Darrell i90 I just got my hat from new era since I ordered it online and it came with a giant bulge in the visor, new era seriously doesn’t even try anymore!
This is legit. I kept thinking I couldn't find the right hat. Got lucky a couple times with hats that weren't all boxy. I had a few in the garage that I bought but couldn't bring myself to wear. Just did this and they're all shaped to fit my head now. You've solve my hat dilemma. Thanks!
Wow, had no idea this would be this easy. Can't stand those square box hats. Used to try and wash them but would usually ruin them. Just got a new hat and did your steam technique. It turned out great. I spent the next 4 hours fixing all my hats. Thks for sharing your knowledge and video. 😊👍
That's great to hear, and also why I create and post videos, to get the most out of your caps. Check out the channel whenever you might need more info, thank you!
Cool, that's actually why I started my channel - because I learned so many other things on YT (mostly home repairs), that I wanted to share some things I was doing - thanks!
Dude I was so upset. I got a really rare SnapBack and I hate those types of hats because they all look boxy and I thought it was my head shape. I really didn’t even know what to type in so I looked up square cap and somehow I found your 4 steps video. I dove deeper and found this. We don’t have a tea kettle, but we hat a steamer for cleaning. It didn’t get hot enough, so we took a hairdryer. I have a ton of hair so I never felt any heat, but it got really hot and we held it down on the shape of my head and I wore it for an hour while watching TV. It’s a whole new hat and I can actually wear snap backs now!!! Thank you so much, you gained a fan!!
@@dreinthe616 this is a big problem they have. I own made in US, made in China and made in Bangladesh and they're all different. I have like 4 different made in Bangladesh hats an they fit and look different. Very frustrating, but your videos helped shaping them and they all look kind of similar now. Thanks.
Curious, do you own any MiLB hats? I started collecting them because of the designs, the logos are waaaay cooler than MLB. Though I need low profiles and not many teams sell them.
Great video. Got a new SnapBack 70s-80s Phillies hat in May. It was too boxy, so I checked out this video, and using kettle steam and the summer’s heat, it’s broken in perfectly now. Thank you, Doug!
High praise, thank you - glad to help! There are plenty of other videos I've made around editing your caps, so go to the channel if you'd like to see more.
Thanks for taking the time to make a video on this. I was just about to try it for the first time but wanted to check online first to make sure it wouldnt ruin the hat
hey maybe can give me a few tips. so i just got my first fitted cap and my dome measured 22 and 3/4 inches so in hat size its 7 and 1/4 exactly my question is do i get a cap exactly the same size to my head or go one up? i tried a one up 7 3/8 but it felt loose and the 7 1/4 fits but it might be slightly tight. thanks anything helps.
If you've seen some of my other videos, I talk about variation in New Era caps a few times. Grab as many caps as you can in the store that are your size, plus a few that are one size up and down - try all of them on and see which one works best. Keep in mind that you'll usually get a little relief if you curve your visor. If ordering online, stick to your measurement.
I have a video for shaping over a round form ( ua-cam.com/video/03SATQZRHnw/v-deo.html ) - so I don't see any reason why you couldn't find a more 'boxy' form and steam it over that to give the look you want. Maybe a small pot/saucepan in the kitchen - flat bottom, rounded corners - or something like it that you could fit in the front of the cap... that would be my suggestion, thanks.
Dre, any tips for unstructured hats? Like a polyester type hat that Nike or Ahead makes? The best thing I can equate what I’m talking about to is a tennis hat or “fitness” hat. I’ve got one that has major “dents” about midway up the crown of the hat on both sides and it looks like absolute trash
Hmm, without the structure of something like buckram, you might be unable to get those out... I have some soft crown fitteds, and the 'dents' are just part of the look - they are a little different every time I wear them. Best thing to try would be to stuff a towel inside the cap area and press it out while steaming it, good luck!
Unfortunately I don't have any advice - once they are fatigued and creased, it seems hard to restore them, and I have not tried very hard to recover one. Thanks
Do you have any videos on how to make a brim stiffer ??? I have a nice black Boston fitted hat and I already it curved it . But the brim feels like a sheet of paper pretty bendable and I could like it would be harder like plastic or cardboard in comparison to how it is rn (like paper) and remain the curve.
Unfortunately it’s never going to be as rigid as when it started - I call it visor fatigue. It’s why I always recommend a steam or otherwise heated bend the first time you do it. If you do it cold, it starts to break the material down.
@@dreinthe616 I just curved like 3 new hats I got . Thanks fully I did it over the shape of a bottle which I think may of help me not totally ruin it the way you describe like someone curving with their bare hands on dry
Hi Doug, love the videos! Just wondering, if one has attempted to smooth out the corners as you have in this video, if you’ve felt like you’ve “overdone” it and want to square out the corners somewhat back to their original shape, would it still be possible to do so? If so, would the same method apply and you’d kinda have to just push the corners out from the inside of the cap? Thanks and keep up the great work!
Yes, you are correct - that buckram is very resilient and can be formed like this over and over again to whatever shape you prefer. Thanks for the comments and support!
