rebashing a hat

In-depth discussion of the Fedora of Indiana Jones and all other hats appearing in the Indiana Jones movies

Moderators: Indiana Jeff, Dalexs

Post Reply
tlivin
Dig Worker
Dig Worker
Posts: 19
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2009 7:14 pm

rebashing a hat

Post by tlivin »

Is there a way I can reform the crown of an already formed hat. The hat i have has the teardrop shape on the crown. I want to reform to more of a Raider's style crown and pinch.
User avatar
maboot38
Legendary Adventurer
Legendary Adventurer
Posts: 2848
Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2008 2:41 pm
Location: Hampden, ME

Post by maboot38 »

Most hat makers will reblock your hat for you. Just contact someone like Bending Oaks or Adventurebilt, and they should be able to point you in the right direction.
User avatar
Kokopelli
Professor of Archaeology
Professor of Archaeology
Posts: 1053
Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2008 10:29 pm
Location: Louisville, Ky

Post by Kokopelli »

you can do it yourself also. If it's a stiff, 'molded in' type teardrop, soak the crown in cold distilled water and work it back out into open crown condition. Let it dry, and then go to town on re-creating the bash!
User avatar
maboot38
Legendary Adventurer
Legendary Adventurer
Posts: 2848
Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2008 2:41 pm
Location: Hampden, ME

Post by maboot38 »

That's true too. I did rebash my Dorfman Pacific myself. I just got it wet and punched it back to open crown, then bashed it right with some water.
User avatar
Chewbacca Jones
Legendary Adventurer
Legendary Adventurer
Posts: 3878
Joined: Fri Jun 09, 2006 1:17 am
Location: Somewhere in the vicinity of Betelgeuse
Contact:

Post by Chewbacca Jones »

Important note; The water trick id good, but don't do it to a cheap wool felt hat! :shock: Also, depending on the shape and stiffness, you may not need to completely soak it.

What kind of hat are we dealing with?
User avatar
jkdbuck76
Archaeologist
Archaeologist
Posts: 263
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2008 1:02 pm

Post by jkdbuck76 »

Kokopelli wrote:you can do it yourself also. If it's a stiff, 'molded in' type teardrop, soak the crown in cold distilled water and work it back out into open crown condition. Let it dry, and then go to town on re-creating the bash!
Question: do you soak it, put it in "open crown mode"...

LET IT DRY....

And then after it has dried, re-bash it?
cowboy827
Laboratory Technician
Laboratory Technician
Posts: 142
Joined: Tue Jun 10, 2008 11:41 am
Location: Connecticut

Post by cowboy827 »

I prefer to work using the steam from a tea kettle as opposed to soaking a hat. I could be wrong, but I think it's easier, there's less chance of the felt shrinking, and no question about whether you first have to let the hat dry.

Though I fully admit that I am not a professional hatter.
User avatar
Russian Raider
Archaeologist
Archaeologist
Posts: 238
Joined: Sun Nov 30, 2008 9:20 am
Location: Russia

Post by Russian Raider »

Used a steam to rebash my Fed. Works great. But i used a lot of steam. :[
User avatar
DR Ulloa
Legendary Adventurer
Legendary Adventurer
Posts: 3257
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2008 7:28 pm
Location: Miami, FL
Contact:

Post by DR Ulloa »

jkdbuck76 wrote:
Kokopelli wrote:you can do it yourself also. If it's a stiff, 'molded in' type teardrop, soak the crown in cold distilled water and work it back out into open crown condition. Let it dry, and then go to town on re-creating the bash!
Question: do you soak it, put it in "open crown mode"...

LET IT DRY....

And then after it has dried, re-bash it?
Yes

Dave
User avatar
The_Raiders
Field Surveyor
Field Surveyor
Posts: 52
Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2008 12:47 am
Location: longview, Texas
Contact:

Post by The_Raiders »

Acually everytime I re-shape my hat I soak it in cold water, then place it on a block I made, then when it dries I spray alittle fabric startch on it to stiffen it up, and while its damp from the startch I re-shape it and it always works great for me. But my hat is a Christys Adventurer so it may work different on other hats.
User avatar
jkdbuck76
Archaeologist
Archaeologist
Posts: 263
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2008 1:02 pm

Post by jkdbuck76 »

The_Raiders wrote:Acually everytime I re-shape my hat I soak it in cold water, then place it on a block I made, then when it dries I spray alittle fabric startch on it to stiffen it up, and while its damp from the startch I re-shape it and it always works great for me. But my hat is a Christys Adventurer so it may work different on other hats.
How "cold" is cold? Like out of the fridge? Or room temp?
User avatar
The_Raiders
Field Surveyor
Field Surveyor
Posts: 52
Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2008 12:47 am
Location: longview, Texas
Contact:

Post by The_Raiders »

jkdbuck76 wrote:
The_Raiders wrote:Acually everytime I re-shape my hat I soak it in cold water, then place it on a block I made, then when it dries I spray alittle fabric startch on it to stiffen it up, and while its damp from the startch I re-shape it and it always works great for me. But my hat is a Christys Adventurer so it may work different on other hats.
How "cold" is cold? Like out of the fridge? Or room temp?
Well anywhere from room temp or colder acually, I've use really icy cold water before also.
User avatar
Russian Raider
Archaeologist
Archaeologist
Posts: 238
Joined: Sun Nov 30, 2008 9:20 am
Location: Russia

Post by Russian Raider »

Last weekend i decided to do two things - clean my hat and rebash it. So i went two-in-one route - used cold water. Hat is rebashed into TOD and clean as day one. And there is no sign of Raiders tight pinch, cold water does miracles. Another example how strond Fed IV is.
User avatar
gsolideogloria
Laboratory Technician
Laboratory Technician
Posts: 125
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2009 8:27 pm

Post by gsolideogloria »

Hatsdirect has a short tutorial on bashing the Fed IV. Here is the link if you haven't seen it already:

http://www.hatsdirect.com/hat-info/shaping.html

Happy cracking, :whip:

Ryan
User avatar
Russian Raider
Archaeologist
Archaeologist
Posts: 238
Joined: Sun Nov 30, 2008 9:20 am
Location: Russia

Post by Russian Raider »

gsolideogloria we are talking about REbashing the hats. ;-)
User avatar
gsolideogloria
Laboratory Technician
Laboratory Technician
Posts: 125
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2009 8:27 pm

Post by gsolideogloria »

Russian, the same principles hold true either way. Sorry if I offended you. I understood the nature of the discussion and was only trying to help.

Ryan
User avatar
Russian Raider
Archaeologist
Archaeologist
Posts: 238
Joined: Sun Nov 30, 2008 9:20 am
Location: Russia

Post by Russian Raider »

Not a problem! It is just if hat had a tight crease it won go away without steam or water. Hatdirect instructions are great for a new hat.
tlivin
Dig Worker
Dig Worker
Posts: 19
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2009 7:14 pm

Re: rebashing a hat

Post by tlivin »

Thanks for the information. Will some of these techniques work on some the Indiana Jones hats from the early to mid eighties, I have two that my father bought me unfortunately one hat was smashed by something and the local western wear store said they could not reshape it.
Post Reply