How do you break in a hat?

Vannevar · Post by **Vannevar** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 4:01 pm

without wearing it? some people use mattresses to break in their baseball mitts and stuff like that. Is there a hat equivilent? I just got a new AB beaver and am looking for tips.

agent5 · Post by **agent5** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 4:03 pm

without wearing it?

No.

Post by **Michaelson** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 4:03 pm

Hum. THIS is a new one. I've moved this to the care and distressing section for folks to ponder.

I just wear mine.

Regards! Michaelson

Strider · Post by **Strider** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 4:03 pm

Michaelson wrote:I've moved this to the care and distressing section for folks to ponder.

LOL, I saw that coming a mile away.

Vannevar, what do you mean by "break it in"? Make it look worn? Make it look Indy-esque?

You can sit on it, you can dust it up with Fuller's earth, you can roll it up in your hands, use it as a pillow ... of couse, this all sounds like distressing rather than breaking in.

whiskyman · Post by **whiskyman** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 4:07 pm

All I will say is this. I've had 10 Indy style fedoras over the past 3 years, and I've found that "distressing" them (sitting on, rolling up, crushing etc) accelerates taper. My current hat - an AB - is the first hat i haven't tried to distress and it's the first that hasn't tapered within 2 months.

If by breaking in you mean making comfortable - just wear it everyday and it'll be perfect in no time. If you mean making it look beat up and Raiders- ish, expect it to taper quickly afterwards.

agent5 · Post by **agent5** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 4:14 pm

All I will say is this. I've had 10 Indy style fedoras over the past 3 years, and I've found that "distressing" them (sitting on, rolling up, crushing etc) accelerates taper.

Not to mention possibly putting unneeded stress in alot of areas of the felt. Not good unless you have money to burn for another in the years to come. Although most of the hats here can take the abuse, would you really want to subject them to it and possible shorten the life of a good hat?

Strider · Post by **Strider** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 4:15 pm

You can dust it with Fuller's Earth, and that won't accelerate taper. I agree with the other points you made, though. Sitting on your hat, and doing all those other things will cause a hat to taper faster.

Post by **Michaelson** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 4:22 pm

Strider wrote:
Michaelson wrote:I've moved this to the care and distressing section for folks to ponder.
LOL, I saw that coming a mile away.

Have I become that obvious?

Regards! Michaelson

Ghos7a55assin · Post by **Ghos7a55assin** » Sat Feb 04, 2006 11:16 am

I will admit there's a pattern, Michaelson.

If by fitting better, I would wear it in a light rain, or wet the sweatband and wear it. If you want it to look aged, I suggest looking at Lee Keppler's web-site- there's a tutorial for softening up his hats (which is about as hard as an Akubra so I hear). Fuller's Earth will get it look grubbier without the grub.

gigatron2k · Post by **gigatron2k** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 3:32 pm

When I first got my fed Deluxe a few yrs ago, it was stiff as a board. After a couple of months of just wearing it (getting caught in the rain, snow, heat - you name it) it became as soft as butter. It holds it's shape beautifully and looks as good as the day I bought it.

And don't be ashamed to wear it. Here in NYC, they're making a big comeback. I still get a lot of compliments from ladies

-Fred