What's the best way to CARE for your fedora? :-)

Sammy · Post by **Sammy** » Thu Mar 29, 2012 3:56 pm

Yeah, I know it's kind of a weird question, but reading through some other posts and people commenting on how well this or that hat has held up over a period of time, I was wondering, what the criteria might be? For example, some gearheads have had their fedoras for a number of years, what types of abuse did you subject your hats to? Have you grabbed it by the pinch habitually, and if so, what type of wear have you noticed in that area? Some people have subjected their hats to more elements than a postal worker! What effects have you seen to the hat's ability to hold a crease?

I'm just curious about these things because I'm wondering if it literally takes a lifetime of abuse to get certain hats to become cracked and full of holes. Or if some hats have already become that way.

Post by **Michaelson** » Thu Mar 29, 2012 3:59 pm

Grabbing by the 'pinch' of the crown has been the worse practice I've seen so far. It doesn't take that long to go this route.

As I recall, Depp's hat is an old Borsalino, which isn't the thickest felt in the first place.

I had one go that route WAY back when, and once you've lost a hat to that practice, you don't forget.

Regards! Michaelson

Sammy · Post by **Sammy** » Thu Mar 29, 2012 4:06 pm

Michaelson wrote:Grabbing by the 'pinch' of the crown has been the worse practice I've seen so far. It doesn't take that long to go this route.

As I recall, Depp's hat is an old Borsalino, which isn't the thickest felt in the first place.

I had one go that route WAY back when, and once you've lost a hat to that practice, you don't forget.

Regards! Michaelson

Hmm...interesting.

I suffer from insomnia and late nights they show the old Untouchables television show (Robert Stack) and I notice that more times than not, he and the other actors grab their hats by the brim the way your supposed to. They have stunning hats btw. So I'm sure in a society where wearing a hat was commonplace, people learned quickly how destrtuctive grabbing by the pinch was.

What about getting it drenched in rain and leaving it outisde over a period of time? I guess what I'm looking for is something more defitnite to say when people ask "how is your hat holding up?" Such as, "well a bear go to it the other day when I went hiking and other than the giant gaping hole in the crown, it's held up fine." Or, "well i've grabbed it by the pinch every day for 3 years and not one bit of wear at all in that area!"

Post by **Michaelson** » Thu Mar 29, 2012 4:24 pm

Thing was, at the time you're referring, men usually purchased a new hat every year, so it really didn't matter to them HOW they grabbed it.

If I'm asked that question, I just say 'fine'. Why say more? The only person really interested in a straight answer is my hatmaker.

Just kidding, of course.

I'll be interested in seeing the responses.

Regards! Michaelson

Sammy · Post by **Sammy** » Thu Mar 29, 2012 4:28 pm

Thank you for your input Michaelson!

Post by **Michaelson** » Thu Mar 29, 2012 4:30 pm

trdaggers · Post by **trdaggers** » Thu Mar 29, 2012 4:43 pm

I had a few of my best hat's go this route over the years. It's a hard habit to break. I try not to do it anymore but still slip up now and then.

Gailen

j2m · Post by **j2m** » Thu Mar 29, 2012 5:18 pm

I've seen a hat get a hole like this one, it was in the movie ''my name is nobody'' when Henry Fonda's character shoots Terrence Hil's hat like 4-5 times and there's supposed to be only one hole...

I know, not relevant to the thread but that pic just made me think of that scene

I doubt that's what happened to J. depp's hat though

I guess it all depends on the felt and the way you handle the hat. I try not to grab mine by the pinch, always the brim.

But he can afford to by a new one every year I guess...

Regards

JM

bish · Post by **bish** » Thu Mar 29, 2012 8:23 pm

j2m wrote:I've seen a hat get a hole like this one, it was in the movie ''my name is nobody'' when Henry Fonda's character shoots Terrence Hil's hat like 4-5 times and there's supposed to be only one hole...

