Forming Dress Hat

[Nick61stnewyork]

Hey
Before I start, i DID use the search but dident find what I needed.

OK, what are some effiective ways to form a dress hat (1858 Tim Bender)? I heard of steaming (holding it over steam and then forming), but wouldent that shrink it a bit? Im looking just to form the crown. DO they just form over time and weather conditions?

Nick

[PVT.THIB]

Nick,
You got it right. Just let it form in the weather. One good rainstorm while wearing the hat will give you any desired effect!

[Rob Weaver]

I reblock mine with a steam iron, board and a couple dressmaker's hams of different sizes. Takes about 30 minutes.

[akcampaigner]

Nick,
You got it right. Just let it form in the weather. One good rainstorm while wearing the hat will give you any desired effect!


That works perfectly when forming these hats. Anyway, it is more authentic then using modern methods.


Andrew

[Nick61stnewyork]

Well, i think I got it, wear it in the rain and it will be formable.
Thanks for replys

Nick

[Curt-Heinrich Schmidt]

Hallo!

The next time it gets wet- march, event, shower, bath tub, etc., punch, push, pinch, telescope, pull out the disk, etc., the crown to suit your fancy or to copy one from a Period image.

"Steam" is bad on wool felt and fur felt as it not only shrinks the fibers but makes them scaly, dense, and compact (fulling process).

I don't have the image handy, but the most "radical" dress hat treatment I have ever see is/was the soldier took the crown, folded it down, and sewed it in place. (a lad named Karl Johnson did it to his a few years ago).

CHS

[Nick61stnewyork]

So I can take it, put the crown in the bath tub for (how long?) and it will be formable to my liking?

[Curt-Heinrich Schmidt]

Hallo!

If one cannot wait for rain at events, over time, a few inches of water in the tub, and a few inches of water in the upside-down crown for about a half an hour should make for a supple and moldable crown. (Deeper water for brim work.)

Make sure the bath tub is clean, as soap residue will cling to the hat leaving a whitish gray deposit of soap scum and a soap scum line that will look like your hat was....
shaped in a bath tub.

;) :)

CHS
Mad Hatter Mess

[Spinster]

Until it soaks through fairly throughly. Use tepid water, not warm nor hot, and do not run water on the hat. Just float it on there and let it gradually wick up the water.

That method should avoid the sorts of problems Curt is talking about.

Once shaped, place towels inside the hat, and support the brim in the proper shape as well. Place in a well ventilated area to dry, out of direct heat or bright sunlight.

[Nick61stnewyork]

I followed exacly. I formed it and it came out great. No soap scum or anything. Its drying on my dresser right now. Ill post pics later.

[Rob Weaver]

Someday, I'm going to add grommets to the top of a dress hat, like the surviving Iron Brigade example. I shot a hole in one a couple years ago with a musket. Sad to say, my marksmanship was so bad that day it took me 5 shots to hit a hat-sized target!