Hat Care

All hats:

Keep your hat in a dry place. Dampness and humidity are enemies to wool felt and fur felt.

Keep it out of direct sunlight. It will fade.

If your hat gets damp, let it dry naturally. Do not heat it.

Our hats are NOT "waterproof". If you get stuck in a driving rainstorm, let your hat dry naturally in a low humidity room.

Hat forms, blocks or stretchers are not necessary. We do not offer them. If you feel better with one, they are commercially available. Most heads are not shaped like hat stretchers.

The base of your hat crown will, over time adapt to the shape of your head and become more comfortable.

Historic wool and fur felt hats feel different than baseball caps, kepis, forage caps and even modern military dress headwear.

Hand Sewn Round Blocked Hats:

Eighteenth and early nineteenth century hats were round blocked. The hat forms were round or circular and not oval. Most heads are not round. With wear, the base of the crown will adapt to the unique shape of your head. Do not force it with a hat stretcher. Because these hats are blocked in the manner of the period, they take on the unique and appealing appearance you see in paintings and drawings of the era.

Machine Sewn Oval Blocked Hats:

Our Machine Sewn Hats are made for us by one of the oldest hat-makers in the USA. They are ALL oval blocked like modern men's hats. Even so, they take a while to break in. Do not force them. They will take on the shape of the wearer's head over time.

If you have ANY hat care questions, contact us.

We do offer re-blocking services (see below).

Services (Reblocking and More)

Geo. Franks, Hatter will restore your recreated historical hat - whether made by us or another hatter. Our services include:

Cleaning

Reblocking

Stiffening

Relining

New trim (binding, loopings, cockades, buttons, etc.)

Contact us via email or through our CONTACT PAGE for a quote. Please tell us who made your hat and what work you are looking to have done on your hat.

We are not fabric restoration experts and do not accept work on antique hats - only reproductions.

We are no longer offering "kits" at this time.

Email: cockedhats@gmail.com