Club Obi Wan

Some years ago I picked up an Akubra deluxe to replace my
cat scratch casualty.

The hat that came was in good shape except that the brim wouldn't hold a shape.

I've been playing with it again and have been curious just how in the world to get some stiffness back in the brim sides? I know for many, a "Living Brim" is the ideal but when you lose the side curl I think this just turns the Indy look into a general Safari profile.

1. I have a brim flange
2. I have a bottle of Scouts hat stiffener.
3. I'm keen

Suggestions on application of stiffener would be appreciated for this experiment.

Cheers
Kilgour Trout

What I have done (for what it is worth), is several applications of Scouts. Let dry. Steam to activate the stiffener. Let dry.

Iron the brim flat.

Pull the hat over your Lamode. Using a hand held steamer (I have a "Jiffy"), steam the brim edge, using an arcing motion with the highest point, midway between the front and back edges. As you arc/steam, use the steamer to curl/roll the edge, a bit, in that midway portion center, back toward the ribbon.

Let dry. Repeat the steam/arc, if there is not enough curl.

Clear as mud?

Sincerely,

Hey Dr.: Thank you for the procedure!
The steps you've given have helped clear up more than a few things.

I've always wondered about how many applications of Scouts to put on as I've never found any difference with just one or two.
I'm still curious to know if you need to work the Scouts into the felt with your fingers? And do you apply it on the top and bottom of the brim?

Do you wait till it's dry and then iron the brim?

Then once flat are you using a hat flange with this at all or are you just using the block? Please forgive my think headedness as I can't quite see the process of steaming in my head? It sounds like you're steaming the top of the brim and allowing for a natural curl to occur, without using a flange. Would this be correct?

See...this is excellent because it gives me a chance to ask questions.
I really do appreciate it!

P.s. Did you end up getting a satisfactory Lamode block to work with?

Thanks again for the tutorial it really helps.

Warm Regards
Kilgour Trout

Kilgour:

Richard did make a change in my block's height. After my couple of "personal" modifications, I could not live without it.

Yes, Scouts is a relatively "anemic" stiffener. I will spray the brim, both top and bottom, at least three times. I do work the spray into the felt. '

I have waited until the spray dried. I have also used a hair dryer. Usually I wait until the felt feels dry, before I iron. Generally, though, with enough stiffener, the brim holds a shape for a good long while.

I don't have a flange. So, the brim ironing is simply on an ironing board. Once the brim is flat, and the hat back on the block, I stick the fingers of my left hand into the drill holes in the bottom of the block and hold the whole contraption up. Then, I run the steamer around the underside of the brim, right at the edge. I am actually pushing the steamer face against the underside of the brim's edge. When the steamer is near the ribbon/bow area, I angle the steamer toward the crown (steamer still under and pressing against the brim) to "roll" the brim up/over and toward the crown. I try to taper the "roll" (most roll in the area of the bow) to less/none at the front and back. Same for the non-bow side.

Hope this is a tad more explanatory.

Sincerely,