Shaping a straw hat?

[Lorne]

Hello all,

Is it possible to shape a straw hat, and how would you do it? I imagine steam is involved.


Lorne

 

[RedPop4]

I have a very old straw that was my grandfather's that got kind of skurmushed
I'll need to reshape this as well.

 

[SHARPETOYS]

Steam and an iron are the weapons of choice with straw...I've been working with them for 3 years now and I dare not do much more than a touchup myself...this is the work of experienced people...unless it is a cheapie!

 

[Lorne]

Shaping straw

I was looking at taking a round crown, and giving it a front pinch. Do you think that is possible with just a kettle and my fingers?


Lorne

 

[RBH]

Lorne,
If it is a recent made straw I would soak the crown in water till it was soft then shape it as you want. I would be sure to then wear the hat till it is fairly dry as to not let shrink up on you. I dont know if I would do a vintage this way or not but as long as I have let the hat dry on my head I have always had luck with doing it this way.

 

[Phil_in_CS]

I've done this with a couple of hats...

its not as hard as you think. I use my clothing steamer to get it soft, and reshape it gently several times, to get the look I want.

I've changed brims, since I like a low front dive, asymmetric, and changed a center crease to a front pinch.

Get a hold hat and practice on it. Its not that hard.

 

[SHARPETOYS]

I was looking at taking a round crown, and giving it a front pinch. Do you think that is possible with just a kettle and my fingers?


Lorne

Yes... Less is more.

 

[gekisai29]

I've seen an online panama hat vendor recommend using hot water from a spray bottle then shaping & using a hair dryer

 

[gdkenoyer]

I've seen an online panama hat vendor recommend using hot water from a spray bottle then shaping & using a hair dryer

hmmm...take note of Panama Bob's warning here.

 

[RedPop4]

Saved it, thanks.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Here’s a Resistol “straw” hat I recently bought. It’s certainly not new, but it’s not “old” either. I don’t know what the straw material is, but it seems almost industrial. The straw is thick and coarse and the weave is very open. It a has a huge crown that had a version of the cattleman’s crease. I soaked it good and steamed it to the shape I wanted. While it will never be a fine hat, it’s now more my style and less urban cowboy. It breathes very well.

As purchased:

Steamed to open crown:

Finished (for now) shape:

 

[FedoraRedHat]

I am not claiming to be a hat expert, but I have learned a thing or two in the past month.

This is a Montecristi 24x24 Fino that I received over two months ago:

This hat arrived as pictured in the image above. Note the out of shape brim. I regret to say that I have reshaped this hat (through warm water, not steam) every day for the past month. I am a stickler for straight lines (call it a little bit of OCD), in which the hat would return to its wavy state at the end of every day. I finally got my hands on some ultra-hold hairspray, in which I sprayed down the brim to stiffen it before shaping. The brim is very stiff, and is holding well now after two or three coats. Most panamas sold by top brands are usually stiffened at the brim during manufacture, but mine was from an Ecuadorian direct seller (from which I hear blocking is not their strong suit). If you want to shape a straw hat, be sure to stiffen the hat before shaping to avoid the month of repeated reshapings that I have done. You'll also want to cover your sweatband before stiffening, as leftover hairspray could leave a sticky residue on your head (irritations and/or allergies could occur). Don't thank me, I get most of my knowledge from watching JJ Hat Center YouTube videos.

Here's the hat now: