Snap brim won't snap anymore

[OddSteve]

Hey everyone,

I'm currently wearing a low-end black fedora (35 Euros, ~45 USD, no liner, fabric sweatband, at least it is fur felt) that I had for three months now.
I used to snap the front of the brim down for wearing and back up again for storage, but I noticed in the last weeks that the "amount of snap" steadily decreased and now the front brim seems to be completely flattened out and just won't snap up or down anymore. There's absolutely no tension in it and it feels flabby.
I tried to steam it and shape it, but I couldn't give it that slight upward curl it had out of the box, it just wants to stay flat.

Is there anything more I can do it that doesn't require professional tools? I don't want to give it to a hatter either, it just isn't worth that.

If everything else fails, I think I will steam it again and try to give it a downward curve and leave it like that.

At least I know now that you shouldn't buy cheap mass production hats. And I'm happy that a moonstone Fed IV is already on its way to me

 

[nickn5]

I think you may have answered your own question there - the cheapest mass production hats don't last very well, and I think even a professional hatter might possibly be hard pushed to restore that snap to an ultra cheap fur felt. If you like (as I do) the brim down at front, then what I have done is just steam and shape in that position and leave it.

Also maybe a good idea only to snap brims back up (even on expensive hats) when you plan on not wearing them for a couple of weeks or more. For daily use just leave it down, I would have thought.

Good luck with your Moonstone Fed IV, I got one recently and they are great to work with and to wear. Really highlights that you get what you pay for. EDIT: with the exception of one or two lucky chaps from the US of A who find Stratoliners and such in thrift stores grr grr

N.

 

[Stoney]

Is the hight too tight -front to back?

If so this can cause the brim break to round out with time which will eventually cause the brim to lose it's snap. you're always better off buying a hat that is bit too lose, than too tight.

You can have the hat re-flanged to restore the snap, but make sure it's sized right or it will happen again.

 

[J.T.Marcus]

Hey everyone,

I'm currently wearing a low-end black fedora (35 Euros, ~45 USD, no liner, fabric sweatband, at least it is fur felt)

From your description, the hat sounds like a Tonak (Made in Czech Republic). I own quite a few of their hats like that. One thing you did not mention (but I suspect is true of yours, too) is virtually no stiffener in the hat. When you feel a distinct "snap" on turning the front brim down, or back up, it will usually be in a hat which has a leather sweatband and a a medium amount of stiffener in the brim. The surprise is not that the hat you describe lost its snap, but that it ever had it. Most of the fabric sweatband hats are intended to stay in one brim shape, usually turned down front and rear.

This does not mean your hat is junk. There is a lot more to a hat than a discernable "pop" when you flip the brim. Your idea of steaming the brim in the shape you want is a perfect solution.

Buy the way, if you see a photo of yourself in that hat, do you like what you see? Maybe you could share a picture with us.

 

[OddSteve]

Hi there!

Thanks for the input. I think I will just steam it down and stop worrying about it.

Stoney, I don't think the hat is too tight. When I put my hands inside it and stretch it a little from front to back, the brim starts to warp and curls up on the sides. It doesn't do that on my hat, so I think this isn't part of the problem.

J.T., the hat is made by Fiebig, which is a German brand. You can have a look at it here:
http://www.fiebig-hats.de/en/products/index.php?mgrp=1&sgrp=130
third row from the top, on the right (except that mine has a c-crown).

I can't compare it to another hat right now, but the felt is very soft and the brim even flaps in the wind. So you're probably right with your guess that there is very little stiffener applied.
But the brim really did snap in the beginning, and it still does in the back. Maybe it's a suprisingly well built hat considering the price.
I'm really looking forward to camparing this to the Fed IV.

After 26 hatless years I'm still in the getting-used-to-the-look-stage, but when I happen to see myself maybe in a mirror at a shopping mall I cant help but smile and think "oh my god, how cool am I"

I definitely have to share some photos with you guys, but it's difficult with the lighting conditions at that time of the year. On most photos the hat turns to a black mass with no outlines, and I don't want too much of your attention on my face ...but I'm working on it

Steve

 

[OddSteve]

Alright, these didn't turn out too bad:

I took the opportunity to show off my brand new tartan scarf... Well, not exactly. I was just trying to hide my shabby hanging-around-at-home-jacket lol

 

[J.T.Marcus]

Looks great, to me. I'd just set the brim the way you want, and leave it that way. You got style for a bargain price! :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[Dewhurst]

OddSteve. The steam advice above should do the trick. If not, you could try to spritz some water where the brim needs the bend to hold (not too much, though!). Some people like the brims snapped in back and flat in front.

I like your avatar.

 

[OddSteve]

Once again, thanks for your replies, and for the compliments of course.

Dewhurst, if you like my avatar, have a look at http://www.photofunia.com/

 

[Stoney]

The picture helps a great deal. JT is most likely correct about there being very little stiffener in the brim. Also the shape of the brim has a lot to do with the amount of snap in the brim. The brim on your hat is very flat. You need some curl around the edge, kind of bowl like shaped to get some snap into it.
There is nothing wrong with the hat as it is. I thnk it looks great on you.
Some hats just don't have snap brims. Adding stiffener and flanging the brim would make this into a snap brim if you would like to change it. But again, I think it's fine as is.