Club Obi Wan

Is it true that removing the hat by grabbing the crown rather than the brim is improper and that it is really bad for the hat?

"Improper" is a matter of opinion, especially since you can look at almost any old movie and see men removing their hats by the crown. But yes, grabbing the pinch hard and removing the hat as such can damage and put a hole on the felt over time, which is why many recommend removing your hat by the brim.

So how come lotsa people removed their hats by the crown in movies?

because they don't give a @#$%. Back then, hats weren't given the same amount of reverence we do today. Most people would just go out and buy a new hat when their old one wore through. :junior: -M

mufflowne wrote:So how come lotsa people removed their hats by the crown in movies?

Because it's easier and not as awkward as removing a hat by the brim.

Movies were also given several hats to be used in different scenes and in case something happens to the other hats. Removing the hat from the pinch also looks cool as in "taking control of the hat" For practical REAL LIFE purposes, grabbing the pinch over time will cause holes to form in the hat MUCH sooner than by the brim.

I've always wondered how Indy would keep his fedora in such prime shape over the course of his lifetime. But he is a fictional character and such hats of that age are rare.

Personally, I never really grab the pinch, but I do lift it by the crown. Thumb and pinky in the side creases and the other three fingers in the center dent. So I really pick it up more by the "hump."

Just dont take it off.

Ripper wrote:Just dont take it off.

Just staple it on (I have the proper model of stapler- we can't be sure what size staples were used though).

Or maybe. . .

IndianaSolo wrote: For practical REAL LIFE purposes, grabbing the pinch over time will cause holes to form in the hat MUCH sooner than by the brim.

Exactly. If you get online or ask a fedora maker they will explain that the big reason is that grasping it by the brim to remove it is going to spread the stress on the felt since you are using the attachment to the leather sweat (oh, heck. I bet they could explain that better). When you remove it by the crown, your fingers put the stresses in a rather limited space. When you use a peg or similar to hang your hat you should make sure that the weight is resting on the sweat for the same reason.

I generally remove my hat by tipping the rear brim up with my right hand whilst lightly cradling the crown/pinch in my left. This is obviously only useful if you have both hands free.

I have worn out plenty of bush hats by grabbing at the pinch - my dress hats get the gentle touch however.

Cheers
Jonesy

What if you lift the hat by the crown very, very gently?

I take my hat off by sneezing very loudly.

13 posts to explain how to remove your hat from your head. I love this forum!!

Ripper wrote:Just dont take it off.

Does the brim get bent out of shape when you use it to put on your hat?(my English teacher would have loved that sentence)

All I have (at the moment) is an "Official" hat for reference. It has a weak brim that gets wacked out of shape if you touch it. I'm not sure how the brims are on the better hats.

From my understanding, a hat should be removed by grabbing the brim with the edge of the thumb and the fingers of that same hand along the top bash, or center dent. The hat is then taken off and held with the palm of the hand under the brim, with the fingers supporting inside the crown. Unless of course the hat is to be placed on a peg, stand, or whatever.

Taking a hat off your head by grabbing the front pinch will damage it over time. It also puts stress on the crown and base.

Remember, these are fedoras, not baseball caps. Never grab it solely by the brim because the brim can't support the weight of the entire hat.

And I just realized I re-wrote what some of the others had already posted about the question, so thanks guys for confirming what I already thought was right!

I'm really bad about picking my hat up by the front of the crown, but I try to be gentle and not squeeze. I'm trying to break that habit though and try to pick it up by the brim and the crown at the same time.