Club Obi Wan

From what I know of , this hasnt been brought up before but some people like give there fedora that, used and dirty look. While not wanting to purchase Fullers Earth I happened to come across flour. Has anybody ever used flour to make there fedora that used look? will it hurt the fedora in any way? I just did this to mine lightly around the ribbon and to be honest it came out perfectly fine.

Just be careful to watch out for bugs getting into the flour and chowing on your hat.

I have found little insects crawling around an old tin of it once.
(And no, I bought a new bag for the cookies!)


Dalexs

that one comment just makes me wanna go wash off that flour i just put on around the ribbon. thats scary

Good Call.

And just for further reading enjoyment
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05501.html

The bugs of which I speak are commonly known as Mealworms or Flour Beetles. I'm still searching for info on whether they can cause any harm.

But I'd still not use the flour for distressing a hat.

Well, a few years back, whipwarrior had me bring some Texas dirt with me to Dragon Con...He proceeded to put the dirt into a sock and then wack his hat with the sock...produced a nice aged look. If I were you, I'd try a light dusting of real dirt as opposed to flour...I wouldn't want weavels crawling around in the hat. Either way, I wouldn't put too much on because if you get caught in a rainstorm you might have either mud or caked up flour bits on your hat.

Oooo... I didn't even think of the flour+water=paper mache' fixin's...
Good catch ITG.

Thanks

Throw in a few eggs and you can make a hat cake.

I have worked in dusty environments while closing old mills and the airborn dust works wonders There was talc, soda ash, titanium and protein powder. Plus the dirt on the floor gave it a good look as the titanium and talc are rather white. The most realistic look can be from getting it out in the real dirt though. Others have used kitty litter dust (from the bottom of the bag, not the bottom of the litter box). Unless you use wheat flour it will look odd, as the flour is very white.

I doubt the paper mache effect will matter much. Keep in mind that Fuller's Earth is very absorbent as well and may act in a similar fashion as the flour. The amount used is just a dusting though.

Would it kill you to just wear the fedora everywhere on the weekends and let it get that look naturally?

Not really. Ive been wearing it all the time for several months now, hasnt gotten that dirty yet. Just was trying to think of a way to get it to look dirty and beat up

What about baby powder? Bugs won't try to eat it, and boy, will it smell nice!

I've not done baby powder but I have done face powder (it's skin colored)...so if your wife has some loose face powder, try that. You can go to the drugstore or Walmart and buy the COTY brand powder (it's in a round container with paisley print on it...kinda has the 70s old lady groove thing going on). I think it's about $5 for the powder.

http://www.amerimark.com/cgi-bin/amerim ... 8&days=XVQ

rick5150 wrote: ...The most realistic look can be from getting it out in the real dirt though ...

I agree. I guess you could use the other stuff if you wanted too. Flour = Baker Jones, Baby powder = Nanny Jones, face powder = I ain't even going there!

If you want it to look dirty, use dirt.

rick5150 wrote:Throw in a few eggs and you can make a hat cake.

Makes me think of Rita Rutner (spelling?) - a comedian. She said....

"When you mix flour and water, you get glue... but you add egg and you get cake. Where does the glue go?"

Indiana Jess wrote:Baby powder = Nanny Jones

Umm, or might that be Fanny Jones. (okay, I'll tip toe quietly out of here.)

LOL! You crack me up ITG.

I'm new at the hat thing, lol, but I'm getting a new Adventurebilt Beaver felt hat and was thinking about putting "light brown" Fullers Earth when it arrives....to those who are in the know about these things...is it OK to use that stuff on these hats?

Thank you!
Captain D

The instructions that came with my Akubra Fed said to "give it a good hiding." Having had a hiding or two as a kid, I knew what was meant, so I took my Fed and beat the @#$% out of the sidewalk and driveway. It worked well, but my Keppler looks too nice and cost twice as much, so it will just get grimy from normal use.

Starman Jones

Are you sure they didn't mean to just put it away where you couldn't find it for a while? Regards. Michaelson

Good one, M.

Cheers,

Starman

I read this thread and I'm suddenly hungery for pancakes.