Repair hat brim help

[ERen89]

Hello,

Now my knowledge of leather work is very minimal. I just got a leather hat I ordered in the mail today. It supposedly was water resistant. At least for rain. I stepped outside with it on for only a minute, and one single drop of rain from the rooftop caused some splatter marks. I (quite possibly stupidly) thought I can rub it out with a cloth. Is there any way to fix this? I am hoping it isn't ruined completely and that there is an easy solution to even out the coloring and smooth it back down with the rest of the hat?

 

Thanks in advance

[mikesc]

Looks like what we'd know as a "split " ( not meaning a tear in the leather , but meaning a non top layer of the skin ) leather can be split into layers, the outside "top" one is the better one to work with, and costs more..the split lower layer left when this has been done is a suede type finish, which looks like what you have..Yours appears to be a dyed black or dark colour "split" leather with a textile band edge ( Pakistani or Indian item ? I have seen them build hats this way for export for many "brands" ) very awkward to get an even colour back when they get marks of any kind..Best you can hope ( IMO ) is to treat all the hat with wax waterproofing, and put any discolouration down to "patina"..

Maybe someone else will have another idea..

[ERen89]

6 minutes ago, mikesc said:

Looks like what we'd know as a "split " ( not meaning a tear in the leather , but meaning a non top layer of the skin ) leather can be split into layers, the outside "top" one is the better one to work with, and costs more..the split lower layer left when this has been done is a suede type finish, which looks like what you have..Yours appears to be a dyed black or dark colour "split" leather with a textile band edge ( Pakistani or Indian item ? I have seen them build hats this way for export for many "brands" ) very awkward to get an even colour back when they get marks of any kind..Best you can hope ( IMO ) is to treat all the hat with wax waterproofing, and put any discolouration down to "patina"..

Maybe someone else will have another idea..

Thanks, yeah I will wait and see what anyone else can suggest in addition to your response. My last bet would be to try to get a replacement sent, after they told me it was water resistant. Granted this hat was only $40 so I know the whole " you get what you pay for", but it was also my mistake to not wax treat it immediately like I initially planned to do. It figures, one single tiny drop caused problems the day I receive it. I was a bit too excited because it is my first hat. And yeah, its a dark brown. Not loving the thought of trying to match it with any other dyes making it worse.

Edited May 1, 2019 by ERen89

[mikesc]

For $40.00 retail or ecom, it is a "split" and very likely made in Pakistan or India..( whatever the label might say ) FOB price..ordered in dozens per time , about $7.00 to $10.00 each..the braided band and the medallion would add maybe 50cts to a dollar on it..

Motorcycle bags is another thing that Pakistan and India make out of "splits" to supply the cheapest end of the Western Countries leather market sellers..can't blame them, ( the manufacturers overseas ) they make to the price(s) that the importer wants to pay..

Good luck with "water resistant", that usually would be taken to mean, will not actually dissolve or go "soggy" in a slight drizzle if exposed for less than 10 minutes..Even with wax, it would still pick up marks..If you are tall and big like me ? Maybe no one will ever see the mark..Unless you frequent people who are over 7 feet tall ( and whose eyes would be at around 6'8" ) themselves..

I have a hat with a tiny ( 2mm ) paint spot on the top..Tin lid popped off..paint can go up a long way.. light grey hat, dark grey paint..only I know the spot is there, no-one else that I've met in the last 10 years is big enough to see the top of the hat ..

If you do try to treat it, dark brown shows less marks than black because anything slightly "off" from black stands out more than anything slightly "off" from brown..so dying it black would make any marks more apparent..

Edited May 1, 2019 by mikesc

[ERen89]

7 minutes ago, mikesc said:

For $40.00 retail or ecom, it is a "split" and very likely made in Pakistan or India..( whatever the label might say ) FOB price..ordered in dozens per time , about $7.00 to $10.00 each..the braided band and the medallion would add maybe 50cts to a dollar on it..

Motorcycle bags is another thing that Pakistan and India make out of "splits" to supply the cheapest end of the Western Countries leather market sellers..can't blame them, ( the manufacturers overseas ) they make to the price(s) that the importer wants to pay..

Good luck with "water resistant", that usually would be taken to mean, will not actually dissolve or go "soggy" in a slight drizzle if exposed for less than 10 minutes..Even with wax, it would still pick up marks..If you are tall and big like me ? Maybe no one will ever see the mark..Unless you frequent people who are over 7 feet tall ( and whose eyes would be at around 6'8" ) themselves..

If you do try to treat it, dark brown shows less marks than black because anything slightly "off" from black stands out more than anything slightly "off" from brown..so dying it black would make any marks more apparent..

