Silverbelly/light color question

[Chuck Bobuck]

I'm going to purchase a Campdraft in either Silverbelly or Tawny Fawn. I really like the look of Silverbelly, but it seems like it would stain and get dirty more easily. What do you folks with Silverbelly hats do? Do you clean them regularly with just a brush or does it require more serious cleaning? Do you accept any show of dirt as character?

If I know I'm going to be working up a sweat, I'd probably wear something else, but if it blows off my head and down the street, will it require some serious cleaning? I'm getting older, so if it blows too far down the street, I probably won't see it again anyway.

Just kind of curious, I see a lot of Silverbelly open roads here and just wondered how you folks deal with that. I am looking for a nice hat, not a hat cleaning career and sending it off to a pro every year seems expensive. Do you think the Tawny Fawn would stand up to life's hard knocks a little better, or do light hats just need more care. Thanks and great to be here.

 

[MattJH]

I'm speaking for myself only, but whenever I get anything white or cream colored (be it shoes, shirts, hats, a car, a couch, whatever), I've already accepted that it's going to show dirt. I don't know that there's any way around it, and the hat-handling it would require in order to keep it pristine and clean sounds like more work than I'd like, so if I got one it'd be with a known future as a beater.

 

[Lefty]

If you keep it on your head, it shouldn't get dirty. If it does get a little dirty, a hat brush will remove most problems. If you don't have a hat brush, buy one.

Everyone who owns a felt hat should own a hat brush.

 

[Boxerken]

Chuck I have a Campdraft in silverbelly and although i've only had it about 2 months it has not shown any dirt yet from handling, but i'm in the habit of washing my hands alot to. If it's going to show dirt it will be where you put your fingers on it to take it off. I agree with Lefty about owning a hat brush, if you have felts get one.

 

[Chuck Bobuck]

Oh, I would buy it it's own special brush...no question. I have one for my only other fur felts, both gray. I see so many light colored OR's, I just wondered how clean or dirty you guys wore them. How carefuly/carelessly you treat them and if some of you even think the dirtier the better?

I finally watched Brokeback Mountain with the Mrs. a few weeks ago. Heath Ledger's silverbelly cowboy hat had some mileage on it. It may have been put on by the prop dept. though.

I won't be camping out with mine, just some urban travel, to and from work, shopping and such. Maybe some occasional Telecaster picking out in the farmlands with the crazy inlaws too.

 

[handlebar bart]

I was worried about having light colored lids at first so I bought just dark ones. I am blue color as they come and my hands never come completely clean and despite that my light lids do just fine. I would suggest a brush just for your light hats and I have Scout-spot remover for hat granules (along with a coarse yellow sponge) that I use to remove any potential staining.

 

[Lefty]

I forgot about that orange sponge, those things work miracles.
Good call Bart!

 

[jimmy the lid]

Chuck -- I think you'd be surprised at how well silver belly holds up, actually. It seems to take routine use pretty darn well. If I were going to wear this color for outdoors activities, I would just resign myself (like I would for any lid, really) to the fact that a smudge or two is just part of the game. A good brushing and maybe a once over with a hat sponge, and you're back in business.

Cheers,
JtL

 

[Chuck Bobuck]

Thanks for the responses gentlemen. Bart, I even have one of those orange sponges. My first fur felt was a gray Dobbs Golden Coach that I got off e-bay. The hat looked like it had never been worn, but you could smell the dust on it. It must have been stored in a very dusty environment. I had it cleaned at a local Tack and Western store. It cost a whole $5 and they used the orange sponges and dirt kept coming off the hat. It was strange because you couldn't really see it.

I bought a 2 pack of the sponges, took the hat home and worked on it some more and the sponge kept taking off dirt. Finally, I blew the hat out with an air compressor until I quit seeing dirt come off. It could probably benefit from a pro cleaning, but I'd rather spend my money on another hat.

 

[handlebar bart]

Thanks for the responses gentlemen. Bart, I even have one of those orange sponges. My first fur felt was a Dobbs Golden Coach that I got off e-bay. The hat looked like it had never been worn, but you could smell the dust on it. It must have been stored in a very dusty environment. I had it cleaned at a local Tack and Western store. It cost a whole $5 and they used the orange sponges and dirt kept coming off the hat. It was strange because you couldn't really see it.

I bought a 2 pack of the sponges, took the hat home and worked on it some more and the sponge kept taking off dirt. Finally, I blew the hat out with an air compressor until I quit seeing dirt come off. It could probably benefit from a pro cleaning, but I'd rather spend my money on another hat.

Thats my logic too Chucklol lol And you know, alittle dirt just gives the hat some character.

 

[J.T.Marcus]

If you keep it on your head, it shouldn't get dirty. If it does get a little dirty, a hat brush will remove most problems. If you don't have a hat brush, buy one.

Everyone who owns a felt hat should own a hat brush.

Till you get a hat brush, you can use an old tooth brush. It works surprisingly well. (Just don't put toothpaste on it!)

 

[Colby Jack]

Welcome Chuck!...Definitely...a brush. sponge and scouts. :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap and remember to lift off by the outer brim, not pinching the crown...

 

[Chuck Bobuck]

Till you get a hat brush, you can use an old tooth brush. It works surprisingly well. (Just don't put toothpaste on it!)

I'm only going to use hat paste J.T.! lol Thanks for the tooth brush tip, I've seen the photos of your hats, I can imagine you have spent some time with hat maintenance.