I jus got me a steamer for my hats, I've always shyed away from the 59fifty hats since they are so blocky now a days. I think I will jus have to get use to the steamer I got cuse I don't wanna burn my hat lol. How long do you think you usually need to leave it on the crowns to get it to wear the buckram is soft enough to form? Seems I have to get it pretty close to the steamer, you think it's easier trying to do one side at a time or both at same time?
It doesn't take much time if you hold it close to the steam source, probably less than 10 seconds to soften... and I'd recommend doing both at same time if you can hold it comfortably that way. Btw, I do have a couple of other videos showing this technique, you can find them on my channel page either on the videos tab or in the tutorials playlist, thanks.
You apply pressure where you want to change the shape... I'd suggest doing it 'dry' a few times to see how the cap behaves when you bend certain parts of the front two panels. Then steam it and try to hold the shape while it cools. No worries if you mess it up, the buckram can be shaped over and over again.
Was it a structured cap to begin with - does it have buckram inside the front two panels? If so, it's pretty hard to restore that when it's broken down. But if it's a dad cap and is unstructured to begin with, there's not much to do either, I have sometimes kept the inserts those ship with, especially if they are PET felt rather than cardboard. Some people try spray starch, but that barely stiffens the overall crown.
I really like these soft corduroy caps. I have thought about cutting out the stiff part from old and cheap caps that are almost the exact dimensions and using fabric glue to glue them to the inside of these caps. I guess there's no substitute for trying it. Do you think the glue might dissolve or stain the cap with time?
Actually not sure at all... I know that New Era's bonding process with the buckram is the one thing they won't discuss in the process of making their caps, so I don't think its easily done.
Doug, Do you feel like the hotter you get it the better success you have with shaping the crown? Are there any disadvantages to getting it too hot? Thanks. Still awaiting my 7 5/8 'Dre in the 616' 59Fifty 😉
Hey AJ... actually all you need to do is get to the point where the buckram becomes soft and 'moldable'... taking it past that point does not really give you any extra benefit in my opinion. I did have one viewer indicate that when they did some of the molding with a hair dryer, they actually melted the buckram in spots - so it is possible to take it too far. dre-616 caps - still building the capital to get some made, you'll be among the first to know!
Best thing I could suggest - if you can hold your hands (or a towel) inside the cap to give you the shape you want, then put on some gloves, steam the front panels, and hold it in the position you want until it cools. I did what I think your talking about with a wool Brewers cap - just held my index fingers apart near the back edges of the buckram panels. The buckram is the key - it will hold the shape if it cools that way. Good luck!
Would this work as well with the 39fifty? I'm between sizes on the 5950 and the 39 works better for me. But I don't know if the softer/limp back panels will work the same as the stiffer 5950.
The only thing I'm shaping in this video are the front two panels with buckram. On the 39Thirty, these are already low and quite round, so I don't believe this technique is necessary with that hat style, thanks.
Help. What if the cap was crushed. I have a couple. One was just crushed by othes so it is nowhere near 90 degrees from the front of the crown to the bill. Its surely that inside bracing that is deformed. And tricks to restore the strength and shape?
You should check out a couple of my other videos for things to try - ua-cam.com/video/e9pSynl4O7M/v-deo.html - is probably the best for your situation, but I've also got one on removing dents and creases from the crown, thanks.
I have a Ed Hardy trucker cap and I want the crown to be shaped because it’s all floppy can I use this same method? It had a lot of embroidery on the crown..
I don't know the construction on that cap, but it sounds like this won't work very well. The reason this technique is effective with New Era fitted caps is because of the stiff buckram in the front panels of the cap - when you heat and cool it, it takes and keeps a shape. If the crown isn't stiff, it probably can't be molded - but thanks for watching.
so my fitted got dented on the front panels because someone had put a heavy laundry bag on top of it for hours and basically squished it. would this method remove the dents??
It could, but you'll definitely need some sort of "form" inside the crown as you try to restore the shape. For restoring the buckram shape, it's actually better to use a hair dryer, you will only need the heat. Use a towel, a small ball, or something close to the original shape and press it inside those front two panels. Then hit it with the hairdryer while maintaining the pressure - then let it cool with the pressure/shape still working on the inside of the cap. Good luck!
Depends on the buckram in the front two panels - if it's like typical New Era (structured and fairly stiff) it can be molded. You could also try this other technique from my channel - ua-cam.com/video/03SATQZRHnw/v-deo.html - thanks.
Yes, you could try it, but remember that the material has to go somewhere - so if you steam and push the top down, chances are it will make the corners flat again. Your best bet might be to heat/steam the front two panels, then put it on while warm and try and shape it to your head. I do something like that in the third part of one of my earliest videos - ua-cam.com/video/8N-EL-rmgIc/v-deo.html - check it out if you've not seen it before. You can steam instead of using the hair dryer there too.
Shaping is pretty easy, but shrinking the height of the crown is tough, my most recent video tried to tackle this - ua-cam.com/video/eA_NI5839ho/v-deo.html - ICYI, thanks.
It's actually really tough to create stiffness when there isn't any there... the buckram in the 59Fifty caps has plastic fibers woven into it, and that gives it a ton of resilience and structure. I've had some viewers try spray starch, without much luck - sorry I don't have any good suggestions, but thanks for the question.
It should still work, but you just won't have as much control over a specific area... like the corners of the crown. You might find that the entire front of the cap gets pliable, and it could make it more difficult to get the effect. All that said, I've never tried it over a pot.
