Steaming the @*%$ out of the crown

Dr.Seuss · Post by **Dr.Seuss** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 8:08 pm

My regular steaming, wetting, and drying of an older Peters Bros, has noticeably changed the consistency of the crown's felt. It feels "thinner," and measurably "softer."

Is the texture change due to the compression of the felt as it tightens? At some point does the felt stabilize and stop shrinking? Or is this the stiffener disappearing?

While the crown height appears to remain about the same, will continued "Jiffy Steamer" sessions, cause the crown to lose height?

BTW: For those of you feeling somewhat queasy with this topic, I am performing all of this shaping on the One And Only Fedora/LaMode Hat Block. Really is quite fun.

Sincerely,

Dr.Seuss · Post by **Dr.Seuss** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 11:41 pm

Oh, come now. Someone must be willing to share some hat shaping secrets. Fedora? Marc? Jimmy? JerseyJones? Michaelson?

Sincerely,

Fedora · Post by **Fedora** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 8:51 am

Sounds like the stiffener is breaking down.

On some felt, the steaming will cause shrinkage, and on some hats, it won't. Sounds like this hat can take it. Regards, Fedora

Marc · Post by **Marc** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 10:41 am

Someone must be willing to share some hat shaping secrets. Fedora? Marc? Jimmy? JerseyJones? Michaelson?

Sorry

Ok, you've got an "older" hat, so you can assume that the felt is pretty dead by now (won't continue to felt any further and in case it wasn't overstretched to begin with, it should be fairly resistant to shrinkage as well by now).

The stiffner is breaking down, because you constantly keep steaming it and then pull the hat over the block again. In case you really steam the hat to a degree where it's plain wet, you'll wash (part of) the stiffner out by doing so as well. CAUTION: some felts lose (part of) their color from such treatments as well. However steam will not tighten up the felt (considerable), but only bring it back to it's original size if previously overstretched (or "stressed", as some call it).

Hope it helps,

Marc

Dr.Seuss · Post by **Dr.Seuss** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 3:26 pm

Fedora/Marc:

Thank you both. It's reassuring to know that my experimenting will not result in a child's sized Peters Bros. I really do like this hat.

Fedora: the Block is working out, marvelously.

Sincerely,

Tycoonman · Post by **Tycoonman** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 8:18 pm

That is what happened to my Peters Bros. hat. After fishing it out of the river this year, I can really feel a difference. It feels much softer, and bashes in anytime you hold it or pick it up. I haven't yet re-shaped mine, but it is extremely soft these days. I wouldn't worry about it to much, the hat is pretty strong and well built compared to most of my older cowboy hats.

Tycoonman