Club Obi Wan

I know this might sound off the wall but has anyone ever used sandpaper on a hat to distress it?You know to give it that scruffy look to it.Or is it a realy off the wall the thing to do?

First thing I thought of when I read the title "OH MY GOD IS HE CRAZY!!"
I think that is a way off the wall kind of thing to do...you'd wreck you hat for sure if ya did that. (some where a man in Tenessee is about to faint)


Henri

Well you know people take sandpaper to there jacket and stuff why not the hat.I guess I must have fallen off the wall .But I was thinking more on the band tho,that is if you got a hat to spare.

hmm, I don't know, maybe I over reacted a little, well, my advice is I wouldn't but ya never know...


Henri

Well, I know I've read posts where guys have sandpapered the brim edge after cutting it to smooth it out. If it can be done there, then logic would tell me that it might be okay on the rest of the hat, but then, my gut says, "NO don't do that!" So maybe one of our expert panel members can answer that for us.

I find the facination people on the forum have with sandpaper very funny. I would say if you are going to make a hat look scruffy, do some housework in it or mow the law a few times with it on.

Anytime I had to do some work in the backyard, I would wear the hat and it is quickly showing some use.

Just FYI,
Pyr

I'm a big believer in distressing gear, but would never do anything to my hat but dirty it up. It's not necessary to do anything else to it. Sandpapering a hat wouldn't make it appear more like the hats do in the films. ITG is right...the only time I've ever known sandpaper and a fedora to be recommended together is when someone does their own dimensional cut to the brim, and it needs to be "smoothed" or whatever you'd call it.
Get a little fullers earth or some dirt from yer back yard and mess with dirtying it up. Chances are, as long as the "dirt" is dry, you can brush it out later and not end up kicking yourself for trashing your hat.

-Rabittooth

I was just wondering if anyone has done that to there hat.Me personaly my hat wich is a Peter Brothers get abuse enough as it is,and the thing still looks new some what.All though the band shrunk a little wich is to my liking.

Well, my suggestion...let _'s kids play with it in a sandbox...you'll not only get distressing, but it'll give it a Fuller's Earthlike treatment.

Fullers earth heck I had sack create on one of my hats before stinkin stuff hardly came off.Thats where the thought of sand paper came to mind,but I didnt use it.That old hat went through enough.

You know, a bit of real dust or talcum powder works fine too, it just takes some work to even it all out. Regarding the sandpaper, it would make the had not even rough, haggard's the word more of. The paper would probably rip of alot of felt making the hat too thin, and the remaining felt would look like it's being pulled off (because it is).

Indiana Texas-girl wrote:Well, my suggestion...let _'s kids play with it in a sandbox...you'll not only get distressing, but it'll give it a Fuller's Earthlike treatment.

Or give it to Indiana Dan for a week!


But seriously!

THEY SAID I WAS CRAZY??

Give me ten minutes, I have an old Keppler that sits in a box in the garage. I will take 220 grit sandpaper and see what happens. Highest Regards. Dan

Don't do it Dan!!! There's more contructive things to do with a Fedora!!! Is it really that bad looking to submit it to sandpapering? Why doesn't someone just get a felt sampling and go grind on that instead?

Ok try this I have used it before works great too.Use a razer blade you know the ones you shave with.It doesnt leave it looking scruffy looking

Marcus Brody wrote:Don't do it Dan!!! There's more contructive things to do with a Fedora!!! Is it really that bad looking to submit it to sandpapering? Why doesn't someone just get a felt sampling and go grind on that instead?

The way the Keppler Kid loves his hats, I'm sure it's one that has already been destroyed. I doubt Dan would do that intentionally to a fedora that was in good condition...at least I hope not. I gotta give the Mad Hatter credit somewhere...right Dan? Let us know how it turns out.

Although I'd never ever do that to my hat, I am curious on Dan's report back to us. Maybe he can attach some sandpaper to the bottom of his Aldens (grit side down)...okay I better shush myself before I give him some more ideas.

