I have a nice green fedora, it’s gone dusty and floppy. How can I get it restored to its original beauty?
Check out this list. The Hat Guys in Oakland do renovation. Also, see this page for excellent tips on general maintenance of your fedora.
Bambacus Hat Company here in Richmond used to have a big mail-order business. I don’t know if they’re still open though.
Have you checked with your local haberdasher, or outfitter, or hatter (doesn’t need to be mad), or modiste? Though it may be embarrassing, maybe your local milliner can help you.
Have you checked with the Susquehannah Hat Company?
I must be the only idiot who thought this post was about iptables.
One of two, actually.
I know of no such entity in my neighborhood, but at least I have some yellow pages keywords. Thanks!
There’s a store in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario (OK, a long way from Maine, but closer than Oakland, I guess) called Beau Chapeau that will block hats. They cleaned and blocked my black trilby from England, and they did a darn fine job of it too–for only $20 Canadian.
Wherever you get it done, it won’t be while-you-wait. It’s at least an overnight job, and I suspect most places will have you wait longer–mine took a week. Just so you know it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to drive somewhere and be able to pick it up “same day.”
No dice with the yellow pages. Maine is just not packed full of modistes. Hmph. Duke, I’ll just give your friends a call and see what we can do by mail, I guess. Thanks to all, and keep those references coming, I may need more.
Most western-wear stores have the ability to block hats. The reason is that the second biggest sold item is western (read ‘cowboy’) hats. Granted out here we have quite a number of western-wear stores, but I imagine you have one around you somewhere. I get my Bogart-style snap brims reblocked every eight months or so at one.
Here is a list of places in Maine to get your hat cleaned and blocked:
http://phonebook.superpages.com/yellowpages/C-Hat+Cleaning+&+Blocking/S-ME/
Ben Wallace will block it for you.
sorry about that…
I asked the store where I bought mine, and they sent me to a hatmaker who did custom blocking.
Surprisingly, there is not an entry under any of those cities.
Three. Although I assumed it was blocking RHN from upstream.
I gotta get out more.
A good soft brass brush can do most of the work, then lightly steam it, put in back into shape, and let it stand over nite.
Not necessarily. I live in a pretty rainy climate, and mine needed new sizing.