Well Depp was friends with the late author and gun enthusiast, Hunter S. Thompson, so you never know!

backstagejack · Post by **backstagejack** » Thu Mar 29, 2012 10:31 pm

Here's my Fed 4 with two years of heavy abuse. Rain, sun, sweat, pinching throwing, sitting on and all around just not caring. I bought it used but the gent before me did not abuse it. Hard to destroy these babies.......

My Fed in brown looks pristine.

Sammy · Post by **Sammy** » Fri Mar 30, 2012 12:18 am

Thanks for the pic Backstagejack!! Two years seems like a good amount of time to see some beginning stages of wear and tear (if any is going to appear). Let's see some more survivors folks!

Post by **Michaelson** » Fri Mar 30, 2012 8:04 am

It's also going to depend on the felt.

I have a 6 year old AB beaver felt that I pretty much wear daily, and other than reblocking needs, the felt itself doens't look much different than it did when I recieved it in 2006. It's been in rain, snow, and blazing summer sun.

Regards! Michaelson

Indiana Bugs · Post by **Indiana Bugs** » Fri Mar 30, 2012 8:19 pm

I got my brown Fed III in very used condition. I don't know how long Fed IIIs have been in existence but mine looked like it had been very well worn when I got it, to the point that the pinch at the top of the crown was very thin. I could have left it the way it was and worn it as a true beater, but I reversed it so as to get more life out of it.

If I remembered who I bought it from, I could ask him to post here how he got it to be the way it is.

Riothaus, was that you?

BendingOak · Post by **BendingOak** » Fri Mar 30, 2012 8:22 pm

This isn't that hard fellows or maybe I'm missing something. If you want to replicate what Johnny hat is like. Sand paper brotha, Sand paper. Don't go with the high grit go under 200 and go to town on the spot that you want the hat to be thin and you will get the hole and it will look natural. Just make sure you don't go all the way. Leaver it very thin. Then use the high grit sand paper to get you smooth finish back. Then grab it by the pinch and it will get the hole in no time.

Indiana Croft · Post by **Indiana Croft** » Fri Mar 30, 2012 8:58 pm

Abuse, ha, here's a good one. My brand new AB rabbit that I bought when Steve was selling em for 100.00 each when he discovered how to get the shelac out. Well my poor hat flew off my head, out the window into the middle of the road and was promptly run over. Abuse, ha.

Well it took it very well, theres always been a slight crease, which is barely visible. But the in the pinch area was weakened, and over the years a small whole developed, and yes guilty as charged. Well the whole is there but the weight sorta comes down and you don't see it, but it looks like it's been on an adventure or two.

Now thats abuse.

Croft

youngjedi71 · Post by **youngjedi71** » Wed Apr 04, 2012 1:19 am

actually sad the felt isnt stronger than that. I mean the first place you want to grab is the pinch.Its just natural to do so..need to make the felt much stronger or thicker on the crown..

backstagejack · Post by **backstagejack** » Wed Apr 04, 2012 6:19 pm

youngjedi71 wrote:actually sad the felt isnt stronger than that. I mean the first place you want to grab is the pinch.Its just natural to do so..need to make the felt much stronger or thicker on the crown..

Maybe this is a stupid question....but why it the pinch there at all if you're not supposed to grab it there? lol

BendingOak · Post by **BendingOak** » Wed Apr 04, 2012 6:21 pm

I think it's there because people were grabbing it that way.

Post by **Indiana Jeff** » Thu Apr 05, 2012 6:41 am

backstagejack wrote:Maybe this is a stupid question....but why it the pinch there at all if you're not supposed to grab it there? lol

Cuz otherwise we'd all look like this...

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

backstagejack · Post by **backstagejack** » Thu Apr 05, 2012 10:42 pm

LOL, dear god no!!!!

BendingOak · Post by **BendingOak** » Fri Apr 06, 2012 2:01 am

Maybe if they got one that was her size it would look better.

backstagejack · Post by **backstagejack** » Fri Apr 06, 2012 12:44 pm

yeah, that's just a hideous picture and that bowler does nothing for her. I have a bowler at home that looks great on me and nothing like that ......monstrosity, lol.