Thanks for your video, sir ! It makes me encouraged to buy those regular 59Fifties.. However, I have still confusion if it will be fit to my head-shape which is not too big , lol :) but is longer top to bot and much thinner from sides.. Do you still suggest me that regular is still good ?
I think you are describing what I have, which is a “long oval” head shape. You should check out my video called Stretching and Shaping Baseball Caps - that is the reason why I started wearing standard 59Fifty caps - I finally got a good fit! Thanks for watching and the question, good luck!
First of all big up for sharing your (probably hard earned) knowlege! I have a question: is there a particular reason you steam the hat from the outside instead of from the inside as you did when using the hairdryer to shape/block?
Yes, probably the main reason is just so it can dry out a little faster... if the moisture is on the inside it is a little bit trapped when you set the cap down. Thanks!
i got some old snapbacks that are pretty "bricky" looking... but i cant seem to get the the shape i want. does this only work with fitted's/more sturdy hats?
Yes, you got it - the buckram in the front two panels has to be pretty stiff to take and hold a shape. Most times the New Era buckram (59Fifty or 9Fifty) is good at this because it is so stiff. Thanks
I bought a Tool band hat yesterday. Deepwise it fits perfectly, but when I wear it, it looks like I'm a trucker. It just doesn't look right. I don't know if I just need to break it in? Or use this method. I'll never buy a hat online again.
They can be tough to shape... if there is stiff buckram under the front two panels like there is in the New Era cap I show here, then you've got a shot. I've got a lot of videos that include some sort of shaping, but I might advise you try the third tip I offer in my very first YT video here - ua-cam.com/video/8N-EL-rmgIc/v-deo.html - which uses a hair dryer to heat up the buckram and then your head to shape it (if the heat is a problem you can use a bandana/handkerchief on your forehead). It's strange but effective!
Correct, it does not take long to heat it up - just a few seconds usually does it... but you can try it and proceed carefully to figure out how it works, thanks
Do you know how to make a curved crown stand up vertical?!! I have a few very nice hats but they're curved backwards by default and I wish to make them stand vertical
I think that would be tough, because there might not be enough surface area in the panels of the cap to go to a higher crown the way you describe. To try it, you'd need some kind of form or block inside the cap to set it to that position, then steam it - but I am not optimistic you could get what you want.
Unfortunately you can't get those out... when you soften the look of the corners by pushing the crown back, the fabric has to go somewhere. I've gotten used to it, and for me it's a good tradeoff to get a better silhouette in the front of the crown, thanks.
i have a hat i like a lot with the opposite issue its like some felt or wool material and is totally floppy/sinks in doesnt hold any shape looks like a bowl on head. i want to make the front 2 panels stay up like normal no clue what to do :/
Unfortunately you need the buckram to be stiff in order to give the crown that structured feel. New Era has been making some "retro crown" models for a few years with a soft crown, and others like Ebbets Field Flannels make old-school caps with soft crowns and sometimes soft visors. I do not know of a good way to make it structured or stiff.
Without checking it, I'm pretty sure that is a made in China cap. The buckram in the front two panels still responds to heat/steam like this, even if some cap wearers mention that the US-made crowns are a little more soft and pliable. I did a comparison of caps here: ua-cam.com/video/9pF87YoM8wg/v-deo.html ...thanks
So much depends on the cap construction - the crown height is set by where the assembler sets the fold for the sizing ring and sweatband - it varies a lot from cap to cap. There's no real way to change the height, you can only sweep it back a little bit by doing things like this here, or heating/steaming it and forming to your head while it's warm.
I think the temperature might be a little too high with the heat guns I've seen or used - it is possible to melt the fibers in the buckram. Steam also helps with the fabric. You may want to watch another recent video that I did for manipulating this area of the cap, thanks: ua-cam.com/video/4-q4ufu5M6w/v-deo.html
If I need to restore the crown I usually stuff a towel inside and press out while steaming... or buy a smaller rubber ball (about head-sized) in a store toy department, and steam the cap while the ball is under the crown.
This was the Color Prism Pack at Lids.com, I had a video review for it when it was released, and it's still available on my channel if you wanted to see it - but the caps are long gone, unfortunately. Thanks
Can’t grab the link at this moment, but if you search my channel for “stretching and shaping baseball caps” that’s the one. I think it is the last technique in the video. Be careful of making “dents” with your fingers if you go that route, thanks.
Yes, I think you could do that... wear some good gloves to cover your hands, but when you steam the whole cap it will get soft enough to shape. If you need to keep a good form, stuff a towel inside the cap while it dries. 59Fifty caps are pretty durable, so you should be able to do it more than once if needed - good luck.
I'm guessing you're asking about the curve on the visor? You can see my basic technique for that in my main stretching and shaping video - ua-cam.com/video/8N-EL-rmgIc/v-deo.html Depending on what object you use to shape it, the curve might be severe when you first take it off, but it relaxes with either hand work or time.
That was part of the Color Prism collection - I posted a review for that collection at ua-cam.com/video/oDknX1BGtkY/v-deo.html I'm pretty sure they are all gone now - I got lucky to find this Twins cap in 7-1/2.
