Moderators: Indiana Jeff, Dalexs
Well spoken, because in the end you can't take it with you, so you might as well enjoy!Michaelson wrote:Just....enjoy....your hat.
They're made to be used. Unless it's made of cardboard, or an extremely cheap felt, it was made to be used. A misting of water proofing is always recommended, but if you're going to worry about it getting wet when out in weather, it just takes the fun out of owning one.
Personally I wear my hats year round, and in all weather conditions.
Wear it, and enjoy life rather than sweating about these type details. Once you're home just let it dry correctly at room temperature, and go on.
Regards! Michaelson
I've worn both in pretty good drizzles, mild rains and snow storms, but have avoided the heavier downpours we've had in So.Cal lately.BaptisteTheFool wrote:Ok. So I'm going to buy either an Uptowner or a Downtowner from Todd next week.
I've heard that the Downtowner's hold up well in the rain. But I think I prefer the photos I've seen of the Uptowner. How does that hold up? And if I would need to waterproof it, any recommendations for waterproofers?
RaidersBash wrote:I've worn both in pretty good drizzles, mild rains and snow storms, but have avoided the heavier downpours we've had in So.Cal lately.BaptisteTheFool wrote:Ok. So I'm going to buy either an Uptowner or a Downtowner from Todd next week.
I've heard that the Downtowner's hold up well in the rain. But I think I prefer the photos I've seen of the Uptowner. How does that hold up? And if I would need to waterproof it, any recommendations for waterproofers?
If you're looking for a costume piece that's near bullet-proof, the downtowner is the way to go. I've worn my downtowner in jeans and working with horses, camping and other stuff. It's a fun hat for sure with a real Raiders caricature look (Definition: A caricature can refer to a portrait that exaggerates or distorts the essence of a person or thing to create an easily identifiable visual likeness.)
That's exactly what the downtowner does.
The Uptowner is a nice, do all hat that is a real bargain. Looks great for the costume, but fantastic as an every day hat, can be dressed up with a suit, etc, etc. and really looks good any place...cocktail lounge, swing club, theatre or just walking down the street. I wear mine everyday and get a lot of compliments.
my recommendation would be for the uptowner, but then again if you're still in H.S., the downtowner might fit better with the Trilby style the kids are all wearing...hard to say.
RaidersBash wrote:Sorry Baptiste, I misunderstood "senior" from your earlier post. congratulations on getting near your degree.
I'm sure waterproofing would do wonders. I've read steve and others saying it's a must do for any hat. I've never added any to mine, which is in part why i've avoided any "extreme" water
Not sure on the Scotchguard. I used to have the old kind, but I heard they changed the mix. But basically, on repellant treatments, I suggest spraying the hat, on the outside, with one coat, and rub it in with the fingers. Let it dry. Then come back and spray once more, and this time, let it sit on the surface. Too much repellant will act like shellac and make the hat stiffer. So, use just enough to do the job.This one is primarily for Steve. What type of Scotchgard would you recommend? How much do you apply from a can and how (layers or once)? Do you apply to both sides of the hat? Do you need to protect the ribbon? Thanks again for the great info.
Wool too has a natural oil that once removed, won't keep the feet warm if wet, in socks. So never wash your wool socks in detergent! Woolite only. This won't leech out the natural oil of the wool. An old backpacker deal. 
Now that sounds like a business opportunity for someone. 
Fedora wrote:Not sure on the Scotchguard. I used to have the old kind, but I heard they changed the mix. But basically, on repellant treatments, I suggest spraying the hat, on the outside, with one coat, and rub it in with the fingers. Let it dry. Then come back and spray once more, and this time, let it sit on the surface. Too much repellant will act like shellac and make the hat stiffer. So, use just enough to do the job.This one is primarily for Steve. What type of Scotchgard would you recommend? How much do you apply from a can and how (layers or once)? Do you apply to both sides of the hat? Do you need to protect the ribbon? Thanks again for the great info.
I spray my ribbons to help stop dye bleed.
