Reblocking a hat

[artboynyc]

A few quick questions:

How far can you go when reblocking a hat?

In other words, is the best you can hope for when you bring in a hat to get reblocked is to restore it to its original shape, or could you alter it through reblocking? If you had a hat with a (purposefully) tapered crown, could you remove the taper, or vice-versa with a hat with a stovepipe crown?

And if you can alter a hat through reblocking, and you do, what are the risks of damaging the hat?

I await word from the assembled experts...

 

[jamespowers]

Oh boy. I hope Art is out there to check me on this but I will go out on a limb and risk having it sawed off.
You can remove the taper from the crown of a hat when it is reblocked or you could put taper in if you wish. A good hatter can make a hat look completely different if that is what you are after. They can turn a homburg into a fedora and vice versa.
As long as the hat you are starting with is not a complete wreak with holes in it and such; it can be revived. So it depends on the felt you start with. A good beaver, nutria or blend can take a blocking quite easily. Cheaper blends and some off the rack hats are a different story. The hatter will be able to tell you what he can do when you bring it in. Just remember what a friendly hatter once told me: "I said I was GOOD not GOD!"

Regards to all,

J

 

[gandydancer]

Interesting question, ArtBoy.

First I am answering as a person who has done some extensive research, not as an experienced hatter, so keep that in mind.

Going from a straight high crown wide brim to a tapered low crown narrow brim is easy. The other way may be impossible because there will not be enough felt. Good quality felt can be reworked many times. Poor quality felt will break down much faster. Felt that has been creased (folded tight) will break down much faster than felt that has easy curves in it, so the later can be reworked more times. Needle holes fill in when reworked, bigger holes do not. Sometimes, if the hatter has extra felt (as going from a big high crown, wide brim to a smaller low crown narrow brim), he can refelt worn areas, even quite big holes. Felt is in some ways much like fiberglass, you can do a lot with it. However, in a hat it needs to match much better (no gel coat) so you are somewhat limited.
Some hatters are great at restoration work, others are not, so it also depends upon the hatter.

Hope this helps.

 

[artboynyc]

Thanks for the info. I haven't made up my mind how I want to go with this hat, but I'm glad I better understand my options.

Tom