Club Obi Wan

Hi,

I was thinking about getting a high-quality panama this summer and rebashing it.

I hate getting a hat with a plain blocked-in bash, so I always reshape my hat so that I'm wearing IT more than IT wears me.

So the $295 question is - how do Panamas respond to dry-bashing, steaming, even re-blocking? Is it similar to felt? Would I ruin a good new Panama if I tried to steam the bash into something other than it came with? Can you get open-crown panamas?

Thanks people.

Here's a thread on a member that reformed a straw hat with great results.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=37895

You can PM me that $295 any time.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

mufflowne wrote:Hi,

I was thinking about getting a high-quality panama this summer and rebashing it.

I hate getting a hat with a plain blocked-in bash, so I always reshape my hat so that I'm wearing IT more than IT wears me.

So the $295 question is - how do Panamas respond to dry-bashing, steaming, even re-blocking? Is it similar to felt? Would I ruin a good new Panama if I tried to steam the bash into something other than it came with? Can you get open-crown panamas?

Thanks people.

Hello my friend!
As far as I know dry-bashing won't work. If you want to reblock a panama you have to put it on cold water and place it in a block (What I do is to put a plastic bag between the hat and the block in order to keep the hat clean) and do the similar things as a fur body. About bashing the hat... always use steam and if your hat is too soft, you could use white glue refined with water added with a sponge. I use 1/3 of glue and 2/3 of water in order to have a light stiff in the hat.

Regards,
-Alfonso

Indiana Jeff wrote:Here's a thread on a member that reformed a straw hat with great results.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=37895

You can PM me that $295 any time.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

Big difference here is that the hat in that thread is a palm leaf hat. It's FAR different than a Panama hat made in Ecuador from the Toquilla straw. The palm leaf hats are heavier and much harder, but they do bash very easily just by soaking them in cold water. When they dry, the shape stays put until you decide to change it up again. They are also very stiff. I have one, but it's too heavy for me. (Anyone want it? )

As for shaping a high-quality panama, I found this here http://www.ecua-andino.com/hats/eng/news.php?id=3:

Your Panama hat is very flexible and can be folded or rolled up for traveling, but it should not be stored in a folded or rolled position.
The hat should not be pressed by heavy objects in any way and not be folded too strong like paper.
To remove small wrinkles or to reshape your Panama hat, place a damp cloth on the hat and iron using low to moderate heat or form it with your hands.
However, if you prefer your hat's original and perfect shape it is best to avoid folding or rolling it.
The "Toquilla" straw that your hat is made from will maintain its natural flexibility as long as it does not dry up, as this will make the hat brittle.
Store your hat in a room with relatively high humidity, such as a bathroom or cellar.
It is not recommended to wear your Panama hat during rainy conditions, as it will lose its shape.
To clean your hat of soiled spots use a soft cloth and mild soap.

But if you're going to spend the money and invest in a high quality panama, then you may as well get it from a place that can shape it nicely for you to begin with. http://panamahatsdirect.com/ has a number of nice styles. I've even seen a panama that was nicely shaped by Art Fawcet. Even better, you can find nice vintage panamas on eBay for cheap if you look. I just picked this one up last night on eBay for only $35. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... TQ:US:1123

I stand corrected. Bink, thanks for the more detailed info, I guess the $295 goes to you.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

After Jeff deducts shipping, handling and taxes, bink....that comes to about $ .87. Did you want check or money order?

Regards! Michaelson

Or I could paypal it, but that'd be another 3% off the top.

Regards,

Indiana Jeff

That's bink for ya, Jeff. He never reads the small print.

Regards! Michaelson

Hey, at this point, money is money. Besides, what he doesn't realize is that I already have his bank account info, so I can just transfer the, uh, 87¢ myself.

Whatever you do, don't try to dry bash it - it'll develop a hole straight away - I learned that the hard way. I couldn't understand how every other panama I'd seen had shaped nicely until I realised they weren't genuine Ecuador-made, just cheap copies.

Panamas and true straw hats also risk drying out over time, making them brittle and more susceptible to cracking if not careful.

Thanks for all the info. Might pounce after a nice panama later this summer.

By the way, there is no $295. Sorry.