Club Obi Wan

You know, the flanged, or flared reeded sweat, that you see in some hats has a purpose. It is supposed to help in keeping the sweat from soaking in on the bottom of the brim break. So, you don't get that white line around the brim, when the salt appears.

But many fine Borsalinos and other brands used a totally different kind of sweat. Some of you have probably seen them on old hats. There is no reed, and the only way to install this type of sweat is with a special sewing machine. So, back when I used to get a few in to work on, if I took out the sweat, I had to replace it with a reeded sweat.

The non reeded sweats look nice, and take less labor to make and install them at the factory. But I think they were designed for a cleaner look, not really sure.

The HJs and Christys use a reeded sweat, but they forget to flange them(flare) probably because the reed is not stiff enough to actually make the flare. So, they just sew em' in, without the flare. At least these days. Which also explains why they put the retaining stitches for the sweat right at the brim break. Any higher, with this sweat and the sweatband would be pulled up inside the hat.

To me, the only true sign of a well made hat is if you still own it 20 years after you bought it, and it stood the real test of being reblocked without tearing, somewhere, in those years.

I know of a hatmaker that makes the nicest looking hats, just perfect in the details. But, it's beauty, once it's gone cannot be brought back with a refurb. You generally don't have enough hat to work with, due to the severe shrinkage of the felt. So, beauty sometimes is more than skin deep. So many things to consider when talking about a well made hat.

Some hatmakers use a finishing powder, to even out the color of the felt. Stetson's dress line is this way. But once you get in a rain, that powder tends to leach out and run down your collar, leaving a stain, in my case, a brown stain on my shirt.

And you get a severely mottled hat once the powder is washed out. So, it was used for a purpose. Now, nothing wrong with the powder, as it has been used by hatters for years, and makes the felt look great, as long as you use it for fair weather. But many times, the powder is used to camoflauge a poor quaility felt these days. And one reason Akubra at one time advertised that they did not use the stuff on their hats. Fedora

Mountaineer wrote:Thanks again for the responses. Today is the typical summer pop-up rain showers all day, so I'm kind of stuck. No biggie. The hat will either hang in there or die trying. (No pun intended.)

Another thing, I believe I've seen this mentioned by Fedora, is his use of some form of coconut-based waterproofing for his hats. I wonder if it might have been some of that washing out as well? I know he converted this thing, but with his health lately, I'm not running off to bug him with a PM on what he may have done at one time with a hat I'm sure he's long forgotten.

Most likely, it was dye. Hopefully a one-time deal. I'll just have to be careful.

Just looking at all angles/possibilities, but I do appreciate the input from you both.