Club Obi Wan

Do you need to remove the band and ribbon to properly reblock a fedora? Will a reblock remove the old creases entirely in the felt from tight pinches in the front? Is there anything I can do about the slight discoloration in the felt at the pinch? I believe the felt used for this fedora is a rabbit / beaver blend.

yes, you have to take out the ribbon, sweat and liner to re-block a hat. a good reblocking will remove tight pinch creases. i'm not sure about the discoloration though... i suppose it could depend on what kind of discoloration.

As far as I know, that discoloration is there to stay. After reblocking, some hats bleed there color; it all depends on the dying process. If the hat is discolored just by grabbing it, I'd say it will bleed the dye when reblocked.

Dave

beaverlid wrote:Do you need to remove the band and ribbon to properly reblock a fedora? Will a reblock remove the old creases entirely in the felt from tight pinches in the front? Is there anything I can do about the slight discoloration in the felt at the pinch? I believe the felt used for this fedora is a rabbit / beaver blend.

I've reblocked my Fed a couple of times without taking the band and ribbon off, Admittedly it may not be the perfect way of doing it, but for my purposes...(getting it back into shape and getting creases out)...it seemed to work fine.

Yes you will need to remove everything to do it right and yes doing it right makes a big difference. The color could be from oils from your hand and could be fixed with a cleaning and reblock. Remember I said could.

I know we talked about me getting the reblock done. I am trying to figure out if it is worth the trouble or should this just be my hat I beat up and let it be what it is. I won't do anything until the fedora I ordered from you comes in because I need at least one to wear. The discoloration is right in the pinch. I believe it comes from the pinch itself. Imagine a credit card and have you ever bent it back and forth to break it and you get that discoloration in the bend, well that is what it reminds me of. It isn't bad, but it is noticeable. Maybe I pinched it to tight. The crease is very tight.

If my hat is actually not 100% beaver does that mean I have to change my name to beaver blend until I get my new one from you bendingoak?

I just made the connection after your last post. I think the color problem is from the oils from your hands. I would either leave it the way it is or have it re-blocked the right way. Don't go half way. Either you will have a improved hat or the hat you have. If you do it yourself it won't be the same. I know people have re-blocked their own. Most were happy with the over all results but the details are not there. After talking with you for some time I think you would not like the results from the half way reblock.

You are right. I don't want to go halfway. That crease has also made me rethink my raiders bash i ordered from you. I don't want the same problem on the pinch in that fedora. I am guessing the last crusade is going to be a better route to go.

The light colored line left by a tight pinch is hard to get out, but should present no problem as long as you keep the pinch in the same place, after a reblock. That is, don't block the hat so the pinch has to be moved, left or right.

Sometimes depending upon the type of fur used in the hat, this lighter line can be pounced out, after you reblock it, and while it is still on the block. But, you can't know, until you do the pouncing. Many times, you have to drop to a courser grit to get out the lines, and then move back up to the finer grits for the final finish. You can also cosmetically treat the hat to help remove the lines, using heated oil, which darkens the lighter line.

Face it, the tight pinch on some of the Raider fedoras isn't good for any felt. Eventually, the felt will break and tear where the tight pinch is. This is because, over time, the fur actually breaks, or tears, with age, and depending upon how much beaver is in the hat. Pure beaver takes much longer for any tears to occur, unlike rabbit. Fedora

Good post Fedora! Thanks

Bending Oak if you are reading this post I hate to do it so soon into my order but I believe I need to do a change order on the bash style. I want a hat that will be around when my grandkids talk about that old beat up hat grandpa wears. If a tight pinch will eventually put a hole there I think I definately want the last crusade bash. Not to make your life harder but what would you need me to do to make that an official request on the order I placed a few weeks ago?

beaverlid wrote:Good post Fedora! Thanks

Bending Oak if you are reading this post I hate to do it so soon into my order but I believe I need to do a change order on the bash style. I want a hat that will be around when my grandkids talk about that old beat up hat grandpa wears. If a tight pinch will eventually put a hole there I think I definately want the last crusade bash. Not to make your life harder but what would you need me to do to make that an official request on the order I placed a few weeks ago?

It's your hat my friend. I can change it but its more than the bash I will need to change but not to worry. Since I haven't worked on it yet I can change anything.

BendingOak, I will change my block / bash request to the Last crusade style. I won't bother you again with changes to my order. Where do I make it official so the moderator doesn't get cranky about it . I just don't want the tight pinch on this fedora to become a problem later down the road.

Do you have a picture of the Last crusade style from the front view. On your facebook photos there is only side or angled views.

I love the look of this style!!