Fed, It's rabbit, what to do to make it more weather resista

[Andy Buse]

I am picking up a Fed Deluxe here soon and was wondering what I needed to do (water proofing, etc) to keep the hat largely unmolested in inclement weather as I plan on wearing the hat a lot in every day life.

Thanks!

[whipcracker]

It's already pretty tough, but get a good water repellent spray. I am sure that someone that knows a good kind with chime in here soon, or just do a search in the fedora or care and distressing section.

[Andy Buse]

I see that Penman sells a bottle of water repellent.

[jlee562]

The Fed doesn't need much help in the way of weather resistance. My Fed is my go to rain hat.

[Fedora]

Felt is naturally water resistant, as is. But, eventually if you get into a hard rain, it will stop repelling water and start sucking it up.

Use a water repellant spray, often, or you can oil your hat down. The oil last longer.

[theinterchange]

Oil? That's a new one on me!

Randy

[Fedora]

Oil? That's a new one on me!

Yeah, it was used alot back in the old days, prior to water repellant treatment, like Scotchguard.

A beaver lives in the water. What keeps his skin dry, so he does not freeze to death? Oil on the underfur.(the fur that is used to make hats) A beaver dresses down his fur with his own natural oil. Castor oil I think it's called. Without the oil, the fur would let water through, to his skin. So, he keeps his fur dressed up with oil.

This oil is removed during the feltmaking process. But some hatters used to put an oil back in, to make the hat shed water. It's in the Scientific Hatmaking book. And we used to have a pic here of a hatter oiling his hats. It is not done today to my knowledge. But ya gotta use the right oil. And heat it up to apply it, so the felt absorbs it well. Then, to take off the sheen....well, I can't tell ya everything!!! I make it too easy. But be forwarned. The oil will of course, darken up the shade of color. I treat all of my personal hats with oil. To me, its like treating leather. Once leather is made, the natural oil is put back into the leather. Just don't use an oil that insects or the like are attracted to. And don't use petroleum based oil. A no, no. What do sheeps have? Lanolin. Yet, I have never tried it. So, I can't say how well it would work, but if I ever get time, I will give her a go and see if it works as well as what I use now.

Back when used to backpack, a lot, I never washed my wool socks in a detergent. Because without the natural oil in wool, your feet will get cold once the wool gets wet. So, you use Woolite, which does not strip the oil from the wool. Fedora

[theinterchange]

Makes sense, thanks Fedora!

I have a copy of Scientific Hatmaking bought off eBay, need to dig it out and read through the whole thing. I've only skimmed it.

Randy

[fenris]

I've tried looking for Scotchgard here in the Philippines, but all I could find is this one:
http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/e ... c_Cleaner/

Will this work on hats? What kind of Scotchgard are you guys talking about anyway?

[Chewbacca Jones]

I wore my first Federation III in all kinds of weather for two years before it needed a reblock to get rid of some taper. Otherwise it held up fine. Also, it probably suffered some from mild mishandling, as I was a newbie to care care back then. I did dumb things like setting it down right side up when wet, grabbing it by the crown too hard, etc.

My current one seems hardly used at all, and it has spent two years now as my bad weather / snow shoveling hat. No sprays, not treatments. Just an out-of-the-box Fed.

[Indiana Bugs]

I cant wait to expose mine to its first winter.