How To Take Care of your Fedora,Stetson Western Felt or Dtraw Hat, or Western

[@davezaitz9807]

Thank you for the tour it's nice seeing some old nostalgic items saved from the day

[@vipermad358]

"Preserve the curve" Awesome videos! Just discovered these yesterday and now Kevin is my HAT GURU!

[@KTGHATS]

Thanks!!😃

[@ronjohnson3449]

Kevin, thanks for all your videos on Stetson style hats, I got into wearing quality hats last year and I have learned from your videos on how to wear and shape and take care of my hat collection, I plan on buying some hats from you very soon. Ron Johnson, Little Rock Arkansas

[@kyleyoakum9383]

Dude, I love your videos and information. Your personality is perfect for what you do -guitars and hats.

[@MathematicsCapital1]

LONG LIVE THE FEDORA DOCTOR! LONG LIVE PORK PIE HATTERS! James - RI

[@MathematicsCapital1]

HAT FRIENDS: You've heard the hat is "coming back....Make it happen! Turn people on to this beautiful but vulnerable cultural icon James - RI

[@stefanoprivetto6744]

Great shop Kevin I would love to be a customer one day. I was fascinated to see outside the shop. Best regards from England.

[@Bartholomew60]

"Preserve the curve." Perfect slogan to help remind me to take care of my hats.

[@onemouse1]

I really enjoy how serious you take your craft. really a professional. most hat shops around here are just interested in selling, and could care less about how the hat will be taken care of. thanks for posting!

[@MrCoursair77]

Thanks Kev

[@KTGHATS]

Hey Kev! thank you!

[@irsyadsyafiqi4620]

Hey Kavin, thanks for the tips and knowledge about hats. Now I do know more about it and appreciate the art of hat. Keep on going on your passion about hats. Good work!

[@redceltstonesculpture8156]

Your awesome , thank you for your great advice

[@KTGHATS]

Thanks for your awesome support,you rock 😷✌️

[@redceltstonesculpture8156]

@@KTGHATS Your help guided me thru all the questions I had and actually saved me the hat from a huge mistake. Glad you made this site. If I'm in the area I'll stop by pick one up from your shop

[@Casiian_]

Very useful information

[@KTGHATS]

Thanks 😊

[@BEARDED_VATO]

Well well, look what i just found 😎🤙🏼

[@TheravadaMarine]

Kevin, great videos. I enjoy them very much and appreciate your love for hats. Keep up the good work and hats will be of the norm again (I hope). Shoes protects your feet; pants and shirts covers your body; but not everyone has the same logic about hats.

[@brendarichmond-davis4936]

Great info 😊

[@rogerstenstromk5mow715]

Nice video. Great info

[@francisromero6300]

Thanks (from Spain) for your videos.

[@michaelguzman8440]

Great Video. Excellent Information Kevin. Love Your Videos !

[@armandocardenas-nick-6544]

it's kinda funny that hat shops don't follow the first rule, they always have the hats in shelves the wrong way, just as you can see behind you. Nice videos by the way I have 3 fedoras and appreciate the time you take for us hat owners

[@KTGHATS]

Very observant, I guess if they were upside down they'd be impossible to see, they'd all look alike.. and Hanging them works with one size fits all but w sizes u have limited space hanging hats. We put plastic dust covers and/or foam rings to keep the hat above from squashing the hat below it, but the bottom-most hat always suffers a bit. It's frustrating, u need to dust the felt and steam the bands twice a week but yes, good point, there is no solution that will allow me to hang them or invert them and still allow for enough room to display everything. The good thing is that I'm here constantly touching up any hats that need work, I can steam up a wrinkled band or flat brim in a flash, after 20 years of this, it's just part of the job.. I usually steam every hat when it's sold, and make sure every detail is perfect,not a speck of dust or a wrinkle anywhere..it's worked out okay, I need to keep them stacked properly and if anything, it's only the bottom hat that suffers a bit, and the bottom hat is a size small, which is like less than 5% of the clientele who buys hats,so those hats tend to sell infrequently anyway

[@madacaphoto]

Thanks for the very informative videos. You're very knowledgable when it comes to hats. I have learned a lot watching your videos. I get a new grey wool felt fedora tomorrow and am planning on purchasing another soon. I've always loved wearing fedoras and hats in general. You can dress them up or go for the tshirt and jeans look and it still looks great.