Maybe - it depends on how they are lined in those front two panels... if the buckram there is stiff, it can probably be molded and shaped with steam or heat. I'd try it, good luck.
Not really pushing all that hard, just trying to hold it in place while it cools. However, I do have another vid that I just published for an alternate technique ( ua-cam.com/video/03SATQZRHnw/v-deo.html ) - this is where you can have a 'form' to push against to shape it, thanks for the question.
Hey, Dre. Love your videos, man. I have been watching for quite a while. I had a question. New Era and Lids just dropped a new line of vintage MLB hats. I wear somewhere between a 7-1/4 (red mark on the forehead) and a 7-3/8 (feels a bit loose). The problem with the new hat is they only have 7-1/2. Would it be possible to shrink it down to my size? I would hate to miss out because I'm a pinhead. 😂
Well, shinking is a little tougher than stretching that 1/8 of a size. I've got a video where you can 'carefully' shrink a cap, because if you give it a lot of heat after getting it wet, the fabric will really "pucker" and start to look bad. But if the cap is wool, you might have a little better shot. The other thing you can do is tuck a little extra material inside the sweatband, to take up some of the excess room. Thanks for watching, and good luck with whatever you decide - and if it happens to be the Heritage collection you're looking at, I'll have a review for one up tomorrow.
One other thing... caps are handmade, so they can vary a lot. Might not be bad to order two online, keep the smaller one, and return the other to a Lids store if you have one nearby.
I swear the hats I used to buy 10+ years ago already came with that nice curve on top. Now they come all box looking.
Darrell i90 I just got my hat from new era since I ordered it online and it came with a giant bulge in the visor, new era seriously doesn’t even try anymore!
Try the new “low profile” caps they offer. No more tall box look!
@@lazaro8255 fr bro or the sticker comes all crooked
That is a godamn fact
yeah i just bought a braves hat today from a sports store and its all blocky and stuff and the crown is pretty big so I'll try this out
Thanks so much! My friend ordered some custom hats, but I wasn't planning on looking like a strange train conductor, the way I wore it. This is great!
Right on, thanks for the comment - glad it helped out!
dunno about you but i love mine looking all boxy and squareish :) thats justt me
This is legit. I kept thinking I couldn't find the right hat. Got lucky a couple times with hats that weren't all boxy. I had a few in the garage that I bought but couldn't bring myself to wear. Just did this and they're all shaped to fit my head now. You've solve my hat dilemma. Thanks!
Right on, glad I could help. Every now and then I might have to 'refresh' them, but you can do this again and again as needed. Thanks!
Wow, had no idea this would be this easy. Can't stand those square box hats. Used to try and wash them but would usually ruin them. Just got a new hat and did your steam technique. It turned out great. I spent the next 4 hours fixing all my hats. Thks for sharing your knowledge and video. 😊👍
That's great to hear, and also why I create and post videos, to get the most out of your caps. Check out the channel whenever you might need more info, thank you!
Wish I had the internet when I was a kid. I would have rescued so many of my fitted caps. Thanks for all your tips
Cool, that's actually why I started my channel - because I learned so many other things on YT (mostly home repairs), that I wanted to share some things I was doing - thanks!
Dude I was so upset. I got a really rare SnapBack and I hate those types of hats because they all look boxy and I thought it was my head shape. I really didn’t even know what to type in so I looked up square cap and somehow I found your 4 steps video. I dove deeper and found this. We don’t have a tea kettle, but we hat a steamer for cleaning. It didn’t get hot enough, so we took a hairdryer. I have a ton of hair so I never felt any heat, but it got really hot and we held it down on the shape of my head and I wore it for an hour while watching TV. It’s a whole new hat and I can actually wear snap backs now!!! Thank you so much, you gained a fan!!
Thanks man, glad you found the channel and that I could help out!
Cool I try this... Not a fan of how blocky hats are getting.
Agree... and it sometimes depends on where the manufacturing is done. Thanks for watching
@@dreinthe616 this is a big problem they have. I own made in US, made in China and made in Bangladesh and they're all different. I have like 4 different made in Bangladesh hats an they fit and look different. Very frustrating, but your videos helped shaping them and they all look kind of similar now. Thanks.
Curious, do you own any MiLB hats? I started collecting them because of the designs, the logos are waaaay cooler than MLB. Though I need low profiles and not many teams sell them.
I recently tried this technique and it worked, it helped in rounding off the crown in one of my caps. Thanks Doug.
Absolutely great video....I used this method to fix a few dents in the front panels & it helps a lot. Keep up the great work
Thank you, I appreciate the comment, and I'm glad it helped you out!
Great video. Got a new SnapBack 70s-80s Phillies hat in May. It was too boxy, so I checked out this video, and using kettle steam and the summer’s heat, it’s broken in perfectly now. Thank you, Doug!
You are welcome, glad I could help out!
This's why I'm a Mitchell & Ness hats guy because of this. Now I know how to fix my Pats New Era hat. Thank you for this video.
That is a massive improvement well done 👍
Wow you are my hat god! You have help me solve a 20 year headache. Thankyou so much
High praise, thank you - glad to help! There are plenty of other videos I've made around editing your caps, so go to the channel if you'd like to see more.