BendingOak · Post by **BendingOak** » Fri Apr 06, 2012 1:39 pm

backstagejack wrote:yeah, that's just a hideous picture and that bowler does nothing for her. I have a bowler at home that looks great on me and nothing like that ......monstrosity, lol.

Its not the bowler, its how its sitting on her head/ way to high, which makes me think its to small.

Sammy · Post by **Sammy** » Fri Apr 06, 2012 1:59 pm

The costume designers probably intentionally made those design choices on purpose to create a shocking discomfort in the audience. The bowler makes her appear "taller" like a man and brings out her cheekbones and chin line to create a more masculine look. A properly fitting bowler probably wouldn't accentuate those features as much and the effect would be lost.

backstagejack · Post by **backstagejack** » Fri Apr 06, 2012 2:12 pm

Agreed.

Here's my bowler and it also is highly distressed....

Sammy · Post by **Sammy** » Fri Apr 06, 2012 2:20 pm

SWEET Jack!!!!!!!!

Indiana Croft · Post by **Indiana Croft** » Fri Apr 06, 2012 7:22 pm

Blimey that was a girl

Croft

BendingOak · Post by **BendingOak** » Fri Apr 06, 2012 7:44 pm

Sammy wrote:The costume designers probably intentionally made those design choices on purpose to create a shocking discomfort in the audience. The bowler makes her appear "taller" like a man and brings out her cheekbones and chin line to create a more masculine look. A properly fitting bowler probably wouldn't accentuate those features as much and the effect would be lost.

I don't think so. I think she would have the same look but wouldn't look she has her kids hat on.

Glen close is I'm not mistaken.

Indiana Bugs · Post by **Indiana Bugs** » Sun Apr 08, 2012 10:06 am

To me, it looks like they were going for a Stan laurel type of vibe. The small hat on top of the head helps achieve that.

Zuiun · Post by **Zuiun** » Wed Apr 25, 2012 4:03 pm

Regarding the Depp hat at the top of this thread, here's another thought guys:

It looks like the same hat. It could, in fact, be not only the same hat, but also the exact same amount of wear.

What I mean is this: The first photo is a professional portrait. The second is candid. It's not unreasonable to think that the photographer or art director who commissioned the portrait decided to edit out some of the wear and tear (that is, the hole).

He also has the same eyeglasses and similar facial hair / hair style in the photos, too. So I would guess the photos were taken relatively close together.

backstagejack · Post by **backstagejack** » Wed Apr 25, 2012 7:48 pm

Zuiun wrote:.......
He also has the same eyeglasses and similar facial hair / hair style in the photos, too. So I would guess the photos were taken relatively close together.

Possibly, and some good points.

But, Johnny's had those glasses for some time and his hair, etc has often looked like that. But, possibly.....

Texan Scott · Post by **Texan Scott** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 10:07 am

..best way is to give it a good bash and then throw it on the ground and give it a good stomp, like Johhny P does in his tutorial!

Post by **Michaelson** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 11:17 am

I'm sorry, everytime this thread pops up in my 'view unread posts' list, I smile.

My answer to the posted subject title would be a can of gasoline and a match, but other opinons may vary.

Ok, that out of my system, back to the discussion at hand.....

Regards! Michaelson

BendingOak · Post by **BendingOak** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 11:32 am

the title is wrong. It should be how do I distress my hat to look like depp's hat????? Answer given.

Post by **Michaelson** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 11:36 am

Indeed it should.

Sammy · Post by **Sammy** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 12:04 pm

Think I need to clarify the true purpose and reason I posted this thread. Although I greatly appreciate all the responses, yeah, they did begin to go off topic because I think many of you thought I wanted to create a distressed hat that looked like Johnny Depp's. In fact, it's quite the OPPOSITE. I would never INTENTIONALLY do that to any of my hats. The meaning behind the title was meant to be sort of ironic. "Tell me the best ways to destroy your hat other than grabbing by the pinch (or setting it on fire

) so that I can AVOID doing so."