[@yarekim5932]

Kevin Thanks to you , I've managed to (pretty much) fit and fix my old Resistol , and received the Akubra Bushman , came shrunk (ordered 59>7 3/8 , sized it with a Made Rite = 7 1/8), stretched it with steam , as you said , "go big , it'll shrink back." Scared me at first it was So Big , but it's Perfect , now ! Center creased the open crown , no steam , yet , but need to get the stretch marks out , and it came with a plastic protector over the crown , but the ribbon was wrinkled badly sadly. I need to get that out . If I'd thought , I'd have checked , didn't realize you sold them . I've bookmarked you're website , WOW ! You sell some Great Hats ! My last deal is my Stetson Open Road , I need to shrink it , and try to conform it (ordered a 7 3/8 , but in Stetson I think I should have gone 7 1/4 , my old size , 23" , 58.5 cm , guessing game) , I wear a long oval , it came round oval . Temple gaps and size , even the sizing tape just isn't cutting it , though I know it'll shrink over time . I got the front to back fixed okay , but the side to side ,still not making it . Not sure it's possible , but ... (any info you have would be appreciated) . Thanks for the Great Vids ! Jams (we need some "Cosmic Debris")! And your Kindness ! Great Info ! Thanks Bro !

[@KTGHATS]

u can steam out those wrinkled ribbons with a brush and steam, that's from stacking hats, a no-no. unless u use rings or plastic dust covers to separate the hats as far as the gaps on the sides, we all have those gaps, don't try to fill them, it's impossible, fit a hat with the front and back and ignore the sides, the hat will stretch and become more oval if it's supportive and tight enough to stretch, those gaps on the sides are on everyone's hat, don't fill them up, ignore it,if u got the front and back to fit, u got it,it's perfect. the sides are irrelevant,they will take shape eventually

[@tomholbrook2216]

Thanks for the info...

[@valeriebrousseau1053]

I just purchased a beautiful biltmore vinage ( dont know what year) felt fedora🎉🎉🎉

[@dennisalters702]

That white or silver belly hat that you are wearing works on you!

[@KTGHATS]

Thanks, I want a light hat!

[@drkpg1]

great video

[@kyleyoakum9383]

I have been shopping for vintage Barsalinos, but it seems like most of the blokes back in the day had small heads. Tons of 7 and lower at amazing prices. Once you hit 7 3/8 and above the pickings are slim and the prices more than double. Did our heads grow that much bigger?

[@KTGHATS]

It’s not that,not at all… those are the sizes that don’t sell. They’re left after all the people picked through the good ones. NOBODY let’s go of those hats,they keep them forever. If it’s too small, they sell them off.. often a hat shop sell the stock out and is left with some bad sizes, 6 7/8, 7.. etc. those fit almost nobody but a small group of small headed folks. That’s all that’s left. Thrift shops send teenagers all over the country to find bargains at garage sales and yard sales..they travel around buying up stuff to sell for the owners. I had a friend who did that. Now, when they discover a cool Borsalino from the 20’s in an amazing color in a size 7 3/8, who do you think buys it?? The people working at those shops get first dibs,and anything they find that’s in a desirable size and color gets jacked up to $500-700. You’re like the 10,000th person to shop for a vintage Borsalino on Etsy and eBay this month, the chances of finding a gem there is small, but possible.. u need to check the “most recent” section every day, every night for months,maybe a year before u find a treasure. Those real gems are found in Salvation Army and good will shops, or flea markets,garage sales.. they pop up, but u need to do some legwork, you won’t find it in the east village at some trendy thrift shop, it’ll be in a small Salvation Army shop in a dark street somewhere in queens or Brooklyn, in some non-hip area.. or at a church thrift sale, yard sales.. u need to look beyond Etsy and eBay. If you wear size 6 7/8 to 7 1/8, you can do Etsy and eBay, Plus..vintage hats are shrunken up, the leather is dehydrated, so don’t buy a size smaller thinking it’ll stretch out. figure a size smaller will be two sizes smaller in reality.

