Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 971 Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 (edited) Take my fur felt Stetson broad-brimmed fedora. It's silver grey. Bought it three years ago at the last true hat store in Seattle, just before it went out of business. There seem to be no more men's hat stores. I take pretty good care of it, but with the light color it's getting smudged, now to the point where it's starting to become noticeable. How do I clean it? The local dry cleaner I've used for years won't touch good hats. The hattery, as I said, is no more. I don't know if there's a real hat shop north of San Francisco. Figure the cowboys here can help! I don't want to attempt it in ignorance; it's a great hat. I haven't had such a light-colored hat before. Edited January 16 by Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Abilene, SASS # 27489 1,351 Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 regular corn starch and a soft toothbrush. Takes a while. Worked great on BP brass marks. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Goody, SASS #26190 1,281 Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 The Western shops around here all have hat departments. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Blackwater 53393 5,959 Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 Most smudges that are NOT oily/greasy will come out with a vigorous brushing. Use a good hat cleaning sponge where possible! You can get the sponges at good western stores, (DO NOT use those sponges treated with chemicals!!) or on line. Brush the hat in a clockwise direction. Hats are finished by sanding and it is done by spinning the hat counterclockwise. If the stains or smudges still show, then rub in a little corn starch and let it sit for a while. Brush it out good and repeat if needed. 4 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
portugeejn 14 Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 I used those orange hat cleaning sponges back in the old days. Bought them at Renton Western Wear, but I have been away from Seattle for a long time now, and I see they shut down in 2013. Search for “orange hat cleaning sponges” in your favorite search engine. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sedalia Dave 13,612 Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 14 minutes ago, Blackwater 53393 said: Most smudges that are NOT oily/greasy will come out with a vigorous brushing. Use a good hat cleaning sponge where possible! You can get the sponges at good western stores, (DO NOT use those sponges treated with chemicals!!) or on line. Brush the hat in a clockwise direction. Hats are finished by sanding and it is done by spinning the hat counterclockwise. If the stains or smudges still show, then rub in a little corn starch and let it sit for a while. Brush it out good and repeat if needed. THIS^^^ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rattlesnake Slim 323 Posted January 16 Share Posted January 16 I was in Tucson 8 or 9 years ago and had Arizona Hatters clean, reshape, and sew in a new leather band for about $65. Don't know if they still do, or the price, but it would be worth a try. http://www.arizonahatters.com/ They are a respected, trustworthy place, been in business since 1935. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 971 Posted January 17 Author Share Posted January 17 Thanks, Pards. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Singin' Sue 71615 1,115 Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 5 hours ago, Abilene, SASS # 27489 said: regular corn starch and a soft toothbrush. Takes a while. Worked great on BP brass marks. Yup... Or a good soft boot-shine brush. Can use a fine corn meal as well. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Go West 419 Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 What about a water mark? I have a vintage hat with a small mark under the brim. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sixgun Seamus 1,833 Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 (edited) I guess I'm the other way around. I have a silver Tom Mix Stetson that I bought in 1981. I still will wear it occasionally. I took it to a hat shop for resizing several years ago and he asked me if I wanted it cleaned. My response was, "Heck No, It took me 30 years to get it looking this good." Edited January 17 by Sixgun Seamus 5 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474 7,644 Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 I kinda like the "Used/Lived-in/Rode Hard and Put Away Wet" look my ownself. I've even been thinking about adding a bullet hole in the crown!! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 971 Posted January 17 Author Share Posted January 17 3 hours ago, Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474 said: I kinda like the "Used/Lived-in/Rode Hard and Put Away Wet" look my ownself. I've even been thinking about adding a bullet hole in the crown!! I've got a good hat, German-made Mayser, black, that has a hole in the crown. I tossed a hiking pole with a steel tip into the back seat a couple of years back, and naturally it hit the hat that was on one of the seats, and punched a hole. Getting that sort of thing repaired is nigh impossible, it seems, so I have taken to wearing it in all conditions and don't worry anymore about keeping it pristine. But now I'm going to tell people it's a bullet hole! As for my silver grey Stetson, it's a dressy fedora, not a cowboy hat, so I want it looking good... 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tequila Shooter 1,602 Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 One of the hats that I regularly wear has had SG pellets go through the brim, I leave’em gives it character. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Abilene, SASS # 27489 1,351 Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 5 hours ago, Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474 said: I kinda like the "Used/Lived-in/Rode Hard and Put Away Wet" look my ownself. I've even been thinking about adding a bullet hole in the crown!! Once years ago Artie Fly came to a match with a brand new big-brim palm leaf hat. Very first thing he did was fling it down range and shoot it a couple times. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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