Flattening Brim & Stitching Sweatband?

feltfan · Aug 22, 2005

Odd...

I note that the site in question has many posts from and
images of people who frequently post here. Indeed, the
site was recommended to me by someone who is highly
regarded here.

I have no idea what the dust up was and personally I
haven't found the other site particularly useful, but
grudges like this just serve to bring attention to the other
guy. Let people decide for themselves.

That said, this isn't my forum. I just hope future "editing"
can be done in a friendly, open manner.

dopey · Aug 22, 2005

I am not a wolf nor am I in costume

MK said:
I deleted your post Dopey. You were promoting a place and a person that disgraced himself from one end of the net to the other. Also he keeps coming here in different aliases....even though we ban him ever time we find him out. He trys to promote his hat racket. Obviouly he can't make an honest living without these cheap tricks. He has caused too much grief and gets banned everywhere he goes.

You might be the lowlife mentioned above in sheep's clothing. If so, get lost. We don't want you here. Only a rude and twisted person keeps coming to a place he is not welcomed.

If you are not him, then get over it. It was just a post. You have almost a hundred posts. One gets deleted and your going to walk?

Bad hatter's post was deleted because it was violating the rules of the classified forum.

This is a very rare action that is taken here. We have very few rules here. Every blue moon someone steps over the line, but for the most part we have an amazing community here. It almosts doesn't need moderating. The bartenders and I appreciate that. It leaves more time for having fun.

MK: I am not the guy you are concerned with, as the several members with whom I have had direct correspondence know.

If you have rules on this forum, then post them. Complaining that people won't read them is no excuse. If you delete my post because it violates a secret rule, then have the courtesy to tell me that directly. The fact that some guy gets under your skin doesn't grant you a license to give others the back of your hand. Manners still matter. Two other members had the decency to tell me what happened, but neither are moderators.

As for getting over it - I have. As you say, this is just a message board. If I don't like the way it is run, I don't need to participate. I don't, so I won't.

My only regret is that this has happened before I really had a chance to give back. With the help of many here, I had finally made it far enough up the learning curve to offer real information.

And finally, MK, I was hardly promoting anything. I linked to post in another forum that directly answered the original question in this thread. That is the point of this forum, isn't it? Had I known of your secret rule, I would have respected it, but don't twist what I did into promoting anyone or anything. And having the the moderator charge that I "might be the lowlife mentioned above in sheep's clothing," without any shred of evidence does not make this forum any more endearing.

Feraud · Aug 22, 2005

I do not think there is a 'secret rule' about posting.
While it is true that every single rule for posting is probably listed, that does not make it wrong or covert in any way, does it? There is a point to not wanting to waste time to list every single type of posting when most people do not read everything!

It appears that the deletion of the post was an honest mistake. When questioned, a moderator gave an answer. Given the further explanations from other memebers and past experiences, I believe what was done was with the best of intentions.

If these are truly 'only' message boards and no one has taken offense, I think we should move along and not push a 'non-issue'.

After all, it was just one deleted message...

Fedora · Aug 22, 2005

You guys ever see the film, Needful Things? Think about it for a moment.

Fedora

Biltmore Bob · Aug 22, 2005

All together now.....

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! :cry:

It's no biggie Dopey, really.

Johnnysan · Aug 22, 2005

Dopey,

I would encourage you not to leave...stuff happens. Hopefully, this discussion will prove helpful in avoiding similar misunderstandings in the future on both sides of the equation. For what's its worth, my opinion is this is the best board of its type to be found. You won't find a more knowledgable and willing group of folks with whom to share your interests. You claim to have more to offer - do so. Stick it out and write this off as a bump in the road.

pointystuff · Sep 24, 2005

MK said:
I deleted your post Dopey. You were promoting a place and a person that disgraced himself from one end of the net to the other. Also he keeps coming here in different aliases....even though we ban him ever time we find him out. He trys to promote his hat racket. Obviouly he can't make an honest living without these cheap tricks. He has caused too much grief and gets banned everywhere he goes.

You might be the lowlife mentioned above in sheep's clothing. If so, get lost. We don't want you here. Only a rude and twisted person keeps coming to a place he is not welcomed.

If you are not him, then get over it. It was just a post. You have almost a hundred posts. One gets deleted and your going to walk?

Bad hatter's post was deleted because it was violating the rules of the classified forum.

This is a very rare action that is taken here. We have very few rules here. Every blue moon someone steps over the line, but for the most part we have an amazing community here. It almosts doesn't need moderating. The bartenders and I appreciate that. It leaves more time for having fun.

I don't visit the forum very often, so I'm unaware of the hat racket in question. Would you please send a PM and let me know what disgraced hat seller should be avoided?
I'm in the market for a fedora and don't want to get taken.
Thanks,
Brad

jimmyfed · Sep 25, 2005

Me too. I'm unaware of the hat racket in question. Would you please send a PM and let me know what disgraced hat seller should be avoided?
Jimmyfed

EggHead · Sep 20, 2010

Is it possible to make the brim flat (horizontal)? I have one of those springy brims that can be lowered or upped (Sydney fedora), but cannot stay flat.