[@samcooper430]

Hey Kevin I live in the southern heat where 90 to 100 degrees is normal in the summer. I am bald so a hat is very useful & I was wondering if a straw Panama hat would be my best bet or if you have another suggestion. I am worried about any sweat ruining the hat.

[@blainesullivan5517]

Thanks for the videos. I took my 20+ year old stetson fedora to a hat shop and was told there wasn't anything they could do with it, so I tried some of the steps from your videos. Now it looks good, it's back in shape. I don't know how long it will hold its shape, but we'll see. Should I use hairspray to stiffen the brim and the crown, or just the brim?

[@KTGHATS]

If it's giving u a problem because it's too soft,u stiffen. Mostly it's the brim

[@lwrapoza5150]

Do you think you could make a video about the inside of the hats. How to care or repair the inside of the hats? Thanx very much.

[@KTGHATS]

lwrapoza5150 i can do that, sure.. are there any specific questions u have?

[@MidNightsHunter]

Kevin: Gr8 videos. Thanks for sharing. So you would not recommend keeping a hat in a hat box? (crown down of course). Did you use to work with JJ Hats a century ago? I think you were helpful to me in many of my purchases. Your favorite hats were like violet or purple. Best Regards

[@KTGHATS]

Yes that's me I worked there for 17 years since 1994, and then when this shop opened , I came down to run it, I'm at the new shop for 3 years, we are both connected, pork pie hatters is our satellite shop, more casual and more custom stuff.. 440 east 9th (at Ave A) A box is good if it has a support to raise the brim inside,but hanging them in a nail or hook is fine too. A box keeps more dust away though I like mine hung up or flipped upside down on a shelf,sometimes i feel like after a hat is in a box for a while, it needs a little touch up when u take it out, u need to box it correctly. if the cover of the box is rubbing up against the brim, then you're better off with no box at all. The hat,when boxed,should be floating upon the little ring in the center. This elevates the brim so it floats,rather than laying flat against the bottom of the box. If the box cover isn't interfering and the hat is boxed right, it should be fine. The general rule is..boxed,upside down on a shelf,or hung up on a nail/hook are the 3 ways u should store these, while setting them flat on the brim would be the one incorrect way to store a hat.

[@richardbarr3153]

Funny all your hats are stored brim down l like your videos are now inspired to wear my Stetson expedition hat. Even though its crushable l are careful to not crush it and l store it upside down and brush it counterclockwise with vaccum cleaner with a brush attachment.

[@KTGHATS]

Displaying them upside down wouldn’t work, so, instead of setting them on shelves, the hats generally sit on 3 brass bars in our big 100 yr old shop, JJ hat center, this was our small shop downtown, we never had the brass bars here, but should have.. good fall, u spotted that, this shop is gone, we only work out of our original shop,JJ hat Center now, and if u notice there, all the hats are resting on bars,not shelves.. it’s slightly better, upside down just wouldn’t make a good display,

[@KTGHATS]

Richard Barr ...counter clockwise,upside down. You’re doing everything right! Sounds like you’ve been paying attention

[@adamanderson1547]

@@KTGHATS My daughter has a Bowler or derby shape hat..How should that be stored?! If stored on top or upside down wouldn't that smash the round top?

[@KTGHATS]

Adam Anderson upside down doesn’t hurt the crown, if u feel funny about it, hanging it up is also fine, just keep it off of the brim, and the brim will stay in shape, otherwise it gets soft,flat..floppy.. upside down is fine though, the crown is structurally a strong shape, and though it won’t change its shape, even a rounded top bowler has a flattish region on the top of the crown, displaying it on a hat or coat rack,nail or hook is fine

[@megg-zone8542]

Could you tell me how to wash/clean a straw hat inside out. How do you wash or at least clean your hats in general. Thanks a lot for the tips.

[@KTGHATS]

I don't. I change the sweatband or just buy our $5 cotton stick in sweatbands, for prevention. I don't wash any Hats..ever

[@SydneyE458]

Thank you for such informative videos! Do you know of any resources that would show how to make one of these hats? I am wanting to start a female felt hat company but don't know how to make a sample of my product. Any advice or resources you have would be greatly appreciated!!

