Newbie with a few questions.

[KingTigerII]

Hiya guys.
Firsty of all if im breaking rules or posting in a bad area, sorry. Hate posting on my smart phone.

I was gifted a grey wool fedora, made by the Golden Gate Hat Company, for my birthday and my problem is that after about a month or two it has been exposed to rain....and is now turning a faint plum color. This disturbs me as I would very much like to keep a grey fedora....well...grey.

What can I do to, if possible, restore the original color. Well that seems almost improbable so how about this: What can I do to prevent it from becoming more plum?


Also I wanted to know how to keep the brim straight. This wool fedora, that cost my parents 80 smackeroos, is almost as bad as my trashy Indiana Jones one. It curls as it drys.

So how can I keep this wool fedora in good shape?

 

[Alan-Eby]

You won't find many in favor of wool fedora's on here, mostly because of problems like you ate mentioning, among others. I to was given a wool fedora about 10 years ago, it was a very nice brown color, but after a very little wearing and light weather, it is an unattractive greenish color, the brim won't keep a shape, and it has shrunk. I have abandoned wool hats, except one, and that finds very little time on my head.
All this is to say, there is not a whole lot that I think can be done for your hat, unfortunately.

 

[facade]

Hiya guys.
Firsty of all if im breaking rules or posting in a bad area, sorry. Hate posting on my smart phone.

I was gifted a grey wool fedora, made by the Golden Gate Hat Company, for my birthday and my problem is that after about a month or two it has been exposed to rain....and is now turning a faint plum color. This disturbs me as I would very much like to keep a grey fedora....well...grey.

What can I do to, if possible, restore the original color. Well that seems almost improbable so how about this: What can I do to prevent it from becoming more plum?


Also I wanted to know how to keep the brim straight. This wool fedora, that cost my parents 80 smackeroos, is almost as bad as my trashy Indiana Jones one. It curls as it drys.

So how can I keep this wool fedora in good shape?

You could try adding a water repellent such as this: http://www.sheplers.com/hats/hat_accessories_care/101397.html

 

[danofarlington]

My recommended way to waterproof a wool hat is 1) ask a hatmaker to make an exact replica of the wool hat in fur felt; 2) sew it onto the wool hat; 3) take out the stitches and discard the wool hat.

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Wool is not the best especially when you get them wet. Would recomend a Akubra Fedora from:
http://www.hatsdirect.com/
If you like the indy look try the Federation model. There is also a special order going on here for the Camp Draft model.
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?54071-HERITAGE-grade-Akubra-Campdraft-in-Silver-Belly-Campaign

 

[gtdean48]

...

What can I do to, if possible, restore the original color. Well that seems almost improbable so how about this: What can I do to prevent it from becoming more plum?
...
So how can I keep this wool fedora in good shape?

You can try to dye it, Rit Dye may be your best bet. As far as the brim, best trick there is to iron it with a cool steam iron but wool, as mentioned above, is not a felt that supports reconstruction.
Scotchguard is a good waterproofing for wool hats, used it on my crushers for camping all the time. Water doesn't hurt fur felt but is detrimental to wool.

 

[KingTigerII]

Ah...that's what I feared. I'll just buy a nice felt fedora that I can use for daily use and reenactments. Thanks gents- I appreciate all the help.

And I hate the Indy look. Id prefer the 30s suit and tie look when im not doing my 5th Ranger wwii impression! (My picture is a bit older and misleading lol)

 

[jlee562]

The Indy hat is a 30's hat though....

 

[KingTigerII]

The Indy hat is a 30's hat though....

I mean the brown Fedora with the Brown leather jacket. The style of hat is great....but after doing the "Indy" Look for a while I got very sick of it. But that's mainly because I hate people me calling Indy. Finding out that it doesn't matter though...its just any hat that resembles his fedora lol

Anyways im going to do some budgeting and grab a nice fur felt fedora.

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Iwas doing the Indy look way before Indy.

 

[JPH]

I was doing the Indy look way before Indy.

And Charlton Heston was doing it way before you...

.. Although, back then it would have been known as the Harry Steel look.

Joseph