Unresponsive felt

Fatdutchman · Post by **Fatdutchman** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 10:28 pm

I've been foolin' around with my Akubra gray federation. This hat was always hard to shape. While the brim is stiff, and shapes nicely (responds well to steam and keeps its shape), the crown is very soft and quite difficult to get to stay in position. Is this simply due to a lack of stiffeners in the crown? If so, what is the best way to stiffen it up just a bit...enough to make it stay in shape a bit better? Should I use some of the commercial spray bottle stiffener that I have seen being sold, or shellac? I got plenty of shellac! Of course, all mine is orange or brown in color! I got seedlac, buttonlac, "ruby" shellac, and garnetlac. I would need to buy some bleached shellac I would imagine.

GoneSolo · Post by **GoneSolo** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 10:49 pm

I've got the exact opposite problem with my Federation; too much stiffener. I usually spray water to get the stiffener to loosen up, shape, and when it dries it stiffens. Tough call.

Texas Raider · Post by **Texas Raider** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 4:45 am

I hope you're joking about the shelac! Just get some felt hat stiffener, mist it in the air, wave the hat through it. Try not to spray it directly on the felt, you might over do it a bit. Gently steam it to the shape desired.

TR

Fedora · Post by **Fedora** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 2:14 pm

hope you're joking about the shelac! Just get some felt hat stiffener, mist it in the air, wave the hat through it. Try not to spray it directly on the felt, you might over do it a bit. Gently steam it to the shape desired.

Felt stiffener is shellac. You could use that stuff you have, but thin it down with denatured alcohol. Apply to the inside of the crown, only. And go easy.Fedora