[@KTGHATS]

Try the public library, I know a guy who learned that way, or FIT in NYC has a night school course

[@AbdulRahimGreen]

Yo! What about super glue? My stetson had a feather in it. I removed it and was using super glue to reattach the leather thing that goes around where the crown meets the brim. Got a tiny bit of super glue on it. Not too noticeable but would like to remove it.

[@KTGHATS]

Oliver Green if it’s a fur felt hat u can stay softly and carefully buffing it out w sandpaper, various degrees of fineness.. but dripping glue on felt, there’s a slim chance u will get that all out, depending on how deep it goes

[@AbdulRahimGreen]

Thankyou very much! Yes it says 3X. And it's a Stetson.

[@charlesrubitschung3562]

Hi Kevin I currently own three Fedora hats and my very first fedora hat is a little tight due to the fact That my mother accsidently put it in the dryer the last Time she washed it and I was wondering if you could tell me how I Could fix that so it dosen't look like it shrunk which it did because fedoras are starting to become some of my favorite peices headwere next To the bandanna And with my very fedora being a mess I have trouble wereing it over my eyebrows which is how I were my fedoras because it keeps the lights out of my eyes thanks for showing Me how to store my fedoras and if you know how I could fix my first fedora myself please tell me and yes I have My first fedora on my head while I'm writing this comment because I like the way I look in a fedora hat

[@lwrapoza5150]

Great Vids. I have a question. Is the silk hat lining supposed to be loose? The silk liner falls down on an old hat that I have. Is there a way to keep in from falling down or is this normal.

[@KTGHATS]

lwrapoza5150 simple, the lining is removable, it comes out so u can change it when it's dirty, usually they just slip it in under the leather band, or they lightly glue it with a dab or 2 from a hot glue gun . If it is coming out, u peel back the leather band,reverse it so it's open and u can take out the lining. take it out, and straighten it, take out the creases so it's unwrinkled, (if the wrinkles are really bad and u can't get it to lay straight,then steam the lining under a teapot or steamer until the wrinkles are gone) punch out the shape of the crown so it's open,like a bowl.. lay the lining in place so it looks straight and correctly layed inside the crown of the hat,u can use a dab of hot glue gun or even a tiny dab of elmers to keep it in place, but usually u don't even need glue. straighten the lining,fold back the leather and there u go. it isn't messed up or broken, they just shift around, u need to just place it back correctly,easy stuff. if it is falling down on to the top of your head and not laying flat against the top of the crown, u need to punch the crown open,take out the creases and pinches,peel back the leather,so it's reversed,and take out the lining, smooth it out,and use a drop or two of glue to get it to stay flat. use very little. just a small shmear or two.

[@chrif7892]

Thank you very much for this, learned a lot. A question I have a hat with a material band it, and it has a stain on it. How would i go about removing it?

[@KTGHATS]

Most bands are attached with a few little tack stitches, u get a good,sharp razor blade or exacto knife, and pull the band away from the hat w your fingers, there should be just enough space to slip a blade under each stitch and gently saw each stitch off, carefully and slowly.. go slowly. Some cheaper hats use glued-on bands, sometimes u can carefully just pull the glued bits away from the felt,,go slowly,be careful.. u can use a blade to help. Generally,it's a few stitches, just cut them, take the band off.. u can try washing it, but I never have, I just buy a yard of ribbon from a trimmings shop and use some hot glue gun sticks or stitches to put the new one on. We can reband a hat with a custom band for $20, or I can send u one of those clip-on bands that I use in my "hatbands,sweatbands and windcords" video, they are $10, we can send it in an envelope, it's easy. i can send u photos and color choices..

[@chrif7892]

quadrogong1111 Thank you for your offer, unfortunately 9,000 miles is a tad to far for me. I do love your videos and if I ever travel to America it will be on my list to drop in

[@KTGHATS]

Try a brand new sponge ,clean from the package, hot water, rub with the grain of the ribbon. It might disperse the stain..depends on what it is, it works with salt stains w dark ribbons, I've done it before successfully

[@MrSmokodoki]

Storing hats upside down, does that apply to all hats? I have a bowler hat, is it good for a bowler hat to be resting upside down?

[@KTGHATS]

Yes,or hung up on a nail, hook, coat rack etc the theory is to keep the weight off of the brim, .