What is inside the brim that makes it springy? A wire or just tight felt?

Thanks,
EggHead

gtdean48 · Sep 20, 2010

Snap brim = snaps up or down

cybergentleman · Sep 22, 2010

I read somewhere, possibly on this site that the snap brim snaps because the edge binding is sewn just slightly tighter than the circumference of the brim.

Think I also read on a different site that some companies insert a wire into the edge to make it more resilient or springy.

Don't forget also that the hats are flanged so as to have the curl all around, in many cases you are just bending the front half down.

BanjoMerlin · Sep 22, 2010

Fedora-style hats are usually flanged to put some curl all around the brim. If you do the math, you'll find that that outside circumference of the brim is smaller than it calculates to. Getting a flat brim on a fedora that was made with a snap brim would be a major undertaking.

Western-style hats are usually made with a flat brim which is then shaped as desired. If you want a flat brim an unflanged western-style hat is the place to start.

carldelo · Sep 22, 2010

Iron it

If a brim is unbound, like a Sydney, you should be able to iron it flat, a la DCI Foyle's hats. This stretches the outermost part of the brim, removing the snap. But be sure you want it flat, because you're not getting the snap back without re-flanging the brim yourself or having it done. Some raw-brimmed hats lose their snap over time due to stretching and require re-flanging to get it back.

If the brim is bound, then you have to stretch the binding to remove the snap. This probably won't work, and ironing will most likely end up rippling the felt and screwing up the binding.

EggHead · Sep 22, 2010

Thanks for the replies. The brim is not bound, but I think I will leave it as is, since once flattened it cannot be undone. Probably will look for a different hat with flat brim. I was thinking of the style that "the Bad" was wearing in The Good, Bad and Ugly.

carldelo · Sep 22, 2010

EggHead said:
Thanks for the replies. The brim is not bound, but I think I will leave it as is, since once flattened it cannot be undone. Probably will look for a different hat with flat brim. I was thinking of the style that "the Bad" was wearing in The Good, Bad and Ugly.

Yeah, good idea. There's no point in forcing a city fedora into a western-style hat. There are several flat-brim Akubra hats that could be shaped to look like you want, not to mention the whole wide world of western hats to choose from...

BanjoMerlin · Sep 22, 2010

EggHead said:
Thanks for the replies. The brim is not bound, but I think I will leave it as is, since once flattened it cannot be undone. Probably will look for a different hat with flat brim. I was thinking of the style that "the Bad" was wearing in The Good, Bad and Ugly.

Definately want a heavy-weight western hat for that.

Morthwyl · Apr 22, 2016

I’m trying to make a replica of Tom Baker’s furry green poet fedora he wore in Doctor Who. I purchased the body from an amateur who had pre-shaped it (I don’t own a hat block). Despite vigorous working to make it floppy the brim won’t flatten, instead it ripples at the sides of the hat. On the underside of the brim is a residue that I suspect is causing this effect, perhaps some form of stiffener? It seems to be more concentrated around the sides, my questions are:

1) How do I flatten the brim?

2) Any advice on how to hand stitch in a leather sweatband?

EstherWeis · Apr 22, 2016

Yeah that is stiffener.
It's not something that is advised to do on a long hair. The inside part of the crown you can apply stiffener, your hairs stick together if you apply straight on the hairs.

You can try getting that off by steaming and then brushing to get it to release the hairs again. It may take a while to get it all off.
You have any idea what type of stiffener he used?

In your case i would advise:
I would try smoothing it out on a flat surface.
Like and ironing board or a piece of wood. If you are worried about getting it dirty cover with some cling film.
Take a clean piece of fabric (cotton) or they sell special steam fabrics for ironing.
I would smooth the fabric over your brim and lightly steam with an iron and lightly press down.
Make sure your iron isn't too hot.
Then take of the cloth and smooth by brushing and or pulling with your hands.
The cloth makes sure you don't flatten the hairs and protects your felt.
Try not to pull on the brim too much, this way your actual crown won't get bigger or pulled out of shape.
The thing with long hair is brushing, steaming, smoothing and repeat.
If you are happy with your result leave it to completely cool off and dry on a flat surface.

You have a reeded sweat?

Morthwyl · Apr 22, 2016

Thanks for the detailed reply, I'm afraid I don't know what stiffener he used. I'll try your techniques, they sound like a good call. Yes, it's reeded goatskin I believe.

Lean'n'mean · Apr 23, 2016

That is the type of 'brim wave' one gets when the crown has been stretched too much. To flatten a brim I just steam a portion, & press down with my hand on a flat surface until cool & work my way around the brim. Remember that any change you make to the base of the crown (shape or size) will alter the brim.

Flattening Brim & Stitching Sweatband?

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