Ok Thankyou I’ll take a look
Bro, thank you for this and other sound tips like the "foam padding" for inside the fitted caps.
Your a legend.
Absolutely, man... thanks for the praise, I'm glad I could help out!
Awesome! I hate this boxy look on hats nowadays but this is quality tips! 😊
Excellent tip, thanks - I didn’t want to look like a block head❗️
This totally works! Thanks for making this video, Dre!
The curse of the tank head. Thank you for this video. Time to make my gigantic head look good in fitted hats
Thanks man, I didn’t wear hats because they looked too boxy. Now I break em in nicely thanks to you.
Good to hear, thank you!
Your channel needs more subs for the qualities of your videos.Very concise. Thanks for your hard work. 👍
That is awesome, I’m glad you appreciate the videos. Thank you for watching!
Nice and straight forward demonstration. Thanks!
You are welcome, thank you!
Thanks for taking the time to make a video on this. I was just about to try it for the first time but wanted to check online first to make sure it wouldnt ruin the hat
Cool, good to hear, thanks!
Nice! This is a beautiful hat I wish I could wear but I live in Southern California..
This is awesome! Definitely going to try it. They need to just make hats like this!
Wow, it worked on my 9Fifty!! No more ghetto Frankenstein! Thanks!!
Right on, glad I could help
Thanks I just watch your vid last night to shape it and you helped so much 👍🏼
Love this video & your other video “stretching and shaping baseball caps”
Addressed all of my issues with my new baseball cap!
Thank you, glad to help!
This worked perfectly. Going to do this with all of my new caps
That's what I like to hear, thanks for the comments!
Nice. I thought I was the only one who thought hats look weird now. Thanks for posting!
Gonna try this tomorrow, thanks for the video!
Man, thank you so much. You just saved my relationship with my new hat.
Right on, good to hear - thank you!
Worked great! Thanks.
Wow. This changes everything. Thank you! 🙏
Right on, you are welcome!
Yo! Thank you so much! You helped me save my favorite 9forty cap that had an out of shape crown.
Cool, good to hear it!
hey maybe can give me a few tips.
so i just got my first fitted cap and my dome measured 22 and 3/4 inches so in hat size its 7 and 1/4 exactly my question is do i get a cap exactly the same size to my head or go one up? i tried a one up 7 3/8 but it felt loose and the 7 1/4 fits but it might be slightly tight. thanks anything helps.
If you've seen some of my other videos, I talk about variation in New Era caps a few times. Grab as many caps as you can in the store that are your size, plus a few that are one size up and down - try all of them on and see which one works best. Keep in mind that you'll usually get a little relief if you curve your visor. If ordering online, stick to your measurement.
Great video..also hat stretchers on amazon for $15 help if it shirinks at all or just too tight in general
Yep, I have mentioned the hat jack as an essential tool in many of my videos, thanks!
Thanks🙏Good work and video👍Very helpful.
Thank you so much!! You helped me a lot! Thumbs up :)
You are welcome, glad to help out!
I want the box look. How would I go about that?
I have a video for shaping over a round form ( ua-cam.com/video/03SATQZRHnw/v-deo.html ) - so I don't see any reason why you couldn't find a more 'boxy' form and steam it over that to give the look you want. Maybe a small pot/saucepan in the kitchen - flat bottom, rounded corners - or something like it that you could fit in the front of the cap... that would be my suggestion, thanks.
Just fixed a ridiculously boxy hat with this technique...THANK YOU!
That's awesome, glad I could help!
Love ur videos. gotta get the fitted perfect
Do you have a video on taking a crease out the front of the crown near the logo area?
Yes, please go to my channel page, videos tab - and/or just search "fixing dents and creases 59Fifty", thx.
Is there any way to do the opposite effect? I like the boxy look, and hate the round
Dre, any tips for unstructured hats? Like a polyester type hat that Nike or Ahead makes? The best thing I can equate what I’m talking about to is a tennis hat or “fitness” hat. I’ve got one that has major “dents” about midway up the crown of the hat on both sides and it looks like absolute trash
Hmm, without the structure of something like buckram, you might be unable to get those out... I have some soft crown fitteds, and the 'dents' are just part of the look - they are a little different every time I wear them. Best thing to try would be to stuff a towel inside the cap area and press it out while steaming it, good luck!
Any tips for how to deal with creased cardboard brims? I doubt they’re salvageable in any way but I thought I’d ask.
Unfortunately I don't have any advice - once they are fatigued and creased, it seems hard to restore them, and I have not tried very hard to recover one. Thanks
Get a rag and put it on the brim and iron it out or put something heavy on the brim
Do you have any videos on how to make a brim stiffer ??? I have a nice black Boston fitted hat and I already it curved it . But the brim feels like a sheet of paper pretty bendable and I could like it would be harder like plastic or cardboard in comparison to how it is rn (like paper) and remain the curve.
Unfortunately it’s never going to be as rigid as when it started - I call it visor fatigue. It’s why I always recommend a steam or otherwise heated bend the first time you do it. If you do it cold, it starts to break the material down.
