hat brushing technique?

Discuss technique for prolonging the life of your gear or giving it that aged look

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IndianaBogart
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hat brushing technique?

Post by IndianaBogart »

I just bought a hat brush and I was wondering if there is any particular way to brush a hat, or if you just brush it.

Thanks,
Bogart
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Michaelson
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Post by Michaelson »

Counter clockwise on the crown and top brim.

Clockwise on the bottom brim.

Regards! Michaelson
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Post by IndianaBogart »

Thanks Michaelson!
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Post by Michaelson »

:M: :tup:

HIGH regards! Michaelson
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Post by BendingOak »

On the very top of the crown go front to back.
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Post by Jakob Emiliussen »

Michaelson wrote:Counter clockwise on the crown and top brim.

Clockwise on the bottom brim.

Regards! Michaelson
I do not doubt that you are right - I'm pretty certain you are :) However, why is there this rule/guide for brushing your hat?
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Post by Michaelson »

Well, I appreciate your confidence in my reply, Jakob. :-k ;-)

It's been discussed MANY MANY MANY times, and can be found in a search, but here's ONE of those more recent discussions regarding this technique and the reason WHY you do it this way.

viewtopic.php?t=31080&highlight=hat+brush

The brushing action tightens up the hat fibers in the direct it was originally spun in a cone.

Regards! Michaelson
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Post by Jakob Emiliussen »

Thank you...
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Post by BendingOak »

Michaelson is correct. It's spun in this direction and it's pounced in the same directions. You want to continue if the same way.
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Post by scot2525 »

Should you "undo" your bash before brushing?

I brush my hat at least twice a month but I do not undo the bash before doing so. Sometimes while brushing the bash pops out in a spot or two.
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Post by BendingOak »

I do.
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Post by IndianaBogart »

I brushed my Fed III a good bit today, and I have to say that I'm quite pleased with it. It had quite a bit of Fuller's earth on it but the vast majority of it came out. The exception being on parts of the ribbon, particularly the bow. Oak, would you happen to know how I could clean the ribbon and bow better? ;-)

BTW, scot2525, I did pop my bash out. I brushed it then put the bash right back in, with no harm done.
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Post by BendingOak »

I have never used fullers earth on a hat, so I'm not the best to ask that.
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Post by scot2525 »

I have not used Fullers on my hat either but I have read that if you have a small hand held vacuum cleaner or shop vac. that the fullers comes off easily. I think that a small can of compressed air may do the job as well.
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Post by theinterchange »

I've been keeping the windows to the house open a bunch thanks to the beautiful weather we've been having. I've noticed an increas in dust on my hat as I leave it out most of the time since it's worn at least every other day. I brushed it with little success.. Being the clever and ingenius man that I am 8) :lol: I decided to try giving the hat a once over with a lint roller and it worked WONDERS. Where the brush spread the lint/dust out over the grain of the felt, the roller picked it up and off. I followed with my improvised hat brush to give it the finishing touches and to assure that it wasn't getting "out of grain" or whatever hat tech term it would be.

Randy
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Post by BendingOak »

theinterchange wrote:I've been keeping the windows to the house open a bunch thanks to the beautiful weather we've been having. I've noticed an increas in dust on my hat as I leave it out most of the time since it's worn at least every other day. I brushed it with little success.. Being the clever and ingenius man that I am 8) :lol: I decided to try giving the hat a once over with a lint roller and it worked WONDERS. Where the brush spread the lint/dust out over the grain of the felt, the roller picked it up and off. I followed with my improvised hat brush to give it the finishing touches and to assure that it wasn't getting "out of grain" or whatever hat tech term it would be.

Randy

The lint roller will pul up the nap. I wouldn't do that. I would use the brush and put some effort behind brushing it. If you saw me brush a hat you would think I was a little rough with it. I hope that makes some kind of sense.
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Post by theinterchange »

OK, that was part of the reason for posting, so I could get a YOU IDIOT HOW COULD YOU BE SO STUPID!! comment if need be.

I was considering the wisdom of this move. I was concerned about digging too far into the nap with my brush.

Thanks BendingOak!

Randy
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Post by BendingOak »

theinterchange wrote:OK, that was part of the reason for posting, so I could get a YOU IDIOT HOW COULD YOU BE SO STUPID!! comment if need be.

I was considering the wisdom of this move. I was concerned about digging too far into the nap with my brush.

Thanks BendingOak!

