Wool felt or fur felt

[LadyBarbossa]

I've been contemplating a fur felt hat blank to make my own hat from. I like the dove gray.

But was also contemplating the black as I want to make a new, updated Barbossa hat.

Anyone have a fur felt hat? Would you be able to state the pros and cons of it.

And also the pros and cons of the wool felt (I have two, but finding they are in need of some reworking).

Also, with the one wool felt blank I have, I'm wanting to reshape it so to speak. More pull it to have a wider brim. Is it possible to totally reshape it? And how can I do that if I have practically no equipment to steam and reblock? Friend of mine suggested to go to the dry cleaners and have them redo it. Good idea or bad?

~Lady B

[michaelsbagley]

I couldn't tell you a single thing about fur felt hat blanks....

But going from "what I've heard" (so take this with a grain of salt), fur felt hats are MUCH nicer and wear better. Wool felt hat blanks are cheaper and more economical. Don't know if this has been of any help, but good luck with your new hat once you decide on one!

[Kenneth]

I have a fur felt cocked hat and I love it.

I have a wool felt cocked hat and I love it.

My beaver felt cocked hat is very heavy, hot in the summer, but perfect for winter, easy to work and re shape. The only con is it's thick, bulky and heavy on my head and makes my neck sore wearing it all day. If I lost my beaver felt hat I would feel sick to my stomach, if I lose my Wool felt hat, I'll just order another blank and not even sweat it....

Oh..The fur felt makes my head itch too.

I prefer my Wool Felt over my fur felt....

I stretch the brim of my blanks all the time....I wet em and pull. Just don't stretch the bandline at the bottom of the blocking or you'll have to re block the hat....I use Armor All to stiffen mine, but you can buy the fancy stiffener....hope this helps

[Capt. Sterling]

I have the black velvet cocked hat and the beaver hat... The beaver I would not trade for a million dollars, William Red Wake gets it when I die... snigger... If you could invest in a beaver from Dirty Billies' I would highly recommend it as it is truly worth every penny.... although I would also recommend it as a cocked hat... the flat brimmed is great in the sun and at still events but takes on a life of its own when the wind kicks up...It rolled across the lawn at Lockhouse more than it sat upon my noggin... great for in port but utterly useless upon a boat.

Cheeky just purchased me a fur felt blank in black as a Halloween gift..and compared to the wool blanks, I think that it will stand up to a whole lot more abuse...

The snotties both have the wool blanks and after a year of events, they just aren't holding their shape... quite the flimsy article perhaps/hence the much cheaper cost

[LadyBarbossa]

Velvet?!? I musta been blind not seein' yo'r velvet one! :::whimpers::: I'm making my own hat made of velvet (pain in the arse)... and recommendations on stiffening it without ruining the velvet would be appreciated.

Back to the felt hats....

Aye, I'm having the issue with my wool felt hat that it's loosing it's proper shape around my head and the back is going down, etc... It needs to be reshaped but not sure how to do it without the proper equipment, again, I've no block to stretch it on.

So, I was wondering, about if the fur felt would be good investment? I know Townsend sells fur felt hats. $80 for them.

Ye fancy th' fur felt better, eh, Sterling? :::nods::: I'll take yo'r word as it's weight in gold.

~Lady B

[Kenneth]

Has anyone else noticed that beaver felt smells like burning tires at a dairy farm after you have sweat in it a couple of times?

[Capt. Sterling]

Has anyone else noticed that beaver felt smells like burning tires at a dairy farm after you have sweat in it a couple of times?

Ahem... afraid to say, but that must be ...um you... Kenneth... honestly mine smells nothing of the sort... although my lining is starting to turn black from wear... I often wear mine in heavy rain though... so maybe that has gotten rid of any possible smells?? or the tar is just masking it.

[Patrick Hand]

Rabbit fur... or beaver fur (the beaver fur is much better... or so I'm told)

Or sheep hair.....(wool)

Felt hats are/were made outta animal hair.... sheep (wool) was/is the cheapest.... rabbit..... well (nevermind) ........Beaver is the good stuff..... the entire mountain-man-fur trade was based offa killing beavers fer thier hairs...... because they made good hats......

Dang.... ask any Cowboy (wot knows his stuff...) about what kinda hat is the best....

He's going to tell you....

**** (brand) Bever felt.....

That's it......

But of course it's going to cost more.....

I'll go out on a limb.....

But , I'd guess most Golden Age Hats were beaver felt..... ( well except for the cheap ones).......

Myself..... Heck... I just have a cheap wool felt one... can't aford anything better......(yet...)