@@dreinthe616 I just curved like 3 new hats I got . Thanks fully I did it over the shape of a bottle which I think may of help me not totally ruin it the way you describe like someone curving with their bare hands on dry
Hi Doug, love the videos! Just wondering, if one has attempted to smooth out the corners as you have in this video, if you’ve felt like you’ve “overdone” it and want to square out the corners somewhat back to their original shape, would it still be possible to do so? If so, would the same method apply and you’d kinda have to just push the corners out from the inside of the cap? Thanks and keep up the great work!
Yes, you are correct - that buckram is very resilient and can be formed like this over and over again to whatever shape you prefer. Thanks for the comments and support!
I jus got me a steamer for my hats, I've always shyed away from the 59fifty hats since they are so blocky now a days. I think I will jus have to get use to the steamer I got cuse I don't wanna burn my hat lol. How long do you think you usually need to leave it on the crowns to get it to wear the buckram is soft enough to form? Seems I have to get it pretty close to the steamer, you think it's easier trying to do one side at a time or both at same time?
It doesn't take much time if you hold it close to the steam source, probably less than 10 seconds to soften... and I'd recommend doing both at same time if you can hold it comfortably that way. Btw, I do have a couple of other videos showing this technique, you can find them on my channel page either on the videos tab or in the tutorials playlist, thanks.
I’m a little confused on where exactly you’re putting pressure on the hat?
You apply pressure where you want to change the shape... I'd suggest doing it 'dry' a few times to see how the cap behaves when you bend certain parts of the front two panels. Then steam it and try to hold the shape while it cools. No worries if you mess it up, the buckram can be shaped over and over again.
what if you want to firm up/tighten/stiffen a loose, floppy front inside of the crown? What material or method could I use?
Was it a structured cap to begin with - does it have buckram inside the front two panels? If so, it's pretty hard to restore that when it's broken down. But if it's a dad cap and is unstructured to begin with, there's not much to do either, I have sometimes kept the inserts those ship with, especially if they are PET felt rather than cardboard. Some people try spray starch, but that barely stiffens the overall crown.
Do you know how to do the opposite? From being round/egg to being boxy?
I really like these soft corduroy caps. I have thought about cutting out the stiff part from old and cheap caps that are almost the exact dimensions and using fabric glue to glue them to the inside of these caps. I guess there's no substitute for trying it. Do you think the glue might dissolve or stain the cap with time?
Actually not sure at all... I know that New Era's bonding process with the buckram is the one thing they won't discuss in the process of making their caps, so I don't think its easily done.
Excellent video
Doug,
Do you feel like the hotter you get it the better success you have with shaping the crown?
Are there any disadvantages to getting it too hot?
Thanks. Still awaiting my 7 5/8 'Dre in the 616' 59Fifty 😉
Hey AJ... actually all you need to do is get to the point where the buckram becomes soft and 'moldable'... taking it past that point does not really give you any extra benefit in my opinion. I did have one viewer indicate that when they did some of the molding with a hair dryer, they actually melted the buckram in spots - so it is possible to take it too far. dre-616 caps - still building the capital to get some made, you'll be among the first to know!
The crown of my baseball cap is shaped more inwards I guess you can say. I want the top of the crown to be wider, any help?
Best thing I could suggest - if you can hold your hands (or a towel) inside the cap to give you the shape you want, then put on some gloves, steam the front panels, and hold it in the position you want until it cools. I did what I think your talking about with a wool Brewers cap - just held my index fingers apart near the back edges of the buckram panels. The buckram is the key - it will hold the shape if it cools that way. Good luck!
I just got a new era 9 fifty raptors championship SnapBack and it was hella expensive and I don’t want to ruin it so will this method work?
Same construction up front, so it will behave the same. Just be careful and you should be fine.
Would this work as well with the 39fifty? I'm between sizes on the 5950 and the 39 works better for me. But I don't know if the softer/limp back panels will work the same as the stiffer 5950.
The only thing I'm shaping in this video are the front two panels with buckram. On the 39Thirty, these are already low and quite round, so I don't believe this technique is necessary with that hat style, thanks.
Awesome video and great tips!
Any idea whether the steam trick would work on 100% polyester caps? My guess is that it would not.
Yes. You are shaping the buckram under the front two panels, which is the same base material on either wool or poly caps.
Help. What if the cap was crushed. I have a couple. One was just crushed by othes so it is nowhere near 90 degrees from the front of the crown to the bill. Its surely that inside bracing that is deformed. And tricks to restore the strength and shape?
You should check out a couple of my other videos for things to try - ua-cam.com/video/e9pSynl4O7M/v-deo.html - is probably the best for your situation, but I've also got one on removing dents and creases from the crown, thanks.
I have a Ed Hardy trucker cap and I want the crown to be shaped because it’s all floppy can I use this same method? It had a lot of embroidery on the crown..
I don't know the construction on that cap, but it sounds like this won't work very well. The reason this technique is effective with New Era fitted caps is because of the stiff buckram in the front panels of the cap - when you heat and cool it, it takes and keeps a shape. If the crown isn't stiff, it probably can't be molded - but thanks for watching.
so my fitted got dented on the front panels because someone had put a heavy laundry bag on top of it for hours and basically squished it. would this method remove the dents??
It could, but you'll definitely need some sort of "form" inside the crown as you try to restore the shape. For restoring the buckram shape, it's actually better to use a hair dryer, you will only need the heat. Use a towel, a small ball, or something close to the original shape and press it inside those front two panels. Then hit it with the hairdryer while maintaining the pressure - then let it cool with the pressure/shape still working on the inside of the cap. Good luck!
