First, please excuse me if this has been discussed here before, but I found only one topic, concerning a "pre-hole" state of the fedora.
Now to the topic: I have a rabbit felt fedora (made in CZ) and by some accident (don't know how) I happened to get a hole in the felt just in the top of the front pinch of the crown. I visited one of the two hat shops we have here and the shopkeeper told me there is no chance to fix it. But, as I'm an optimist, I'd like to ask here, if there IS any chance to, at least, make the hole invisible, if not to patch (or whatever) it.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Regards
Ico
A hole in the fedora
Moderators: Indiana Jeff, Dalexs
Oh boy. What a first post... First of all, welcome to COW!
Second... sight... did you grap your hat at the front pinch in opposite to the brim? - Because that's the reason for a "pre-hole" state at the front pinch in 99% of the case I'm aware of. So if that's the case, stop doing that immediately!
Ok, what you need now is some fur to strengthen the weak spot. You can pounce the inside of the crown with some coarse sandpaper (120 grit will do) and you'll quickly end up with some fur for that attempt (and it's got the right color too). Now you have to make a lose felt patch from it, with boiling hot water, steam and by walking it with your hands (use rubber gloves). Evtl. fold it over from time to time. Don't felt too tight, as the felt still needs the ability to shrink yet. Ok, put aside the patch and pounce the weak area with the sandpaper LIGHTLY to "upon up" the surface. Put the lose felt patch into the crown over the weak spot (and at least an inch around that area) after you made the weak spot wet with boiling hot water and then felt the patch to the backside of the weak spot using boiling hot water, lots of steam and keep working the patch into the felt of the hat (roll the area, knit it, anything, to get the fibres to interlock). When it holds by itself, put the hat on a block (or something that is hard enough to support the patched spot from the inside, pour some boiling water over the spot again and iron the "excrementum" out of the area. Repeat 3-4 times and you'll evtl. succeed. If you have the possibility, practice on a trash hat first, as it's difficult to get it right the first time (and the second and third time, to be honest).
Good luck,
Marc
Second... sight... did you grap your hat at the front pinch in opposite to the brim? - Because that's the reason for a "pre-hole" state at the front pinch in 99% of the case I'm aware of. So if that's the case, stop doing that immediately!
Ok, what you need now is some fur to strengthen the weak spot. You can pounce the inside of the crown with some coarse sandpaper (120 grit will do) and you'll quickly end up with some fur for that attempt (and it's got the right color too). Now you have to make a lose felt patch from it, with boiling hot water, steam and by walking it with your hands (use rubber gloves). Evtl. fold it over from time to time. Don't felt too tight, as the felt still needs the ability to shrink yet. Ok, put aside the patch and pounce the weak area with the sandpaper LIGHTLY to "upon up" the surface. Put the lose felt patch into the crown over the weak spot (and at least an inch around that area) after you made the weak spot wet with boiling hot water and then felt the patch to the backside of the weak spot using boiling hot water, lots of steam and keep working the patch into the felt of the hat (roll the area, knit it, anything, to get the fibres to interlock). When it holds by itself, put the hat on a block (or something that is hard enough to support the patched spot from the inside, pour some boiling water over the spot again and iron the "excrementum" out of the area. Repeat 3-4 times and you'll evtl. succeed. If you have the possibility, practice on a trash hat first, as it's difficult to get it right the first time (and the second and third time, to be honest).
Good luck,
Marc
Hmm, thanks Marc for the advice.
At least, you have proven my personal theory that the felt is repairable as it is "just" a mixture of rabbit (or ehatever other animal) hair pressed together in some technological process.
To the advice: maybe I shall first try my hat shop, whether they are able to do this (in fact, they told me they could do something similar but it sounded like if it was just putting there a sticking-plaster or something like that
). I'm a little afraid of taking off something from the fedora. It's not like cold bashing, it's "an intervention" to the integrity of the hat. That's why I don't have the dimensional cut done on it, even if it would help the hat look better on me.
Plus the hatter might be better equiped for such a sensitive action - the block, hat iron, etc. and is definitely more experienced than me.
However, if they're not able to do this, I just will have to try myself.
I will let you know, how it all ended, when it does.
Thanks again
Ico
At least, you have proven my personal theory that the felt is repairable as it is "just" a mixture of rabbit (or ehatever other animal) hair pressed together in some technological process.
To the advice: maybe I shall first try my hat shop, whether they are able to do this (in fact, they told me they could do something similar but it sounded like if it was just putting there a sticking-plaster or something like that
). I'm a little afraid of taking off something from the fedora. It's not like cold bashing, it's "an intervention" to the integrity of the hat. That's why I don't have the dimensional cut done on it, even if it would help the hat look better on me. Plus the hatter might be better equiped for such a sensitive action - the block, hat iron, etc. and is definitely more experienced than me.
However, if they're not able to do this, I just will have to try myself.
I will let you know, how it all ended, when it does.
Thanks again
Ico
Basicly yet. The problem is, that the cone as which the rawbody starts out as, is three times as big, as it is after it's been rolled and knitted. And the felt patch that you'll make will also shrink round about 66% while you felt it tighter...At least, you have proven my personal theory that the felt is repairable as it is "just" a mixture of rabbit (or ehatever other animal) hair pressed together in some technological process.
Yup, just what I thought... That advice is almost "as good" as when a German hatter recommended to cut the crown off of my Petersbros. and sew it back on a bit deeper, to make the crown lowerTo the advice: maybe I shall first try my hat shop, whether they are able to do this (in fact, they told me they could do something similar but it sounded like if it was just putting there a sticking-plaster or something like that
DISCLAIMER: THAT'S THE WORST THING ONE COULD DO!!! DON'T DO THIS AT HOME (OR ELSEWHERE).You'll probably take off round about 0.1 - 0.2mm... That will hardly hurt the integrity of the hat.I'm a little afraid of taking off something from the fedora. It's not like cold bashing, it's "an intervention" to the integrity of the hat.
Most probably. The question however is: will he walk the extra mile it takes to really REPAIR the hat, in opposite to just "fix it up"?Plus the hatter might be better equiped for such a sensitive action - the block, hat iron, etc. and is definitely more experienced than me.
Regards,
Marc