Waxed cotton Fedora project

[enigmata_wood]

For a while I have wanted a cotton fedora with the raiders proportions - or near enough. I haven't found one on line quite tall or taper-free enough, so I'm trying an experiment.
I looked around my local shops for the closest, snap-brim, 100% cotton hat I could find, one that wasn't so expensive as to make experimenting foolish. I found a Marks and Spencers one that fits the bill.
http://www.marksandspencer.com/Marks-an ... %2Ck%3Ahat
Wet cotton can be stretched, so I soaked the hat and found it relatively easy to force it over my home made hat block. it already looks taller and straighter.
once it's dry I'm going to wax it the old fashioned way with coloured wax then add a hat band.
Now, when I took out the lining I was surprised to find a layer of felt inside - to make the crown stay up. Hardly ideal in a 'cool' summer hat. I've left that in for now, but I will see if waxing makes the cotton stiff enough to remove the felt and get a really light hat with that Indy look.
If I succeed I'll let you all know - in pictures - how it goes and how to do one for yourself

[enigmata_wood]

Here's the promised How-To.
This is the M&S hat I mentioned above



Here it is soaked in water and drying, stretched over my hat block.
I decided to hang it up to dry quicker and used its hat band to constrict it - in the hope of getting that ellusive 'mushroom' crown



once it was dry I heated up deep brown beeswax and brushed it all over the hat with a natural fibre brush [nylon brushes melt].



I covered my hat block, Iron and a board [not shown] with aluminium foil. Shiny side out to reflect heat and protect them from wax.



I put the hat back on the block. With the Iron set to minimum heat, working methodically, I went over the whole hat in long strokes to melt the wax thoroughly into the fibres. Take special care getting into all the seams with the edge of the iron and don't work on any one spot too long or the wax will burn the cotton.



When the wax was cold I bashed the hat. I then heated it again with a hairdryer until the wax was soft and left it to cool, this keeps the bash in place.



By the way, the hat was now plenty stiff enough that I could rip out that soft felt layer inside.

[Kentucky Blues]

You might want to remove one of those photos so you don't go over the limit... but it looks like you did a pretty darn good job! Do you think the wax would have a negative effect on the "cool" factor of the hat? Or do you think it'll still breathe just fine?

-Daryl

[gwyddion]

You always come up with the greatest projects Looks like you're ready for a beautiful summer Let's hope the English weather won't let you down

Regards, Geert

[enigmata_wood]

You might want to remove one of those photos so you don't go over the limit... but it looks like you did a pretty darn good job! Do you think the wax would have a negative effect on the "cool" factor of the hat? Or do you think it'll still breathe just fine?

-Daryl

It should still breath but I'll keep you posted. If it doesn't work I have an alternative way of waxing it to try.

[enigmata_wood]

I forgot to mention how much I like the battered - almost dusty - look that the wax give this hat.

[Indiana Greg]

Bailey Wind River Sportsman