Hard to see can you do one with a white hat or use lighting ty great video :)
Thanks for this information.
No sweat, you are welcome.
I have a 100% cotton 59fifty hat that is my size but an extremely large/ high crown. Do you recommend this method or another?
Depends on the buckram in the front two panels - if it's like typical New Era (structured and fairly stiff) it can be molded. You could also try this other technique from my channel - ua-cam.com/video/03SATQZRHnw/v-deo.html - thanks.
Nice work!
Thanks, appreciate it!
What about fixing the tip of the crown? Same procedure? My new hats are too large there so my hats don’t look good forward.
Yes, you could try it, but remember that the material has to go somewhere - so if you steam and push the top down, chances are it will make the corners flat again. Your best bet might be to heat/steam the front two panels, then put it on while warm and try and shape it to your head. I do something like that in the third part of one of my earliest videos - ua-cam.com/video/8N-EL-rmgIc/v-deo.html - check it out if you've not seen it before. You can steam instead of using the hair dryer there too.
How can i do the opposite, im trying to make the crown mor square
The crown of my cap is high! Maybe I can flatten it a little with this technique!
Shaping is pretty easy, but shrinking the height of the crown is tough, my most recent video tried to tackle this - ua-cam.com/video/eA_NI5839ho/v-deo.html - ICYI, thanks.
I have a couple corduroy baseball caps with no stiffness, how could I get the crown to stand up instead of just dropping flat with no shape? Thanks
It's actually really tough to create stiffness when there isn't any there... the buckram in the 59Fifty caps has plastic fibers woven into it, and that gives it a ton of resilience and structure. I've had some viewers try spray starch, without much luck - sorry I don't have any good suggestions, but thanks for the question.
@@dreinthe616 I really like the c
Will using a pot of boiling water to create the steam work or does it have to be a focused blast of steam like with the tea pot?
It should still work, but you just won't have as much control over a specific area... like the corners of the crown. You might find that the entire front of the cap gets pliable, and it could make it more difficult to get the effect. All that said, I've never tried it over a pot.
How many seconds does it vaporize?😢
Thanks for your video, sir ! It makes me encouraged to buy those regular 59Fifties.. However, I have still confusion if it will be fit to my head-shape which is not too big , lol :) but is longer top to bot and much thinner from sides.. Do you still suggest me that regular is still good ?
I think you are describing what I have, which is a “long oval” head shape. You should check out my video called Stretching and Shaping Baseball Caps - that is the reason why I started wearing standard 59Fifty caps - I finally got a good fit! Thanks for watching and the question, good luck!
First of all big up for sharing your (probably hard earned) knowlege!
I have a question: is there a particular reason you steam the hat from the outside instead of from the inside as you did when using the hairdryer to shape/block?
Yes, probably the main reason is just so it can dry out a little faster... if the moisture is on the inside it is a little bit trapped when you set the cap down. Thanks!
Love the videos
i got some old snapbacks that are pretty "bricky" looking... but i cant seem to get the the shape i want. does this only work with fitted's/more sturdy hats?
Yes, you got it - the buckram in the front two panels has to be pretty stiff to take and hold a shape. Most times the New Era buckram (59Fifty or 9Fifty) is good at this because it is so stiff. Thanks
@@dreinthe616 ok cool, thanks for the reply
I bought a Tool band hat yesterday. Deepwise it fits perfectly, but when I wear it, it looks like I'm a trucker. It just doesn't look right. I don't know if I just need to break it in? Or use this method. I'll never buy a hat online again.
They can be tough to shape... if there is stiff buckram under the front two panels like there is in the New Era cap I show here, then you've got a shot. I've got a lot of videos that include some sort of shaping, but I might advise you try the third tip I offer in my very first YT video here - ua-cam.com/video/8N-EL-rmgIc/v-deo.html - which uses a hair dryer to heat up the buckram and then your head to shape it (if the heat is a problem you can use a bandana/handkerchief on your forehead). It's strange but effective!
Hi Doug, I was wondering how long do you apply the steam before you start shaping the crown? It looks like it was only a couple seconds
Correct, it does not take long to heat it up - just a few seconds usually does it... but you can try it and proceed carefully to figure out how it works, thanks
Do you know how to make a curved crown stand up vertical?!! I have a few very nice hats but they're curved backwards by default and I wish to make them stand vertical
I think that would be tough, because there might not be enough surface area in the panels of the cap to go to a higher crown the way you describe. To try it, you'd need some kind of form or block inside the cap to set it to that position, then steam it - but I am not optimistic you could get what you want.
When I push the front panels down to soften them, it gives a crease on the soft panels directs behind the buckram. How do I get those out?
Unfortunately you can't get those out... when you soften the look of the corners by pushing the crown back, the fabric has to go somewhere. I've gotten used to it, and for me it's a good tradeoff to get a better silhouette in the front of the crown, thanks.
i have a hat i like a lot with the opposite issue its like some felt or wool material and is totally floppy/sinks in doesnt hold any shape looks like a bowl on head. i want to make the front 2 panels stay up like normal no clue what to do :/
Unfortunately you need the buckram to be stiff in order to give the crown that structured feel. New Era has been making some "retro crown" models for a few years with a soft crown, and others like Ebbets Field Flannels make old-school caps with soft crowns and sometimes soft visors. I do not know of a good way to make it structured or stiff.