Another good repellant is oil. Defracturnated coconut oil.(has no scent) Use a thick pad of cotton, apply enough oil to get the pad wet, and then heat the pad and oil up on your iron and rub into the felt. Beavers stay dry, but only because they treat their underfur with a natural oil they produce. The felting process removes all of the natural oils. So, it helps to put an oil back in. Just not anything critters might find eatable!
My own rain hats are treated with oil, and then followed up by my repellent, naptha based. I have yet to have one to taper, from the rain, with this double dose. It works! Fedora
Cheers Travis, but John can't ship that stuff outside the US.
Ian wrote:Cheers Travis, but John can't ship that suff outside the US.
100 posts...Woo-Hoo!!
Ian
Congrats on the 100th jkdbuck76 wrote:So your Christy's is basically one of the guys in a red shirt from Star Trek?
Yes, you could say that. It was one of my first lids and it's tapered due to some rain. Don't wear it anymore, but kept it for occasions such as this. I'm not really a Christy's fan. I treat my own bout once a year, with the oil. And yes, once you apply the hot oil and rub it into the felt, the hat does feel oily. But the next step is to hit the hat with some steam, which gets rid of most of the oily feel. Within a couple of days, the oily fell goes away as the oil is wicked down into the felt more.hanks for that Steve. How often do you do that with the oil? Water repellent for fur hats is almost impossible to find in the UK. Does the oil make your hat oily to touch after as in for ever (I assume the oil doesn't dry out)?
When I am told by the customer that he lives in a wet state, like Oregon, I always treat those hats with both the oil and my water repellant treatment. And what I do like about this double dose method is the stuff I use for water repellant is naptha based, and pushes some of the oil into the core of the felt. It washes it inward. This also gets rid of any oily feel, as I won't sent out an oily hat. But be forewarned. The oil will darken up the color by a shade or two. Over time, it lightens back up though. 
Well, for now anyways. Over time and rain exposure, the water repellant seems to go away. Not sure exactly how long my and John's naptha based stuff lasts, but the old B and L did not last that long, if I recollect right. I do know this naptha based stuff does last longer, just not sure how long. The variable is how long you were in the rain, and how much water was coming down. I do double treat all of the hats I send out, rubbing the first application into the felt, then let that dry(couple hours) followed by a topical application. This works better than just doing it topically.I've been out in the rain wearing the hat you made for me and the water beads nicely.
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. I've had both my regular and deluxe soaked here in the UK and I've not seen any taper yet. The Fed IV is much tougher felt than Chrisy's. fenris wrote:I went to a tour of the old city of Intramuros here in Manila today and it rained pretty hard. I was wearing my Fed IV and it got pretty soaked!!! The hat was literally drenched on the outside, but the underside of the brim was still dry. Now I'm getting paranoid... Although it didn't get soaked to the core, I'm still worried about taper (coming from a Christy's, I guess that's a normal fear).
Thanks!
Is it okay for the hat to dry in front of a fan in an airconditioned room? I'm assuming since it's cool air, it will be a better alternative than having it dry in a hot and humid room.BendingOak wrote:fenris wrote:I went to a tour of the old city of Intramuros here in Manila today and it rained pretty hard. I was wearing my Fed IV and it got pretty soaked!!! The hat was literally drenched on the outside, but the underside of the brim was still dry. Now I'm getting paranoid... Although it didn't get soaked to the core, I'm still worried about taper (coming from a Christy's, I guess that's a normal fear).
Thanks!
Doesn't sound like your hat got soaked to the core. Just let it dry naturally for a day or so and it should be fine.
I don't think it will hurt it.fenris wrote:Is it okay for the hat to dry in front of a fan in an airconditioned room? I'm assuming since it's cool air, it will be a better alternative than having it dry in a hot and humid room.BendingOak wrote:fenris wrote:I went to a tour of the old city of Intramuros here in Manila today and it rained pretty hard. I was wearing my Fed IV and it got pretty soaked!!! The hat was literally drenched on the outside, but the underside of the brim was still dry. Now I'm getting paranoid... Although it didn't get soaked to the core, I'm still worried about taper (coming from a Christy's, I guess that's a normal fear).
Thanks!
Doesn't sound like your hat got soaked to the core. Just let it dry naturally for a day or so and it should be fine.
