Ask a question, get an answer

mayserwegener said:

Thanks! I am not sure I have encounter any of that type that could actually function. The type that goes around the entire circumference of the sweatband can be adjusted. I have a good number of pre WWII German and Austrian Hats with this type but most haven't been adjusted. Here is Nagy Hut Wien that might have actually been adjusted. Also a fantastic hat!

Click to expand...

Rmccamey said:

Anyone know of a source for such a flat braid adjustment cord?

Click to expand...

belfastboy said:

In my collection of hats, contemporary stock, custom and vintage 2" on either side of the bow keeper seems to be the norm. It is seemingly a moveable scale, some are a bit shorter some longer and this is on ribbons from 3/4" up to 2" wide. To me it would be a matter of taste....what works for you? I just made a light grey hat with a black 1" ribbon and it seemed to me that the bow 2" in length each side of the keeper seemed to be aesthetically about right.

Click to expand...

georgie girl said:

I have read about you guys doing a naphtha bath and how that helped with the odd smell that seems to come with some of the vintage hats. I read somewhere that misting unflavoured vodka on vintage clothes totally removes that odd smell, has anyone on this site ever done that? If so, how well did it work? I thought it would an easy do to find a regular vodka mini and pour it in a spray bottle, but wanted to wait at least to find if anyone had ever attempted this. Cheers

Click to expand...

Joseph Evans said:

Hey folks, This is my first post as well. I've got a Borsalino Alessandria that I just inherited from my grandfather. A beautiful hat with lovely felt. But it has a weird shape somewhere between a cattlemen and a teardrop that I'd love to change to a teardrop or center crease. I've never done that before. Should I return it to full crown first? Then, should I let it dry before shaping it to something else?

Click to expand...

hodgeko said:

Hi, guys this is my first post! I have a very specific hat question, is this the right place? I am looking at a hat on eBay. I'm about a 7 and it's a 7 1/4. Will hat tape or something similar under the sweatband be enough to bring it down that much to where it will fit me? Or should I let this one go?

I know there are lots of threads on reducing size, and I'm reading those now, but when I saw the ask a question thread, I thought I might as well give it a whirl. Thanks in advance for any advice!

Click to expand...

hodgeko said:

Hi, guys this is my first post! I have a very specific hat question, is this the right place? I am looking at a hat on eBay. I'm about a 7 and it's a 7 1/4. Will hat tape or something similar under the sweatband be enough to bring it down that much to where it will fit me? Or should I let this one go?

I know there are lots of threads on reducing size, and I'm reading those now, but when I saw the ask a question thread, I thought I might as well give it a whirl. Thanks in advance for any advice!

Click to expand...

Joseph Evans said:

Hey folks, This is my first post as well. I've got a Borsalino Alessandria that I just inherited from my grandfather. A beautiful hat with lovely felt. But it has a weird shape somewhere between a cattlemen and a teardrop that I'd love to change to a teardrop or center crease. I've never done that before. Should I return it to full crown first? Then, should I let it dry before shaping it to something else?

Click to expand...

georgie girl said:

I have read about you guys doing a naphtha bath and how that helped with the odd smell that seems to come with some of the vintage hats. I read somewhere that misting unflavoured vodka on vintage clothes totally removes that odd smell, has anyone on this site ever done that? If so, how well did it work? I thought it would an easy do to find a regular vodka mini and pour it in a spray bottle, but wanted to wait at least to find if anyone had ever attempted this. Cheers

Click to expand...

georgie girl said:

I have read about you guys doing a naphtha bath and how that helped with the odd smell that seems to come with some of the vintage hats. I read somewhere that misting unflavoured vodka on vintage clothes totally removes that odd smell, has anyone on this site ever done that? If so, how well did it work? I thought it would an easy do to find a regular vodka mini and pour it in a spray bottle, but wanted to wait at least to find if anyone had ever attempted this. Cheers

Click to expand...

belfastboy said:

The vodka spray is a theatre costumer's trick. Theatre costumes often have a stale odour, sweat or even mildew as they are stored in less than ideal circumstance or a build up of body odours from the heat of stage lighting.

Most costumers have a few bottles of really cheap vodka on hand as part of their equipment. Cheap vodka, mixed 50/50 with distilled water in a spray bottle is all you need. I have used cleaning strength vinegar about 3 or 4 to one to rid an article of woolen clothing from really really bad odours but never tried on a hat. I recently used the vodka on a homburg from the 1940's with a mild storage/mildew odour. It helped a great deal but did not rid it entirely but made it at least wearable.

Click to expand...

Joseph Evans said:

Hey folks, This is my first post as well. I've got a Borsalino Alessandria that I just inherited from my grandfather. A beautiful hat with lovely felt. But it has a weird shape somewhere between a cattlemen and a teardrop that I'd love to change to a teardrop or center crease. I've never done that before. Should I return it to full crown first? Then, should I let it dry before shaping it to something else?

Click to expand...

belfastboy said:

I missed telling you the entire story.....mix vodka 50/50 with water in a spray bottle. Then 50/50 in a glass with orange juice. Spray the hat, drink the glass. Make sure you get the order correct. I use cheap cheap vodka but really good orange juice.

Click to expand...

georgie girl said:

Ha Ha, if only I wasn't an Irish whiskey girl...

Click to expand...

Joseph Evans said:

Hey folks, This is my first post as well. I've got a Borsalino Alessandria that I just inherited from my grandfather. A beautiful hat with lovely felt. But it has a weird shape somewhere between a cattlemen and a teardrop that I'd love to change to a teardrop or center crease. I've never done that before. Should I return it to full crown first? Then, should I let it dry before shaping it to something else?

Click to expand...

mayserwegener said:

Thanks! I am not sure I have encounter any of that type that could actually function. The type that goes around the entire circumference of the sweatband can be adjusted. I have a good number of pre WWII German and Austrian Hats with this type but most haven't been adjusted. Here is Nagy Hut Wien that might have actually been adjusted. Also a fantastic hat!

Click to expand...

georgie girl said:

Great, sounds good to me. Hopefully filtered water works as well as distilled, but luckily the smells aren't terribly overpowering nor mildewy, just a bit more than a hint of that hideous smell you find in thrift stores.

Click to expand...