Do you think any MLB players watch your videos to shape their hats? 😂
Patrick that would be legit.
they probably get custom fits.
Where was that cap made in? Have you found differences between US and foreign made caps with this method?
Without checking it, I'm pretty sure that is a made in China cap. The buckram in the front two panels still responds to heat/steam like this, even if some cap wearers mention that the US-made crowns are a little more soft and pliable. I did a comparison of caps here: ua-cam.com/video/9pF87YoM8wg/v-deo.html ...thanks
I tried doing this method with a clothing steamer and just didn’t get any results. Do you suggest using a steam pot for more heat and better results?
thats perfect, but i need crown to be less high how do i lower
So much depends on the cap construction - the crown height is set by where the assembler sets the fold for the sizing ring and sweatband - it varies a lot from cap to cap. There's no real way to change the height, you can only sweep it back a little bit by doing things like this here, or heating/steaming it and forming to your head while it's warm.
Do you think this could be done with a heat gun? Or would that damage the hat?
I think the temperature might be a little too high with the heat guns I've seen or used - it is possible to melt the fibers in the buckram. Steam also helps with the fabric. You may want to watch another recent video that I did for manipulating this area of the cap, thanks:
ua-cam.com/video/4-q4ufu5M6w/v-deo.html
How could I get the cap to get that high crown back, I guess not put it back to being how it was when it was new
If I need to restore the crown I usually stuff a towel inside and press out while steaming... or buy a smaller rubber ball (about head-sized) in a store toy department, and steam the cap while the ball is under the crown.
Where did you buy that twins hat what’s the color way called ?
This was the Color Prism Pack at Lids.com, I had a video review for it when it was released, and it's still available on my channel if you wanted to see it - but the caps are long gone, unfortunately. Thanks
thanks man!
Hello, can you give me the link to the hairdryer method video please.
Can’t grab the link at this moment, but if you search my channel for “stretching and shaping baseball caps” that’s the one. I think it is the last technique in the video. Be careful of making “dents” with your fingers if you go that route, thanks.
Is there a way to add buckram to an unstructured baseball cap?
Unfortunately no... but I can see why you would ask that question, because it really makes shaping possible.
Can this be done with an iron on full steam?
Not sure... there might be enough steam to do one corner at a time, but I've never tried it.
thanks sooo much perfect video.
does this work the same way with New Eras snapbacks too? I suppose so.
As long as the buckram under the front two panels is identical, it should work the same.
Do you think I can fix this way a warped hat from shipping?
Yes, I think you could do that... wear some good gloves to cover your hands, but when you steam the whole cap it will get soft enough to shape. If you need to keep a good form, stuff a towel inside the cap while it dries. 59Fifty caps are pretty durable, so you should be able to do it more than once if needed - good luck.
How do you get that curve on your hats
I'm guessing you're asking about the curve on the visor? You can see my basic technique for that in my main stretching and shaping video - ua-cam.com/video/8N-EL-rmgIc/v-deo.html Depending on what object you use to shape it, the curve might be severe when you first take it off, but it relaxes with either hand work or time.
How can i search for this hat i want this color pattern..i cant find it
That was part of the Color Prism collection - I posted a review for that collection at ua-cam.com/video/oDknX1BGtkY/v-deo.html I'm pretty sure they are all gone now - I got lucky to find this Twins cap in 7-1/2.
Can this work on Vintage Snapback baseball hats
Maybe - it depends on how they are lined in those front two panels... if the buckram there is stiff, it can probably be molded and shaped with steam or heat. I'd try it, good luck.
How hard are you pushing down? I tried this on one of my older caps, which is boxy, just to practice.. and it didn't work at all
Not really pushing all that hard, just trying to hold it in place while it cools. However, I do have another vid that I just published for an alternate technique ( ua-cam.com/video/03SATQZRHnw/v-deo.html ) - this is where you can have a 'form' to push against to shape it, thanks for the question.
Hey, Dre. Love your videos, man. I have been watching for quite a while. I had a question. New Era and Lids just dropped a new line of vintage MLB hats. I wear somewhere between a 7-1/4 (red mark on the forehead) and a 7-3/8 (feels a bit loose). The problem with the new hat is they only have 7-1/2. Would it be possible to shrink it down to my size? I would hate to miss out because I'm a pinhead. 😂
Well, shinking is a little tougher than stretching that 1/8 of a size. I've got a video where you can 'carefully' shrink a cap, because if you give it a lot of heat after getting it wet, the fabric will really "pucker" and start to look bad. But if the cap is wool, you might have a little better shot. The other thing you can do is tuck a little extra material inside the sweatband, to take up some of the excess room. Thanks for watching, and good luck with whatever you decide - and if it happens to be the Heritage collection you're looking at, I'll have a review for one up tomorrow.
One other thing... caps are handmade, so they can vary a lot. Might not be bad to order two online, keep the smaller one, and return the other to a Lids store if you have one nearby.
Thanks bro I bought a new hat and I don’t like the box shape
Cool, you are welcome