soft felt that won't hold creases...steam?

[citRon]

So my Akubras I've never been afraid to soak or steam to get a bash set in, but this Churchill stingy is another story. The felt is very soft but very dense. There are no side creases in it at all, and from the looks of there never were any. If I want to crease it, should I wet it or steam it? -Or neither and leave it creaseless?

[/IMG]

 

[duggap]

That would have to be up to you as to weather to put side dents in or not. But if you decide to put the side dent in the hat, I believe at least steam would be required in order to get the side dents to stay. Some of the fellows here have mentioned that they left off the side dents.

 

[nickn5]

I found with my Mallory 1940s/50s fedora that I had the same problem, the bash not staying 'put'. All I did was wave the crown area over a kettle spout (while boiling) for about 5-10 seconds, which softened it nicely. Then I put the bash dents in the sides, which then stayed nicely until it cooled down, and surprisingly once cool the hat crown was much stiffer than before.

Hope that helps,

N.

 

[gtdean48]

Steaming seems to recall the initial stiffness of the felt. Even hats that have gotten softer with wear & getting wet in the rain seem to regain stiffness after a good steaming to make adjustments to their crease....

 

[PabloElFlamenco]

...but, my experience is that...no matter how much steam I apply or regardless how wet from rain...the stiffness leaves something to be desired.

In fact, the felt is stiffest when just dried up after having been subjected to considerable rain showers...

I guess it's just one of the properties of such felts. I wouldn't call it a defect, but not my favorite felts. My three Borsalino velvety hats all act like that (they're of the rollable type).

Paul

 

[avedwards]

But the stiffness of a dried hat can be gotton rid of easily by wearing it or even quicker, crumpling it in your hands.