Hat help

[treadlightly]

It comes to us all eventually I guess and my much-loved old leather hat is no exception. It is suffering from droop!

Droop of the brim, that is...



As I hope you can see the brim at the back is down near vertical which means the back of my neck is getting no protection from rain.

Can anyone help? It has a flexible wire in the brim which I've tried manipulating but to no avail. Any ideas as to how I can return it to its old horizontal self?

Thanks in advance...

 

[Lou]

Ah, we all suffer from a little droop from time to time

 

[treadlightly]

Ah, we all suffer from a little droop from time to time

True, but this seems permanent

 

[Mesquite]

You could always try inserting a new wire into the brim

 

[Lou]

True, but this seems permanent

Oh, that's quite shocking. Anyways, Eric's leather water flasks are completely stiff, he dips them in beeswax, perhaps you could try that ?

 

[Seagull]

Oh, that's quite shocking. Anyways, Eric's leather water flasks are completely stiff, he dips them in beeswax, perhaps you could try that ?

Quite right too.
To get the best effect, dip the whole brim, just rotate it slowly and then wheek it out.
Probably need to get rid of the excess by wafting all over with the wifes hairdryer set high.

Newspaper is your best pal.

But dont be tempted to burnish or buff the rim, once dipped, or you'll have a Guardsmans gloss all over it.

Ceeg

 

[Uilleachan]

You could always try inserting a new wire into the brim

Thats my thoughts, out with the old, in with the new. One of my hats, my favorite, has been back from the dead more than once, thanks to my handy old mum.

 

[Macaroon]

If you replace the wire in the brim it will probably give your brim a new lease of life; I've done a couple over the years, hoods as well when I still used them, but I've not done a leather one although I can't see why it would be different................The stuff I've used with good results is a single copper strand from 10mm earth wire bought from a sparky I knew. Worth a try as it takes very little time or money so nothing lost if it doesn't do what you need.............I think the beeswax would work but would add considerable weight to the rim, and what about warm weather?...........More droop?.......................atb mac

 

[Seagull]

There is yet another way which may just work, and its nothing to do with new wires or beeswax.

You could try the method I use for hats which are just a bit too big.
Tension... I'm talking about beefing up the stern section by adding a few rows of tight stitches. In a compatible colour, you wouldn't notice them.
Try it on a scrap of leather first, just to get the hang of it.

Ceeg

 

[treadlightly]

Oh, that's quite shocking. Anyways, Eric's leather water flasks are completely stiff, he dips them in beeswax, perhaps you could try that ?

He put a tutorial on here a while back. I'll look it up.

 

[treadlightly]

Several good ideas here - thanks. I think I'm going to try hot beeswax but just on the back part of the brim. Hopefully that will restore its youthful vigour!

 

[Lou]

Good luck with it, let us know how you get on

 

[woof]

rub some of that viagra jell on it....


Rob

 

[treadlightly]

Et voila!!




Melted beeswax rubbed into a warmed hat at the drooping point stiffened it up nicely. The price I pay is a two-tone hat with a big darker area where the wax is. I could do the whole of it but don't want to sacrifice breathability. I can live with it.

My son walked into the kitchen as I was simultaneously melting the wax on the hob and putting my hat into the oven to warm the leather. His doubts about my sanity, often expressed previously, were confirmed at that moment

Thanks to Tawnyhare for the idea :You_Rock_

 

[Macaroon]

Glad you were successful..........................atb mac

 

[ozzy1977]

Might give that a go on my old jackaroo