Reblock

Kris · Post by **Kris** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 8:17 pm

Heya you hat knowing people. Is it possible to reblock a hat (tapered in design, teardrop) to a more stovepipe look, and a center dent?

Rusty Jones · Post by **Rusty Jones** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 8:28 pm

If your talking about a dorfman, I did mine... I just dunked it fully in water (be careful because it can shrink, especially if it dries too fast) and then bend it to your will however you want it shaped... if you dunk it it should be quite maliable, it make take you several tries... you can also try, at your own risk, crumpling and uncrumpling/sitting on the hat a couple times to losen the felt it given an unkempt Raider's look (worked for me... but hopefully i'll be getting a better hat soon though, but this one has done VERY well for a dorfman and I will definatly keep it as my "ToD" hat because its got that look to it...

Kris · Post by **Kris** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 8:45 pm

No, not a dorfman, a hat I got for my birthday last year.

Strider · Post by **Strider** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 8:56 pm

You can re-block any felt hat to the desired shape. You just need the right block in terms of size, crown height, and desired shape. However, you're not going to get that uber stovepipe shape by just dousing it in water and going crazy on it. To get that, you need a block.

Marc · Post by **Marc** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 4:05 am

You can re-block any felt hat to the desired shape.

Not quite... If you want to block a hat to look more stovepiped, be carefull regarding the way the sweatband is attached to the crown. If it's sewed into the crown with a sewing maching using tiny stitches, the brim break is basicly perforated and once you pull on the brim, to pull the hat over the block, you might end up with the brim in one hand and the crown in the other. Due to that perforation, you also can't stretch the felt of the crown too much and a tapered crown would lose hight in order to stretch out / becoming un-tapered.

You know how to put a sweatband back Kris, but when you reblock a hat that was sewn on a sewing machine, be carefull and try only to pull on the crown: after plenty of hot steam, place your hand on the side of the crown and press downwards, rather than pulling on the brim (I'm only assuming that the sweatband wasn't sewn in by hand). Then do the same on front and back, always working with loth of hot steam.

Of course you can also get yourself a block that fits inside the crown with the sweatband still inside (that wouldn't make a perfectly stovepiped hat of course). But still I'd be careful to pull on that brim.

Good luck Kris and let me know, if I can be of any assistence.

Regards,

Marc

Kris · Post by **Kris** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 10:57 am

Thanks for the help!

This is the Hat in question
http://www.swstartours.net/absoluteig2/ ... goryid=237

Indiana Jerry · Post by **Indiana Jerry** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 2:59 pm

Gosh, that's a decent looking hat to begin with. Sure you want to mess with it?

Kris · Post by **Kris** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 7:24 pm

Yeah, it looks too .. maffia like. I ormaly make people avoid me, but this one makes them REALLY avoid me, especially with a trenchcoat. So a bit of modifications will make it look better

Marc · Post by **Marc** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 3:15 am

Hmmm... so how about a silver or dove grey ribbon then

Regards,

Marc

JPdesign · Post by **JPdesign** » Sun Dec 25, 2005 7:44 pm

I have taken a hat that was 5 inches tall with an open crown and blocked it out to be 6 inces tall with an open crown and have less taper. I have also taken a hat that had a 5 3/4 inch open crown and blocked it and shrunk the crown to less than 5 inches and made it more tapered. I can take a hat either way. A sweat that is machine sewn doesn't nessecarily mean it can't be stretched taller, it just means you need to be carefull, I wouldn't suggest trying this at home. If I look at one I can tell you if it is possible or not, as multiple factors come into play. Felt thickness, stiching tightness, quality at the band line, fur type all come ito play.

Jimmy

Marc · Post by **Marc** » Mon Dec 26, 2005 5:12 am

Good points JP!

Of course a inferior felt body that is stretched to max and literally perforated in the brim break area already, can't give the same results regarding stretching as a body that has plenty of "stretchability" inside yet.

There is indeed more than just the stitching to it.

Regards,

Marc

Fedora · Post by **Fedora** » Mon Dec 26, 2005 9:36 pm

You know, I have seen hats that were really elastic like, and you could stretch the stew out of them once you got them wet and hot. And then I have seen felt that would stretch very little at all. I always figured the real stretchy stuff would shrink back easier due to the amount that it could be stretched. I do not know enough to make a call on it though. Perhaps in a few years!! Fedora

prairiejones · Post by **prairiejones** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 6:59 pm

you could stretch the stew out of them once you got them wet and hot

Fedora · Post by **Fedora** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 7:15 pm

8-[

No double entendre intended. Fedora

Kris · Post by **Kris** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 8:29 pm

I had the hat in the car today, and in the dark, I sat on it for 15 minutes. After I found out (it was a FLAT hat), it just popped back into the shape.