- When donning and removing your hat, don’t pinch it at the top of the crown, as that will misshape the crown and the handling and oil from your fingers will wear a hole there, too. The best way is to use both hands, handling the hat where the crown meets the brim in the front and back.
- When removing your hat indoors, place your hat upside-down on its crown to catch all the good luck that falls from heaven. Plus, this will preserve the shape of the brim. Store your hat upside-down, or better yet, on a hat rack that holds the hat on the inside along the sweat band; your Baldwin hat will come with one of these for your wall.
- Even if left upside-down, after a long period of time, your hat will lose its shape. A hat can or case will allow you to place your hat the way it sits on your head without destroying the shape of the crown or brim of your custom hat. Hat cans are made of a very durable and sturdy materials that prevents hats from being crushed. There are even hat can systems that will allow you to stack multiple hats in a single unit. This is very convenient when traveling and/or showing horses. A good hat can is a small investment to make to protect your custom hat over the long-haul.
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Steaming the hat shrinks the hat to a hat block that approximates the size and shape of the person’s head. photo by Chris Miller
If you need to store your hat, do not use moth balls to protect it from insects. Use either cedar balls or cedar shavings that are available at pet stores; however, first test to ensure the cedar is treated to prevent any sap from escaping from the wood and getting on your hat. Cedar naturally repels moths and other insects. It will prevent your hat from being destroyed. If you use cedar shavings, when you are ready to wear your hat, simply brush any stuck shavings off with a hat brush.
- Never leave your hat in a car window or trunk of a car. The sun’s heat can affect the shape of the hat, fade the color and even shrink it. A tight hat could give you a headache.
- Brush your hat regularly with a soft natural bristle brush. This keeps the dust from building and will preserve the look.
- If you want to keep your head dry in the rain or snow, purchase a hat with a high percentage of beaver fur. Air dry your hat without heat.
- When you need your hat cleaned, re-sized, or re-shaped, contact Baldwin’s. Baldwin also does complete hat renovations and work-overs.
Cowboy Hat Trivia
A good quality cowboy hat cost $15 in the late 1800s. Considering inflation over the last century that would place today’s price at about $450. They are actually less expensive today for the same quality.
Southern and Northern cowboys had different hat styles. When Texans traveled north they found that it was difficult to keep their wide-brimmed hats on in the wind. The northern hats usually were more narrow-brimmed and often had a hat-band of leather that could be tightened to keep the hat in place.
Don’t let the brim of your hat touch your bed. It is an old cowboy legend that doing so will bring loads of bad luck.