It was actually  made in Australia but sold in the UK (according to amazon). It is an Aussie Styled Cowboy Hat. Lambskin leather to be specific. Just two notes I would like to put out there.

Edited May 1, 2019 by ERen89

[ERen89]

In the end, I like the hat a lot. Even if it is not the most premium in quality. It looks great and feels great to me and it all I was looking for. Here it was before the dreadful raindrop of death

[mikesc]

Shouldn't make hats out of lambskin..I use a lot of lambskin..Garments yes..Chrome tanned smooth buttery feel lambskin..French or Italian..
Hats no..lambskin should be smooth, yours looks rough / matt , ( even on the part that is not marked ) like split skin Pakistani Cowskin..

If it is lambskin, it is not at all a good grade..or..the photos are not great and it is the suede finish of a lambskin, which normally one would only use for making cheap women's tops ( Pakistan uses a low grade top lambskin ( not the suede side ) to make skirts for the South American market )..looks a lot like what you have, sort of "mattish" ..I pay around $2.00 per sq foot maximum for it, use it ' rarely, it is too inconsistent in finish ) for lambskin linings in some things..

Never tried to get any marks out of it..

Good smooth lambskin...Italian or French ..or English.. ( no blemishes at all ) .is around $4.00 to $5.00 per sq foot..1.00 mm to 1.7mm thick ..

Again..Good luck :)..If the retailer does take it back you'll probably have to pay each way postage and handling..

Brian ( RockyAussie ) may have some ideas, he may have come across it..The members from OZ should be coming on line about now..03.41 am here..

Edited May 1, 2019 by mikesc

[ERen89]

I may have to take the lambskin note back, not sure where I read it, but the inside of the hat states Steer Hide. So my bad for that!

It was free shipping, and only took two days, if not a day to arrive. Actually delivered early. Since I made note that they claimed it was water resistant to my question directly to them about it, hopefully they'll pay for the shipping all around.

[mikesc]

There yah go..Cow hide..matt..probably a split..now the image that you posted just above is easier to see..
If you like it a lot..live with it..wax it..
Only you and we will know about the raindrop..

"This is the mystery of the quotient, quotient / Upon us all, upon us all a little rain must fall / Just a little rain, oh / Ooh, yeah-yeah-yeah"

Led Zeppelin..The Rain Song..

Classic..1973*..takes me back :)))

Seems to me that Jimmy Page even wore a hat looked something like that ( may have had a feather in it too ) when I saw / heard them play that song live..

Jimi Hendrix had many hats some with conchos, some with scarves..

*Album remixed in 2014

Edited May 1, 2019 by mikesc

[ERen89]

7 minutes ago, mikesc said:

There yah go..Cow hide..matt..probably a split..now the image that you posted just above is easier to see..
If you like it a lot..live with it..wax it..
Only you and we will know about the raindrop..

"This is the mystery of the quotient, quotient / Upon us all, upon us all a little rain must fall / Just a little rain, oh / Ooh, yeah-yeah-yeah"

Led Zeppelin..The Rain Song..

Classic..1973..takes me back :)))
remixed in 2014

 Yeah, if the exchange option falls through then I’ll just go with the wax and live with it. It’s just very noticeable without any treatment right now with there being an off colored spot in any form of lighting or if I set it down.  What’s a good way to buff the flaky split texture back down smooth?  I used a cotton T-shirt initially but that seemed to cause too many problems.  Maybe I’ll try that, then I’ll wax it down  and see if it blends back 

Edited May 1, 2019 by ERen89

[ERen89]

Here’s another image to go off of that’s not too zoomed in or out

[mikesc]

Live it.. love it..it's just a raindrop..!!

( liberties taken with the lyrics and tune of ) ..

"Living Loving Maid (She's Just A Woman)" (1969) was the "b" side to
Led Zeppelin.."Whole lotta love".. single

Led Zeppelin II.

[fredk]

I regularly wear a similar hat, but of more flexible leather. Mine has 'patina' now. With it and with any leather which has acquired water stain marks I soak it totally in warm water then block it out with scrunched up newspaper and periodically wipe it over with a cloth to help dry it out. It usually takes a few days to a week to dry out in my climate. When its dry I apply a fresh coating of a water resistant waxing, which works for showers until the next big rain

[RockyAussie]

I have seen several hat makers here in Aus use what looks like that leather and it is normally a very waterproof type of leather. I would like to know the manufacturer if you would care to share as it does sound very cheap if that is Australian dollars and I would like to be sure that it IS made here for sure. It looks a little like a BC Hat or maybe this Cessnock from USA???  https://www.bullhidehats.com/leather/cessnock 

[alpha2]

It does look EXACTLY like the Cessnock hat! Same braided band and snap loop. 

