Club Obi Wan

Ok, I recently recived back my reblocked orriginal AB, done up Raven bar scence. Im so happy with the way it came out that I find my self wearing it all the time (my other fedoras are jealous).
But, I know that I've post questions in the past about marks at were the brim meets ribbion, come to find out this is caused by the reblocking process, from the brim flange holder (? ? ?)

Anyway, when I got it back there are two parrel marks on the very top, I belive to have been caused by were the hat rubbed against the bottom of the card board box it was shipped in.

Now I only noticed how more they've shown up from the rain we had to day and then the hat sitting brim side up, while I was working. See the below pic. But I was wondering if anyone has any ideas on how I can remedy this short of sending it back (Steve I think your boxes may be a tad to short) to Steve.
And I don't want to hear how they add to the look, one mark I could live with but two all most simialr sizes (1 @ 1-1/2" & 1 @ 1-1/4") they really do show when your looking at the top, I tried brushing but to no avail. Pouncing??
Heres the pic and I've added one looking stright on so you can see this beauty. Thanks again Steve, beautful work my friend.
Croft



[[img]http://i193.photobucket.com/album ... .jpg[/img]

I'd try using a good hat brush and see if that does the job.

Well my frind Mr. Bink, I did try that, maybe my hat brush (older version from Todds) isn't up to the task. How do you know who has the best hat brush?. Maybe Penmans, wouldn't mind doing buisness with John.

Any Other ideas, how about lightly pouncing w/600grit.
Be good or I'll whip ya.........



Croft

Try using a hat sponge, they work. You can usually get them at most any hat shop for about five bucks. They're orange and look cheap, but the remove the dirt, lint and loose felt really well.

Thats what i use.

I was thinking of a stiffer brush, too. Maybe the hat sponge would work. You might want to ask Steve. He might be able to help you without having to send the hat back. I'd do that before considering sandpaper.

I'm thinking try some really-fine sandpaper, like 1600 grit.

mufflowne wrote:I'm thinking try some really-fine sandpaper, like 1600 grit.

No,no,no don't do that. I would contact Steve like bink says before doing anything to the hat or you can call me. 971-246-1832. I would have to ask you a bunch of questions first to find out what's going on. It's hard to tell what's going on from this pics. I'm hoping Steve will pop in.

The pouncing was just a thought anyway. Hey John I'll PM you to find out whens a good time to call. But it's really kinda simple. I sent hat to be reblocked. During the shipping back to me I belive the very top and I mean just these two little areas lightly rest against the card board, the circular ring inside the box supports the hat, but due to crown height the top rested against the card board. During shipping, being jostled, caused a slight rubbing as hat moved around ever so slightly. Hence the two marks.

I didn't really notice them untill hat got wet (not drenched) and sat on the crown in my locker at work. Hat was scrunched, just sat there.

Any further thoughts are alway appreaciated by the managment.

Croft

It may be a dumb suggestinon, but try wiping it away with a damp cloth. It may be that some dirt or dust dug itself feeper into the felt and has to be forced out, gently. I am just throwing it out there.

Dave

The marks come from the top of the hat, hitting the bottom of the shipping box. To get rid of them, take a medium stiff brush, and brush them off. Beaver fur will show up stuff like this, more so than rabbit will. Wetting the area probably would not help, as the nap has been pressed down in those areas, so, you just have to fluff the nap back up, with a brush. Water would probably compound it, as water can lay the nap down too.

I get the same marks when I lay my hat down on a table, as I always lay it down on the top of the crown. I just never pay them any mind as they generally go away when I wear it. But, I don't really take care of my own hats either. I just throw them around, and don't worry about little distess marks. But, that's just me. I know some guys really tend to their hats, I just don't. I reckon this comes with knowing alot about the bodies that I use, and there is little you can do to damage the hats, so I treat em pretty rough.

I can't count the number of times my youngest grandson will grab my hat, off my head, put it on, and then use it as any kid would do. Stomp on it, throw it around, etc. Some guys would just go nuts with this sort of treatment. But knowing there is nothing he can do to hurt the hat, has alot to do with it too. Needless to say, once I get it back from him, I always have to put the creases back in!! Getting the sticky candy off, well, that's easy too. A bit of lighter fluid, on a rag suffices quite well.