Randy

As long as you go front to back on top of the crown and then counter clock wise on the rest of the crown and brim. The flip the hat over and brush it clock wise.

I pop the creases out and brush the top first, then around the crown. then the brim and then flip and hit the underside of the brim.

also try change the length of you stroke. This way you should be able to see which will work with what you are trying to get of the hat.


Don't feel to bad I did the same thing many years ago and posted that here. Marc Kitter of AB. came in like I did to you and corrected me. It was the first contact that Marc and I had.

See , you can teach an old dog new tricks. ;-)
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Post by Michaelson »

...and I'm the one who told Marc that so many years ago....so the circle of life is complete. :lol:

Regards! Michaelson
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Post by BendingOak »

How come I knew you were going to pop in here.
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Post by Michaelson »

:[ ;-)
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Post by theinterchange »

Haha. Under normal circumstances, I've only had to brush 1-2 times a month. But having my windows open put a fine coat of dust on everything it seems.

I knew about the counter/clockwise brushing from another thread, so I wasn't completely ignorant! :[

It's just scary to think of ruining the nap on a hat that cost close to $200. Now I know I'll be able to brush it with more vigor than used before!

Also, I'm using a $2 Rubbermaid short bristled grout brush, should I get something different? I had a shoe polish brush that hardly did anything to remove lint.

Randy
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Post by BendingOak »

theinterchange wrote:Haha. Under normal circumstances, I've only had to brush 1-2 times a month. But having my windows open put a fine coat of dust on everything it seems.

I knew about the counter/clockwise brushing from another thread, so I wasn't completely ignorant! :[

It's just scary to think of ruining the nap on a hat that cost close to $200. Now I know I'll be able to brush it with more vigor than used before!

Also, I'm using a $2 Rubbermaid short bristled grout brush, should I get something different? I had a shoe polish brush that hardly did anything to remove lint.

Randy

I would invest in a good hat brush. They aren't very costly and they can be found all over.
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Post by theinterchange »

I should stop into Sheplers next time I go to Bass Pro Shop. They'd have one.
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Post by twilekjedi »

In case you don't already know, interchange, Oak may be too modest to say but he actually sells some really nice hat brushes and they are very reasonably priced. :tup:

I'm so jealous that you can have your windows open in the middle of January!
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Post by theinterchange »

I was noticing that after he mentioned a hat brush. Nothing wrong with shameless plugs! :lol: I was actually thinking of ordering one from him after looking at his site, I'd rather support a member instead of a company. :)

Randy

p.s I know it wasn't a plug Oak, or you'd have mentioned selling them yourself!
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Post by BendingOak »

theinterchange wrote:I was noticing that after he mentioned a hat brush. Nothing wrong with shameless plugs! :lol: I was actually thinking of ordering one from him after looking at his site, I'd rather support a member instead of a company. :)

Randy

p.s I know it wasn't a plug Oak, or you'd have mentioned selling them yourself!
I really just wanted to help out like others here have helped me out. If I was going to shamelessly plug my products I would be responding to more threads. Most of the time I stay out of threads not to have it look that way. I think some could see some of my reply's as trying to sell hats , forgetting that I'm still a fan, still a gearhead.
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Post by Michaelson »

Agreed.

Me being someone who is in and out of these 'rooms' all day long, day in and day out, I have never seen Penman EVER hawk his own wares in threads outside the vendors section. Ever.

I'm also 'seconding' his statement as a non-Penman customer, so there is no bias regarding my comment.

Regards! Michaelson
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Post by theinterchange »

I understand completely! :) I was joking when I made that comment, sorry if you took it otherwise. :[ I hate that some would take it as hawking your wares when I understood it to be a genuinely helpful thing you were doing Oak.

I appreciate your help, it's cleared up a few questions I had.

Randy
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Post by BendingOak »

theinterchange wrote:I understand completely! :) I was joking when I made that comment, sorry if you took it otherwise. :[ I hate that some would take it as hawking your wares when I understood it to be a genuinely helpful thing you were doing Oak.

I appreciate your help, it's cleared up a few questions I had.

Randy
I'm sorry if I made you feel that you offended me. You did not sir. I just thought I would take this time to explain my thinking on the matter. i like to keep everyone in the loop of what I am doing or think. Yet another reason I don't post much. Not a lot going on in my noggin. Nothing but blank space. :lol:
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Post by theinterchange »

I was just making sure, didn't seem that you were. I missed a good opportunity to quote Indy from TOD though. ha
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