I'd think that if worn regularly, the rest of the hat will wear in to look just like that spot. We like to call it "character". I think that's Latin for "worn". 

[mikesc]

All the best characters wear / wore hats, the two I mentioned above, plus "The Duke" ( both of them ) "George Melly", "pterry", "Clint", "Mr Dundee" ( his was a corker ) , "Bill and Ben" ( of "Bill and Ben" ), Bogie..etc etc..

A hat without stains is like a kiss without a moustache..Ladies, I have the moustache..

Edited May 1, 2019 by mikesc
added Ladies , for clarity :)

[ERen89]

Any suggestions for wax?

[ERen89]

5 hours ago, RockyAussie said:

I have seen several hat makers here in Aus use what looks like that leather and it is normally a very waterproof type of leather. I would like to know the manufacturer if you would care to share as it does sound very cheap if that is Australian dollars and I would like to be sure that it IS made here for sure. It looks a little like a BC Hat or maybe this Cessnock from USA???  https://www.bullhidehats.com/leather/cessnock 

Amazon is actually where I found it. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07JQSCLNB?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_image

[ERen89]

At the moment I’m leaning towards Fiebing's Aussie Leather Conditioner. If anyone has any experience using this

[mikesc]

Just a note..The Amazon ad doesn't say made in Australia..it says "Aussie style"..it also says "genuine leather" , which all of us that have been doing this for a while means either "splits" or " reconstituted"..The ad has numerous grammatical mistakes in it's English..I'm pretty certain you are looking at Pakistani or Indian made imported to USA..Like a lot of leatherwear ( especially Biker and Western styles ) that I've talked about here before..Most ( if not all of the "clubwear" and the BDSM gear ( that is not "custom made"* and the leather women's wear..even the corsets at $350.00 and upwards is made in Pakistan or India..I know a lot of the manufacturers in those countries personally*..

* Even some custom made is from there..I can have a single very good leather corset "custom made" for someone ( to their measurements ) and "white label" or with my own labels in, and "made in wherever" labels sent separately.. with a 1 week to 10 day delay inc air shipping via DHL, for under $100.00 ( they do not weigh much each, if there is not a lot of additional metal after the spiral bones and the busk plate ) , but you'd pay 3 to 5 times that at retail..or even more at the "Luxury Boutiques" in New York, LA, Paris, Rome, London or Moscow ..

What to use to waterproof a split ? I'd imagine it will take a fair bit of "whatever" because splits drink up oils and waxes..There may be something which someone will know that will work better than " Fiebing's Aussie Leather Conditioner", but it will maybe not be available where you are, and as your profile does not say, and you haven't said, I know that you have said that you paid £40..00 ( maybe USD ? ) But I'm in France and that ad at Amazon shows me the price in USD $$39.99 + $16.99 shipping , so the price is no guide as to where you are..

*I've designed ( and design still ) for a lot of manufacturers and "brands"..and for what I / we do..so I know the manufacturers, the "Brands" and how much they I / we pay..and how much it sells for..an example ..( one of hundreds if not thousands ( been doing this, designing, since the early 70's ) I designed a lambskin "top" / bodice ( optional stretch lace back , or leather back ) ..it costs under $40.00 to make , is very high grade lambskin, pure silk lining..It sells for $700.00 in some very expensive boutiques in major capital cities ..Designed it decades ago..it still sells very well, "A list" Celebrities are seen wearing it.., but it is nothing special..I "knocked up" the original in an afternoon...in 73 or 74, for a girlfriend at the time..Who incidentally taught me how to use an industrial walking foot machine, she was a fashion student .Her brother was / is the owner of a leather tannery in Pakistan, she sent him a photo, he asked if I'd mind if he made some for some customers, I said no problem, it is still in production..Gave me "intros" everywhere, both to the manufacturers, and to their customers and hence to some designers and bands*..

Then there is the mark up on designer handbags , women's jackets, leather trousers..and let us not forget shoes, where the less leather, the more expensive they are..: ) Lots of us "in the shadows" design, or even make, for the big name designers, brands, labels, very few of them design, make, all that you are told that they do.. Even the ones on the Paris, Rome , London catwalks / runways...

Luggage, bags, sacs, apparel, wallets, phone cases, whatever, all got designed by someone..made by someone, in France they call the people who actually do the stitching for the big name designers, "les petites mains"..the little hands, the "name" takes the bows and accolades at the end of the show, but they will have sewn nothing , and frequently designed hardly any of it..There are a few exceptions , who designed everything that bears / bore their name..We lost one such recently..Karl Lagerfeld..

*life is made of these "little things"..:)

Edited May 1, 2019 by mikesc