The inspiration for this thread came after reading so many comments like, "How has your hat held up over the years" or "My hat is ___ years old and it still looks great!" So I wanted to know the kinds of care and abuse you subjected your hat to over the years and what kind of visible WEAR & TEAR would make you say, "this hat *****! What a waste of money! I've had it for 3 years and already the _____ is messed up."

Which leads me to the purpose of the Depp photos. (I could have picked anyone but photos of him in distressed fedoras are abundant) I saw that the hat he seems to always wear in public has a LOT of wear and tear but it couldn't be THAT old. In my mind, it takes years to DESTROY your hat the way his is destroyed. So, since I'm sure many of you LEGITIMATELY put your hats through the ringer with either the jobs you have or just by wearing it 365 day out of the year, how long before you began to notice ANY type of wear & tear?

Anyway, I hope I didn't confuse more people. Maybe I should go back and delete the reference to and photos of Depp.

Post by **Michaelson** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 12:32 pm

Anything that the originator of a thread can do to make a discussion clearer is always a good thing.

Regard! Michaelson

Sammy · Post by **Sammy** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 12:35 pm

Michaelson wrote:Anything that the originator of a thread can do to make a discussion clearer is always a good thing.

Regard! Michaelson

Thanks Michaelson, I hope I did just that.

Post by **Michaelson** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 12:48 pm

You might also want to reword your subject title. That's what always draws me into this thread.
"Distressing" is not always 'Destroying" an item.

Regard! Michaelson

jlee562 · Post by **jlee562** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 12:51 pm

Johnny's hat is a vintage Bosalino, which has thinner felt. So one has to consider that although he has been wearing it in public for a few years, the hat has some decades on it, and thinner felt to begin with.

BendingOak · Post by **BendingOak** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 1:08 pm

simple things to do to take care of your hats.

-When not wearing store them in a good hat box. One that moths cant eat their way in or slip into.
-don't handle the hat by the crown or the pinch. don or doff by the brim.
-have a good hat brush. Two in fact, one for dark colors and one for light colors.
-place on a hook, coat rack or stand.
-wipe leather sweatband down from time to time and treat with pecards or something of that nature.
-if caught in the rain let dry over night on a hat stand, hook, or coat rack.
- and most important one of them all. Gentlemen, please wash your hands once in a while.

Post by **Michaelson** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 1:42 pm

Sammy · Post by **Sammy** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 1:53 pm

Michaelson wrote:You might also want to reword your subject title. That's what always draws me into this thread.
"Distressing" is not always 'Destroying" an item.

Regard! Michaelson

Post by **Michaelson** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 2:09 pm

Bravo!

bish · Post by **bish** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 2:21 pm

BendingOak wrote: -When not wearing store them in a good hat box. One that moths cant eat their way in or slip into.

Any recommendations of a good moth resistant hat box?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

BendingOak · Post by **BendingOak** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 2:24 pm

Only one comes to mind http://www.penmanhats.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Post by **Michaelson** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 2:44 pm

Humm. Any idea how to get in touch with the man who sells that particular hat box , John?

bish · Post by **bish** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 3:00 pm

BendingOak wrote:Only one comes to mind http://www.penmanhats.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ok that was a dumb question I admit it.

Although I suppose you could have added

"-When not wearing store them in a good hat box. One that moths cant eat their way in or slip into AND has an awesome prisoner bicycle logo on it."

-bish

Sammy · Post by **Sammy** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 3:14 pm

BendingOak wrote:Only one comes to mind http://www.penmanhats.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

BendingOak · Post by **BendingOak** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 6:47 pm

Michaelson wrote:Humm. Any idea how to get in touch with the man who sells that particular hat box , John?

Heres his email info@penmanhats.com

His phone number 971-246-1832

But he never calls me back.