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belfastboy · Jan 18, 2022

Mighty44 said:
Makes sense—and hear you on the CD. Thanks!

Another issue with the factory pressed creases and stiff felt is those factors usually prevent getting out the original crease fully. Likely you will still have parts of the original crease still in place. Unless you have a block and you soak the hat it is hard to remove all traces of the original. Sometimes even with the immersion shadows of the original stay.

dkstott · Jan 18, 2022

I've had success with holding the feather over steam from a kettle and gently smoothing the ruffled feathers.

jviss said:
How can one rescue a feather? Mine, on my most recent acquisition, looks 'frazzled.' Is there anything that can be done?

View attachment 396031

Thank you!

deadlyhandsome · Jan 18, 2022

glider said:
I'd be interested in seeing a picture of your flanges, and where do you get them. I don't have any, but I think it would be really handy.

I have several flanges. One I bought new from Hatters Supply House in Colorado and the others I bought used on eBay etc. I also have two flange stands that I also bought used. The flanges work well even without a sandbag machine. I cover them with a press cloth and use a steam iron. I use my hands to make sure there aren’t any wrinkles and hold the hot felt to the flange until it cools…less than one minute. Sometimes I have to repeat and I do the hat in segments, but I’ve had good results.

Mighty44 · Jan 18, 2022

Wow—I could use one of those!

deadlyhandsome said:
I have several flanges. One I bought new from Hatters Supply House in Colorado and the others I bought used on eBay etc. I also have two flange stands that I also bought used. The flanges work well even without a sandbag machine. I cover them with a press cloth and use a steam iron. I use my hands to make sure there aren’t any wrinkles and hold the hot felt to the flange until it cools…less than one minute. Sometimes I have to repeat and I do the hat in segments, but I’ve had good results.

View attachment 396197 View attachment 396198 View attachment 396199

deadlyhandsome · Jan 18, 2022

glider said:
I'd be interested in seeing a picture of your flanges, and where do you get them. I don't have any, but I think it would be really handy.

I have several flanges. One I bought new from Hatters Supply House in Colorado and the others I bought used on eBay etc. I also have two flange stands that I also bought used. The flanges work well even without a sandbag machine. I cover them with a press cloth and use a steam iron. I use my hands to make sure there aren’t any wrinkles and hold the hot felt to the flange until it cools…less than one minute. Sometimes I have to repeat and I do the hat in segments, but I’ve had good results.

View attachment 396197 View attachment 396198 View attachment 396199

Mighty44 said:
Has anyone tried steaming and shaping a standard modern Stratoliner to give it more of a vintage look? Would this be worth trying? I’d be interested to see some photos. Thanks,

David

If you buy one of Stetson’s new Stratoliners with an open crown you can get really close. The new felt isn’t as thin and it won’t give you an exact match, but it comes close.

deadlyhandsome · Jan 18, 2022

Mighty44 said:
Wow—I could use one of those!

You’ll be surprised how much they sell for. They look pretty simple, but they don’t come cheap. Useful though.

Mighty44 · Jan 18, 2022

Thanks, Brent—looks like they are hard to find in my size. Perhaps they stopped making them?

deadlyhandsome said:
I have several flanges. One I bought new from Hatters Supply House in Colorado and the others I bought used on eBay etc. I also have two flange stands that I also bought used. The flanges work well even without a sandbag machine. I cover them with a press cloth and use a steam iron. I use my hands to make sure there aren’t any wrinkles and hold the hot felt to the flange until it cools…less than one minute. Sometimes I have to repeat and I do the hat in segments, but I’ve had good results.

View attachment 396197 View attachment 396198 View attachment 396199

If you buy one of Stetson’s new Stratoliners with an open crown you can get really close. The new felt isn’t as thin and it won’t give you an exact match, but it comes close.

deadlyhandsome · Jan 18, 2022

Mighty44 said:
Thanks, Brent—looks like they are hard to find in my size. Perhaps they stopped making them?

This is where I bought mine:

https://www.one2miniranch.com/stetson-premier-stratoliner-open-crown-fur-fedora/

I know that many retailers have had trouble getting getting Stetsons.

Mighty44 · Jan 18, 2022

Thanks I will investigate!

deadlyhandsome said:
This is where I bought mine:

https://www.one2miniranch.com/stetson-premier-stratoliner-open-crown-fur-fedora/

I know that many retailers have had trouble getting getting Stetsons.

glider · Jan 18, 2022

I was surprised, it wouldn't be hard to spend 1000 bucks. Maybe I better watch the bay. Thanks

Snowman · Jan 18, 2022

Frunobulax said:
I think if you have one of the factory creased Royals, you're kinda SOL. Pretty sure when opened up those things have more taper than the open crown ones.

Yep. The molded crown is immovable, and the soft brim flops around like dryer lint. On the Royal, that is.

Bill Hughes · Jan 19, 2022

Bill Hughes said:
Anybody familiar with this sweatband crest? Any information would be helpful.

View attachment 395975

I was able to find a couple of things on the internet. First I found this logo for a modern machining company.

Then I found this old listing for another Yeddo boater.

So it would appear that my boater was made by Fischer in Dottikon, Switzerland for Humming Bird Hats. Still not a lot of information but more than when I started.

jviss · Jan 19, 2022

deadlyhandsome said:
Most of us pluck our hats and wear them sans feathers. I think maybe three of hats still have their feathers. I wonder if a standard soft bristle hat brush would help your feather?

Would you be wiling to part with some of those feathers you've plucked?

Bill Hughes · Jan 19, 2022

jviss said:
Would you be wiling to part with some of those feathers you've plucked?

I have a bunch of feathers. But honestly you can buy hat feathers off Ebay or Etsy.

jviss · Jan 19, 2022

Bill Hughes said:
I have a bunch of feathers. But honestly you can buy hat feathers off Ebay or Etsy.

They go for an awful lot of money, though! And they kill you on shipping.

deadlyhandsome · Jan 19, 2022

jviss said:
Would you be wiling to part with some of those feathers you've plucked?

To be honest, I don’t usually keep them. I’ll look around as see what I can find.

jviss · Jan 19, 2022

deadlyhandsome said:
To be honest, I don’t usually keep them. I’ll look around as see what I can find.

Thank you!

Steve1857 · Jan 19, 2022

Bill Hughes said:
I was able to find a couple of things on the internet. First I found this logo for a modern machining company.

View attachment 396465

Then I found this old listing for another Yeddo boater.
View attachment 396464

So it would appear that my boater was made by Fischer in Dottikon, Switzerland for Humming Bird Hats. Still not a lot of information but more than when I started.

View attachment 396470

Some nice sleuthing, Bill. I think you've got yourself one nice Boater there. Not to mention a maker the FL doesn't seem to know of. Be great to find out more about them.

BobHufford · Jan 19, 2022

@jviss -- maybe you could volunteer in the aviary section of a pet store for a day or two. There might be a clean feather or two dropped by Polly. Avoid anything else she drops.

belfastboy · Jan 19, 2022

BobHufford said:
@jviss -- maybe you could volunteer in the aviary section of a pet store for a day or two. There might be a clean feather or two dropped by Polly. Avoid anything else she drops.

I was thinking of putting pigeon feathers in some of my hats as revenge for all the times pigeons have deposited on my hats. But then I thought it might just encourage them to seek revenge.

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