I've always cutt the grass in my Fed, and I did take sandpaper to my old Fed after cutting the brim, I dont think it would be such a good idea, send it to Dan if you want it distressed.




Regards, the other Dan

UPDATE!

Using 220 grit sandpaper on my first Keppler. In a word? Don't do this. Highest Regards. Dan

Indiana Texas-girl wrote:

Marcus Brody wrote:Don't do it Dan!!! There's more contructive things to do with a Fedora!!! Is it really that bad looking to submit it to sandpapering? Why doesn't someone just get a felt sampling and go grind on that instead?

The way the Keppler Kid loves his hats, I'm sure it's one that has already been destroyed. I doubt Dan would do that intentionally to a fedora that was in good condition...at least I hope not. I gotta give the Mad Hatter credit somewhere...right Dan? Let us know how it turns out.

.

Yes this hat was my first Keppler, it was ruined in a heavy rain storm, otherwise I wouldn't dare.

NO NO NO NO NO :!: :!: :!: , sandpaper on felt, that would do more harm then good I fear.

Indiana Dan wrote:In a word? Don't do this.

That's three, Dan.

You really want to scruff up your hat? Come to New Egland for a week.

I noticed that ironing the felt actually smoves out the felt pretty well, but it make the felt stiff. If you somehow manage to get sand paper to your hat and scruff it up, I'd suggest ironing the felt strands back down. I would use some sort of barrier between the iron and the hat however. Of course this is all if the felt is even somewhat attaced to the hat still.

Ironing a felt hat is just a bad idea, period. Regardless if it's Wool or Fur.

Man I hope I didnt put any bad ideas in peoples minds :idea: .
If you got a hat to just trash or somthing why not destress it like what you see on the young indy tv serries.The band looks roughed up a bit.Sand paper would acheive that look I think,but yeah if ya wanna tear up a hat in a hurry sand paper the felt.

Sanding a hat is perfectly ok, IMO, if you know what you are doing. You have to remember to proceed slowly, very slowly, VERY EXTREMELY SLOWLY........after all, you don't want to ruin the hat. One of my more successful attempts at aging a hat came when i used sandpaper on an old resistol hat......working very slowly, I sanded top and bottm of hat(not under the lining), and once finished, I very slowly worked the felt in my hands to work out any remaining stiffness due to hat stiffener. This hat I wore for a long time, until it was regretfully shredded by my best friends' cat......hat makers will use sandpaper on a hat on occasion, in order to remove the nap, and get a smooth surface on the hat. Now, you don't have to run out and buy 180 grit paper just 'cuz I said it works...........I merely state that I had good results.............happy distressing, everyone!

....as stated above, professionals do use this method to smooth the nap. It's called pouncing the finish. With that said, let's emphasize the first line...leave this to the professinals. They're trying to make a better finish to the finished felt, not creatively destroy it, and if done improperly, you're left with a ragged, velour finish hat that will not smooth back out once to that stage. Your call. Regards. Michaelson

Michaelson wrote:....as stated above, professionals do use this method to smooth the nap. It's called pouncing the finish.... Regards. Michaelson

Hatters are mad. Mad I tell you. MAD!!!!



-Rabittooth

Or you could always play the "hat" game Clint Eastwood and Lee Van Cleef played in For a Few Dollars More." If you want distressed! By the by that hat on the Young Indy Chronicles was the goofiest looking thing on that poor kid. It was better when he was in the Belgian army and had to wear regulation attire, or a spy and in disquise. That brim made him look like the Saxophone playing Muppet whazis name??? You know the one who plays the last note and looks into his Sax... at the end of the show.

Ha ha oh you guys are down right dirty,but honest.I like it.

Dont sand it!

Don't sand it then IM one of us and say "Ooops, I ruined my hat..." then ask: "what can I do to fix it?" After we begged you not to.

... again.