[@Ocean-kayak]

Hung on a nail?? Wouldn't the nail put a dent in your hat? I have a ton of hats and store them in plastic see-through bins so moths don't get into them or dirt. I'm guessing this is bad but don't know what else to do. I air them out periodically so they don't get moisture and keep them in a cool shady place or in a.c. I live in the tropics so it does get humid. Not stacking? Kind of impossible or no room. However I am extremely careful with what hat stacks upon the other. Misshapen? Yep, have some of those. Would like to send a few to have professionally cleaned and shaped. Aloha and Mahalo for your awesome videos

[@faithmusic9]

Hi Kevin. I have a very stiff wool felt,( I think), fedora hat. Is there a way of softening the whole hat? or at least the bell part of the hat? it kind of slips and sits on top of my head. Thanks.

[@KTGHATS]

Massage it, squeeze the top, just soften it like u are kneading bread, nothing u can do but that..or wear it.keep punching the top in and out,squeeze it..over and over....

[@c95793]

Kevin please help, how do I wash a Scala Classica, 100% cotton hat. Casper Kruger, Valencia, Spain.

[@KTGHATS]

If it's a cap u can hand wash it with woolite and hot water, use a fingernail brush.. for a brimmed hat?? U can try but I've never heard of anyone doing it before. There's not much u can do. If u wash it, use no heat when it dries keep it in a cool room.

[@Razie1502]

What is that grey hat with the brown band near the beginning of this video?

[@USMC_BABE38]

How do I give an fedora the indaina Jones raiders turn any advice would be greatly appreciated

[@KTGHATS]

Teardrop crown , high in front..and the brim flipped down in front and back, that’s it,

[@andrews4953]

Could you tell me how to clean sweat stains from a cotton fedora?

[@KTGHATS]

I don't know if u can. U would need yo hand wash it but that would affect the shape.. not sure u can do anything 🤔

[@XxGhostDOGxX420]

Hey Kevin**, how do you feel about Goorin bros. Fedoras? I have the Dean the Butcher soft wool fedora hat in whiskey brown and a panama hat called Sit Royal made from Shantung Straw. I wanted to know if it'll be a good idea to collect the rest of the colors to compete my winter head gear instead of wearing one colored hat faithfully. I'm wanting them to last long-term.

[@KTGHATS]

Gorren is ok but we sell the EXACT items almost 1/2 of their prices ! The bang for the buck ratio is horrible, the sales knowledge is a joke, they charge a lot for boxes, ours are free. They charge $3.50 for a feather?? Ours are free, as many as u want, no purchase needed.. We clean and block/reshape hats like a champ, and well.. many of their employees are kids w no hat background at all, I'm doing this for over 2 decades . They don't suck.. But I'd say they are no bargain.

[@XxGhostDOGxX420]

I'm ordering from you very soon. What do you have in a 2.5 inch brim and 3-4 inch crown?

[@KTGHATS]

Shantung is basically imitation panama, we sell actual hand woven Panamax from South America for the same price.. I'd suggest buying the same styles from us, I'm biased, but in general, GB isn't really a serious place, it's more of a mall/tourist hat shop..

[@shannonhamblin9892]

Do you have a website or catalog that I can get?

[@KTGHATS]

www.jjhatcenter.com And u can always reach me through these comments,if u have questions the messages go right to my phone now, so I'll get comments immediate now

[@aheroforeternity]

yet all the hats on the shelf are brim down, lol

[@KTGHATS]

We keep them on a special set of brass bars,reducing contact but yeah,we can't display them upside down..the bottom hat usually suffers if it's there a while,the size small.

[@eileengarcia5656]

Can put you hat in a clear bag

[@KTGHATS]

Yes that’s great, but don’t tie it, let the hat breathe DO NOT tie the plastic bag

[@sonnydaze6071]

Kevin do you realize that your telling us not to sit the hat on its brim, watch your video and look behind you, every hat in the shop is laying/siting on its brim probably 100s of hats on their brim. I’m sure there is a reason for this but from what your telling us you have 100s of ruined hats.

[@KTGHATS]

They are resting on thin brass bars not shelves ..which works well

[@KTGHATS]

We can’t really display them upside down ..so this is the next best thing .. thin brass rods to minimize surface space