Ironing Woes

[Dr.Seuss]

My experience, my PB custom has weathered, soakings, snowings, steamings, and dryings, all without much change. For the first time, I ironed it. The crown shrank, appreciably.

For those who have ironed crowns, have you experienced the same?

Sincerely,

[binkmeisterRick]

Did you iron it while it was pulled over a block, or did you iron it "open air," as it were? The only time I would ever iron a crown is if the hat were pulled open crown over a hat block. Remember, the iron concentrates heat more than just steam, so the hat will naturally want to shrink, regardless. When you iron the crown on the block, it's good to let the hat remain on the block for a while so it tightens around the block and doesn't shrink in size. (I usually left mine at least for a day on the block.) When you iron the crown off the block, there's nothing to stop it from continuing to shrink to its natural shape.

[Dr.Seuss]

Did you iron it while it was pulled over a block, or did you iron it "open air," as it were? The only time I would ever iron a crown is if the hat were pulled open crown over a hat block.

Ironed it on the block. Left the hat on the block until it was dry, and watched it lose crown height in the process. The only thing I did not do, was use "hatter's cord," to secure it to the block.

I was surprised.

Sincerely,

[Fedora]

Ironed it on the block. Left the hat on the block until it was dry, and watched it lose crown height in the process. The only thing I did not do, was use "hatter's cord," to secure it to the block.

The hatters cord would not have helped, IMHO. The culprit is the rabbit felt. If you iron a hat, on a block, and it just keeps shrinking, this is an indication of the quality of the felt used. Once I get my hats to the right crown height, I can't get mine to shrink with just ironing. Its all depends upon the felt. In the past, I have had to reduce crown heights on my hats, when the folks thought the hat was too tall. I have to create a new brim break and reduce the height in that manner as generally my felt will not shrink up once I set the initial height and shape. But, when I make my hats, I make them too tall, and then use the iron to "shrink to" the desired crown height. Sometimes it takes me an hour of ironing to get that last 1/8 an inch to shrink. But once you finally get there, you don't have to worry about the hat losing height from exposure to the elements. Here I go giving away secrets again!!! There are many tricks of the trade involved in quality hatmaking. And most of them are just common sense tricks. Fedora

[Dr.Seuss]

The hatters cord would not have helped, IMHO. The culprit is the rabbit felt. If you iron a hat, on a block, and it just keeps shrinking, this is an indication of the quality of the felt used. * * * Its all depends upon the felt. * * * But, when I make my hats, I make them too tall, and then use the iron to "shrink to" the desired crown height. * * * Here I go giving away secrets again!!! There are many tricks of the trade involved in quality hatmaking. And most of them are just common sense tricks. Fedora

Fedora:

Thank you. Knowing the reputation of the PB, I was reluctant to think it was the felt. But, over the past year, with repeated wetting/steaming/rebashing, what began as a 6 inch crown, shrank to little more than 5 and 1/4. The ironing was apparently the "coup d'etat." Using the now famous "Fedora/Lamode Block," taper was never an issue; simply a slow loss of crown height.

Now, however, after a thorough soaking, and pulling/stretching the hat over the block, drying for two days, and secured by a cord, the crown is back to 6 inches. The cord really imparts a beating to the ribbon, but call this my "cast away" hat.

Will the hat revert to the 5 1/4 crown as soon as it is wet? I sprayed the "dickens" out of the inner and outer crown with Scout's Stiffener (liner removed long ago). The Scout's actually did not seem to do much regarding the felt's feel; slightly more like cardboard.

Sincerely,

[fatwoul]

...Get a beaver, knock it on the 'ead Bosh, Peel it...

A beaver isn't some kind of fruit you know.