Hat bashing with water: examples (photos)
Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 3:51 am
Hi,
First of all, a disclaimer: these are NOT Indiana Jones hats, nor are their bashes like those at the various movies. I do not own a "proper" IJ hat at present, although this will be corrected in the future
.
I read often that people feel intimidated by the idea of having to do their bashing by themselves. So, the idea is to provide examples of home-bashed hats, in order to encourage you to take the step.
IMPORTANT: the best quality hats, 100% beaver felt, or with at least high beaver contents in the fur mix, allow for DRY BASHING, that is, you can just model them by hand, no recourse to water nor steam.
The "crown modelling" was done by hand and that dreaded chemical ;-) H2O. Distilled water in my case, just in case the chemicals in straight tap water could leave marks.
The first hat hat is vintage, a 40's Mr. Disney "15", fine, good quality felt. This was my first-ever "wet" bashing. I wanted something along the lines of The Maltese Falcon - Sam Spade hat; my idea was not actually replicating that, but somehow recreate/evocate the style. So, I shaped a C-crown with "dome", and a tight front pinch.
The second example is a modern, non-vintage, Beaver Brand fedora I acquired cheap on the 'Bay. It is a "Custom" 5X model, which I understand is a little over their 3X standard offering.
It came with a fairly soft centerdent bash. I have remodelled it into a diamond crown. Felt has nothing to do with comparable vintage hats, it is thicker and coarser, so I could not give it the sharp definition those old hats allow. Again, I used distilled water as a "modelling tool".
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v137/ ... CT0662.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v137/ ... CT0664.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v137/ ... CT0667.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v137/ ... CT0666.jpg
It is not necessary to actually dunk the hat, or giving a shower to it. I just poured, carefully, distilled water on those areas I intended to shape, and "tapped" the water in until the felt absorbed it. You do not need the water going through the felt, to the underside, neither.
Of course, no need to be afraid of wetting the hat if it is a good felt.
I think water is better controlled than steam, although no doubt those with a better hand at steam will obtain the same results.
To those "awed" by the "magnitude" of the job... I would like to transmit encouragement! I do not think I am a specially gifted person, and I do not think obtaining good results is beyond the reach of anyone. Just take your hat and try. If the felt is good, it will respond. I found it surprising how easy the "modelling" became just by wetting the surface. This said, quality of felt is a PARAMOUNT factor. As the above examples show, you can get sharper definition with better quality felt hats, which not-so-fine quality hats will not allow.
Regards!
MOD EDIT: viewtopic.php?t=21315
First of all, a disclaimer: these are NOT Indiana Jones hats, nor are their bashes like those at the various movies. I do not own a "proper" IJ hat at present, although this will be corrected in the future
.I read often that people feel intimidated by the idea of having to do their bashing by themselves. So, the idea is to provide examples of home-bashed hats, in order to encourage you to take the step.
IMPORTANT: the best quality hats, 100% beaver felt, or with at least high beaver contents in the fur mix, allow for DRY BASHING, that is, you can just model them by hand, no recourse to water nor steam.
The "crown modelling" was done by hand and that dreaded chemical ;-) H2O. Distilled water in my case, just in case the chemicals in straight tap water could leave marks.
The first hat hat is vintage, a 40's Mr. Disney "15", fine, good quality felt. This was my first-ever "wet" bashing. I wanted something along the lines of The Maltese Falcon - Sam Spade hat; my idea was not actually replicating that, but somehow recreate/evocate the style. So, I shaped a C-crown with "dome", and a tight front pinch.
The second example is a modern, non-vintage, Beaver Brand fedora I acquired cheap on the 'Bay. It is a "Custom" 5X model, which I understand is a little over their 3X standard offering.
It came with a fairly soft centerdent bash. I have remodelled it into a diamond crown. Felt has nothing to do with comparable vintage hats, it is thicker and coarser, so I could not give it the sharp definition those old hats allow. Again, I used distilled water as a "modelling tool".
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v137/ ... CT0662.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v137/ ... CT0664.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v137/ ... CT0667.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v137/ ... CT0666.jpg
It is not necessary to actually dunk the hat, or giving a shower to it. I just poured, carefully, distilled water on those areas I intended to shape, and "tapped" the water in until the felt absorbed it. You do not need the water going through the felt, to the underside, neither.
Of course, no need to be afraid of wetting the hat if it is a good felt.
I think water is better controlled than steam, although no doubt those with a better hand at steam will obtain the same results.
To those "awed" by the "magnitude" of the job... I would like to transmit encouragement! I do not think I am a specially gifted person, and I do not think obtaining good results is beyond the reach of anyone. Just take your hat and try. If the felt is good, it will respond. I found it surprising how easy the "modelling" became just by wetting the surface. This said, quality of felt is a PARAMOUNT factor. As the above examples show, you can get sharper definition with better quality felt hats, which not-so-fine quality hats will not allow.
Regards!
MOD EDIT: viewtopic.php?t=21315
I have edited the initial posting accordingly...
! Good work...keep it up! I am very impressed! W>
I want one. What's the width of the brim?
