Club Obi Wan

I tried the alcohol and flame trick last night to remedy the fuzziness. I can't believe I never did it before. It looks awesome - very smooth! I highly recommend this treatment!

Ron

You may want to describe it to folks, since it may not be as straightforward as most folks think.

Also, you do this at your own risk! Don't blame us if you burn your hat to a crisp!

;0

you really missed it, you should have taken a picture MID flame

I would love to see this done on You Tube. Bet it was quite the show.
Canada

Yeah, I know. I didn't think to take pics until after I was done. Sorry.
I'm not sure where this was discussed - probably in the gear care/disressing thread (which I'm sure is where I should have posted this one). I suppose some clarification is in order for those unfamiliar with the process. Basically, you apply rubbing alcohol onto the hat with a spray bottle. Not too much, though. Just enough to get a light, even layer on the surface. Then, you immediately set fire to it. I would recommend doing small patches at a time. The point is to singe off the fuzz that developes over time and make the felt smooth. This is apparently part of the hat-making process, and I can see why. I think the hat looks smoother now than it did when I got it new - especially on the edge of the brim. Once the alcohol has burned off, the fire will go out.
As BinkmeisterRick said, do this at your own risk! Don't blame us if you burn your hat to a crisp!
I've got another hat that I may do it to, but I'm not sure it needs it yet. If I do, I'll be sure to take pics while I do it.

Ron

Sounds risky for sure but results also sound positive. Never heard of this before not sure I will try this but could be fun at parties!
Canada

...and to the kids looking in...

Do NOT attempt this without parental supervision!!!!!!

Regards! Michaelson

Michaelson wrote:...and to the kids looking in...

Do NOT attempt this without parental supervision!!!!!!

Regards! Michaelson

and you ah...older kids ask your WIFE for permission

Make sure you aren't wearing the hat at the time either. I know that probably doesn't need to said, but then again we all know the types of individuals we have here.

Sorry to be so specific on this, but we had a young fellow several years ago totally destroy a vintage fedora his grand dad gave him, basing his efforts on information he THOUGHT he understood in his reading here.

I want to make absolutely sure there's no doubt about this suggestion.

Regards! Michaelson

If you guys really want to try this, I suggest finding an old beater fedora and experimenting on that hat. Most of my hat experiments have been done on old hats which were far from good condition when I got them, so if I messed up, I wasn't out a nice hat because of it. But again, you do these things at your own risk! If you mess up a good hat, don't blame us!

Dostacos wrote:

Michaelson wrote:...and to the kids looking in...

Do NOT attempt this without parental supervision!!!!!!

Regards! Michaelson

and you ah...older kids ask your WIFE for permission

I actually believe some of us older kids would have to hide it from our other halves also. The way they ground us can be a lot worse.

From a previous thread on the same subject:

Fedora said:

Hey before you guys go and singe your hats, be advised that I do it only once, and that is while the hat is still on the block(to maintain the blockshape), and then I never let one blaze like that one. Just a gentle singe, with a very light misting of alcohol. The hat is then ironed and pounced. Go easy on the fire. Fedora

And from another...

Fedora said:

I would just pounce it lightly with some 220 paper, going in the direction of the grain. Then, if you still have too much nap, atomize it with 70 per cent rubbing alcohol and light it up. Part of finishing a hat involves singeing. Then hit the newly singed area with some 400 grit. Works every time. Fedora

And finally, from that same thread:

Shocked me too when I first read about it. Made complete sense though, and one of those little hatter secrets, traditionally held close to the vest. You would have a hard time getting a good finish if you could not use it. From the looks of some modern hats, the manufacturer apparently forgot what the old hatters did. I have seen some fuzzy hats that could be singed and pounced up rather nicely. Should have been done at the factory. One word of warning though. My singeing is done before the hat ever comes off of the block. You can do a small area of the hat, like the above mentioned twig fuzzing up the hat, but I would be afraid to do the whole hat. Not from any damage, but rather from the felt distorting from the heat. Fedora

So yes, folks, singeing is a process which helps smooth out the felt, but it's done in a very specific way, and usually as part of an overall process. If you read Fedora's quotes, you'll understand the effects and possible drawbacks of doing this to felt. Again, if you do this to your hats, you do so at your own risk!

Michaelson wrote:Sorry to be so specific on this, but we had a young fellow several years ago totally destroy a vintage fedora his grand dad gave him, basing his efforts on information he THOUGHT he understood in his reading here.

I want to make absolutely sure there's no doubt about this suggestion.

Regards! Michaelson

If you follow steves instructions you cant go wrong.
I did burn the brim on one of my hats the first time I did it,
but that was because I put too much rubbing alcohol on, but
after a few minutes of sanding it, it was back to new.
Smells kind of funny though.

Too much alcohol?

Not sure I understand the question. On the guy, or IN the guy?

Regards! Michaelson

Satipo wrote:

Too much alcohol?

I havent seen this tutorial or how it works. I just cant imagine settin a hat on fire though. If you get a chance to post some pics Ron I am really interested in seeing how this turned out.

I tried doing the fire thing once - little did I know it was a wool fedora, and one should never use a flamethrower when trying this - and tequila is also not a good alcohol to try either. On second thought, burning the wool hats this way is a good idea - lets us appreciate the fur hats better.

VP comes through again. I was thinking of that thread while reading this. Too bad the photo isn't there anymore.

Yeah, but the fez discussion is.