I broke my Campdraft!

portolan · Feb 27, 2009

What did I do wrong? This afternoon a big box from Australia arrived with my long awaited Campdraft. Such a great color - the sun in the picture makes it too light. Anyway, it arrived open crowned, so I set about trying to put in the side dents....I was pretty cautious, but in the left side dent it was like something gave way in the felt, making about a one inch crack. What did I do wrong? I was dry creasing it. Was there a flaw in the felt, or a flaw in my method? Might it steam out? It isn't too distracting, but you can see it in the pictures. The crown and other dent were fine. Is it possible there was a weakness in the felt at this spot? I guess my new hat already has character and a few flaws, just like its owner! Or maybe its owner is a character with a few flaws.....cracks me up!

indycop · Feb 27, 2009

Is it just in appearance or can you feel some kind of bend in it? Did you try a little distilled water on it?

rebelgtp · Feb 27, 2009

Weird I've never had that happen with one of my Akubras before. When my Feds came and one for a friend came I just beat the tar out of them with a wooden spoon, popped them back out and shaped them (and my dark brown has a razor edge front crease). I've never had the felt "crack" like that.

portolan · Feb 27, 2009

It is a definite crevice. Run your finger over it and you

can feel it. About an inch long.

gtdean48 · Feb 27, 2009

Push it back to open crown & steam/spray with distilled water. Must be a weak spot in the stiffener. I always do the side dents last, getting the rear height set & even across the back, then work forward. FIRST thing I do is put the hat on & get a toothpick or paper clip & line it up with my nose so I know about where the front pinch needs to line up. I'm not sure I'd dry crease a Campdraft from what I have read about their stiffness...

indycop · Feb 27, 2009

portolan said:
can feel it. About an inch long.

Is sending it back an option? Should only possibly not be because its shaped. But with an obvious manufacture or shipping defect I would email them with a picture and see if they would swap it.

If it was me and it couldnt be sent back I would sand it a lttle to try and smooth it some. It doesn't look to bad at least by the picture.

kaosharper1 · Feb 27, 2009

Is there an actual tear in the felt, or is it just a crease?

gtdean48 · Feb 27, 2009

A crease or crevice as Phil calls it above...

RBH · Feb 27, 2009

Send it to me Phil and I will crease it for you.
I really dont think anything is wrong with it.
A little water and a 'massage' should fix it right up.

gtdean48 · Feb 27, 2009

RBH said:
A little water and a 'massage' should fix it right up.

Rusty's hat spa!!!lol lol

RBH · Feb 27, 2009

gtdean48 said:
Rusty's hat spa!!!lol lol

We are having a March special in honor of my birthday!

gtdean48 · Feb 27, 2009

RBH said:
We are having a March special in honor of my birthday!

My birthday is in March also. Do I get a discount?[huh]

RBH · Feb 27, 2009

gtdean48 said:
My birthday is in March also. Do I get a discount?[huh]

discount... hell.. you get to help with the massage.

gtdean48 · Feb 27, 2009

RBH said:
discount... hell.. you get to help with the massage.

Oh a "working" vacation!!! The beer had better be free then....

RBH · Feb 28, 2009

gtdean48 said:
Oh a "working" vacation!!! The beer had better be free then....

uh ... beer... yeah.. We gonna have beer.

and it will be fee.. I mean free.

gtdean48 · Feb 28, 2009

RBH said:
uh ... beer... yeah.. We gonna have beer.
and it will be fee.. I mean free.

Or at least get Jimmy there to buy!!!

RBH · Feb 28, 2009

gtdean48 said:
Or at least get Jimmy there to buy!!!

Jimmys good for it...

But realy Phil... drop me a PM.

HarpPlayerGene · Feb 28, 2009

portolan said:
1) What did I do wrong?

2) ...something gave way in the felt...

3) Was there a flaw in the felt...

4) Might it steam out?

5) Is it possible there was a weakness in the felt at this spot?

This kind of stuff really aggravates me.

#1: Nothing.

#2: It appears so.

#3: Yes.

#4: Not likely.

#5: Absolutely.

This seems like the same problem inherent in one of my Open Roads. A modern one, of course. It pains me to see someone buy a 'quality hat' and have this happen to them.

carter · Feb 28, 2009

Portolan said:
... Was there a flaw in the felt ...

Phil, This can happen in the felting process. A felt may be produced that has or will develop a weak spot.
Usually this is caught in manufacturing but, occasionally, one may slip through.
I hope this isn't one of those occurances but it certainly may be. If so, the retailer should make you whole.

portolan · Feb 28, 2009

First of all, my birthday is also in March

In less than two weeks, it will be the big seisenta.....60 years young and still finding new hobbies....like messing up hats!

OK, I did what you advised.....I eliminated the creases and sprayed it good. I then massaged the felt.....kinda kinky....and then recreased it. Crevice is visually gone! It is still there to the touch, but not really visible. I still think there was a flaw in the felt right there. I guess I panicked.....Sorry....I rubbed the felt good in that area and the crease disappeared to the eye.

Thanks for all the help and for the spa talk....that was more fun than my post.

All's well. Thanks for the assist. Rusty, thanks for the offer, too. Phil

I broke my Campdraft!

portolan

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indycop

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