perfectly round. It was never comfortable. It is by the way, an old DI hat with the "montana peak". Great for fishing, but even too far on the outside of normall for even me to wear anywhere else.....
So, I stuck it in the kitchen sink and filled the sink with hot water. AS soon as the hat sucked up the water and became pliable I pulled it out and punched it into a open crown then put a center dent in the top and a pinch in the front. I then pulled the front and back down. Then I plunked it on my noggin. I took it outside in the sun to dry and set it ontop of a bowl. Just before it was fully dry I wore it till it fully dryed. Now it fits perfectly and looks dashing. It will still deflect bullets, but that doesn't bother me.
I'll be out of town this week end, but I'll get some pics on monday.

 

[deanglen]

Small world.....I did the same thing with my campaign hat yesterday... It must have been national hat altering day
My hat is so stiff it will deflect bullets! That never bothered me much, but what did is the fact that I'm a LO 7 3/8 and this hat is perfectly round. It was never comfortable. It is by the way, an old DI hat with the "montana peak". Great for fishing, but even too far on the outside of normall for even me to wear anywhere else.....
So, I stuck it in the kitchen sink and filled the sink with hot water. AS soon as the hat sucked up the water and became pliable I pulled it out and punched it into a open crown then put a center dent in the top and a pinch in the front. I then pulled the front and back down. Then I plunked it on my noggin. I took it outside in the sun to dry and set it ontop of a bowl. Just before it was fully dry I wore it till it fully dryed. Now it fits perfectly and looks dashing. It will still deflect bullets, but that doesn't bother me.
I'll be out of town this week end, but I'll get some pics on monday.

Rooster, that's exactly what I would do. I know it works. I've done it.

dean

 

[Mark G]

Every Stratton I've seen is stiff. I don't know what they use, but it must be early in the construction. I have no idea what you could use to take it out as you already tried two very powerful solvents. I think Dean is right though, you should be able to get it to fit again.

 

[deanglen]

I had a Resistol cowboy hat I used in a modification attempt that was stiff enough to bounce off a tile floor. Heat and water made it wonderfully pliable. When it dried, it was back to its unyielding self again, but just a bit less then before. With each re-shaping effort, heating, dousing, shaping, it became a little less resistent, but I imagine "resistol" in the name indicates the level of resistance they get from the turbo-stiffener they use.

dean

 

[Mojave Jack]

Hmmm. Perhaps that is the route to take. Although out here in the desert putting a wet hat on my head to dry might be like that torture method of wrapping a wet rawhide around a guy's head! Others have talked about a wet hat comforming to be perfectly comfortable, too. I think this one will be equally adept at deflecting bullets, though! lol

I've thought about just sitting and working the felt with my hands as I watch a movie or something, just to loosen it up. I could also play tug with the dog, kick it around the yard, drag it behind my truck...