I generally cut the inserts tall enough to keep the top of the crown off the bottom of the box. But, every now and then, I may cut one too short. Or, it was tall enough, and somewhere along the shipping line, the top is compressed in, which would cause the hat to be pushed down to the bottom. It doesn't happen often, but it will happen at times.

The good thing is, while it can be a nusance, when it does happen, the hat is not hurt at all. But, if you have a customer who has never re-creased a hat, that person can panic. Because, many times, the creases that I put in are somewhat knocked out in shipping. The only way for this not to happen is to put so much shellac in the hats that nothing will change the crease job. But then, you are wearing a cowboy hat, not a fedora.

Hope that brush tip solves the problem Bruce. It has always worked for me. Fedora

Just re-read Croft's post and noticed that they appeared again after he got the hat damp, and sat it on the crown. Yep, compression marks is what they are. Most hat brushes are too soft to fluff up nap. So, use something along the lines of a soft tooth brush, and do it very lightly, just enough pressue to fluff up that area.

If this does not work, grab a piece of 220 grit, and lightly rub just those areas. A real fine grit(400 grit and upwards) will not help, as it takes off nap. You just need to get the nap back to what it was prior to the compression laying it down. Hope this helps. Fedora

Just had a chance to re-open this thread and read the post's. Thanks for the tips Steve I'll give'm a try. And let ya know. I pertty much new the hats were industructible, but I've always been in the camp, that these little things may be nothing to some but to others it matters. Me just knowing theres two marks on top just drives me a little nuts, I like my hats to look uniform and beat up at the same time. And Steve I'm totally lovin how this bash turned out. I'll be posting pics of all my hats soon in another thread. Thanks again.

Croft

ps: and I'll calling you John as I want your imput as well as just having the pleasure of talking with you.

Just had a chance to re-open this thread and read the post's. Thanks for the tips Steve I'll give'm a try. And let ya know. I pertty much new the hats were industructible, but I've always been in the camp, that these little things may be nothing to some but to others it matters. Me just knowing theres two marks on top just drives me a little nuts, I like my hats to look uniform and beat up at the same time. And Steve I'm totally lovin how this bash turned out. I'll be posting pics of all my hats soon in another thread. Thanks again.

I was afraid, after re reading my post that it might come across in a manner I never intended. And you are in a camp that many are in Croft. Absolutely nothing wrong with this camp either! I am in the same camp when it comes to my guitars!! I clean each one, after I play it!! Can't stand those smudges.

Pretty sure I used the final rendition of my Raiders block on that hat by the way. I thought it turned out nicely for a reblock. I just reblocked another customers AB, and had to totally redo it!! The original old blockshape came back, once it sat in the shop for a day, so I had to pull out the big guns to ensure it accepted the new block and forgot about the old one! The customer requested I use my last rendition, so I had to make sure he got what he wanted. I always keep the reblocks around for a few days to make sure the new shape "took". Yours saw no change, so I knew it was good to ship. Fedora

Well I'm sorry it took me a few days to respond to this thread. I took Steves advice and did a light (very light) sanding using 400 grit wet/dry and a some 600 grit wet/dry sanding paper. Alternate with a stiffer brush. And presto , the marks have all but disapeared. Me I can see em if I look hard enough, but ultimatley there gone. I'll take a pic and post a before and after.

Thanks for all the advice guys, I really do love the bash on this one.

And John don't worry, one of these days your phone will ring and it'll be me.

trust me.

Croft

Indiana Croft wrote:Well I'm sorry it took me a few days to respond to this thread. I took Steves advice and did a light (very light) sanding using 400 grit wet/dry and a some 600 grit wet/dry sanding paper. Alternate with a stiffer brush. And presto , the marks have all but disapeared. Me I can see em if I look hard enough, but ultimatley there gone. I'll take a pic and post a before and after.

Thanks for all the advice guys, I really do love the bash on this one.

And John don't worry, one of these days your phone will ring and it'll be me.

trust me.

Croft

I was about to suggest the same thing that Steve did because I had the same thing happen to one of my hats but wanted to talk over the phone first to make sure that was happening. I wouldn't want to advise you if I wasn't 100% sure about what was going on with your hat.

No problem, trust is a wonderful thing. You guy's know what your talking about. I just did a re-read, Does Steve really mean for me to have used 220 grit sand paper (the kind I use on my woodworking projects?). I did end up using wet/dry sand paper (dry of course) and at the same time I used the soft tooth brush. I'll take a pic, but as before the pic's don't do it justice.
Thanks again.

Croft