Hawkeye Tack and Western Wear

Cowboy Hats

WESTERN HAT
CARE & CLEANING GUIDE

Proper care will greatly increase the life and enjoyment of your western cowboy hat. This guide will cover Fit, Hat Care, Storage, Cleaning, Shaping and Hat Etiquette. We will also talk about some of the hat care products we carry to help you get the most out of your western cowboy hat.

FIT

Generally western cowboy hats should be worn ½" above your ears. However, we believe that your hat should be worn how it feels best to you.

The hat should fit slightly snug all around your head but not so that it hurts or gives you a headache.

Hats that are too tight may be stretched up to the next size. See the Master Hatters at Hawkeye & Western Wear to do this for you. If your hat is tight, a Hat Jack may be used inside the band to help hold its size when not being worn.

If your hat is too loose, we can put some foam tape under the sweat band to tighten up the fit and customize your hat to fit your head.

Sometimes during the hotter months your hat may get tighter. This is usually caused by removing your hat with a damp sweat band and allowing the leather sweat band to dry too rapidly.

Hats are available in Round Oval, which is completely round, and in Long Oval, which is slightly longer on the sides. Let us help you choose the one that fits you.

We can cut your brim down for you, but we prefer to do this in small steps. Once the material is removed we can’t put it back on, so its best for you to see it after each cut and decide when it’s the size that you want.

HAT CARE

Only touch your hat with clean dry hands, so that you do not leave dirt or skin oils on your hat.

Only handle your hat by the brim, not the crown or pinch, these are easily crushed or misshapen. To put on or adjust your hat, hold the front and back of the brim just next to the crown with four fingers.

Do not place a hat down on its brim, as it may flatten and lose its shape. Place western cowboy hats upside down on their crown in a clean place. Cowboys believed that this would catch all of the good luck. Old cowboys also believed that you should never let the brim of your hat touch the bed, as doing so brought bad luck.

Never leave your hat in a hot car, trailer, show box, closet or anywhere that is exceptionally hot. The heat may cause your hat to lose its shape or the sweat band to shrink and your hat may not fit properly. Direct exposure to sunlight also may cause cowboy hats to fade and lose their color.

Use an inexpensive plastic rain protector for wet conditions to keep your hat dry and to keep it from losing its shape.

Occasionally flip down the sweatband so that it can dry and air out. Be very careful in cleaning a sweatband. Do not get the hat wet or it may stain.

A hat carrier is a great investment if you travel with your hat and are not wearing it.

STORAGE

Store your hat in a hat box or plastic hat carrier. Wall mounted hat holders are also available at Hawkeye Tack & Western Wear. We also have carriers to mount in your vehicle and hold your hat while you’re driving.

Store your hat in a cool dark dry place.

Clean your hat before storing for long periods of time.

CLEANING

You can always bring your cowboy hat to Hawkeye Tack & Western Wear to have one of our hat professionals clean and shape it for you. We can also advise you on most questions you might have on your new hat.

Felt & Wool Hats

Always wash your hands before cleaning or handling a hat, especially if you'll be handling light and dark colored hats at the same time. Have a clean place to work on your hat.

Begin on the left side and brush or sponge the brim & crown counter-clockwise (as you hold your hat with the back facing the floor) with the direction of the fur nap. This will help keep your hat dust free and looking good.

Brush clockwise on the underside of the brim.

Brush or sponge the crown from front to back.

Be careful as a small amount of fur will remain in the brush or sponge after each use. You should have a different hat brush or sponge for each color of hat that you have to keep from transferring the different color furs from your other hats to the hat you are brushing. This is especially important when cleaning a dark hat with a brush from a light hat or vice-versa. To make this easier, hat brushes are available with light colored bristles to use on lighter colored hats and black bristles to use on dark hats. Sponges come in packages of two so you can use them on different colors if necessary.

A vacuum with a brush attachment can be used to remove dust & dirt from your hat.

Cleaning powders are available to help remove light stains. Sprinkle powder on the spot and use a hat sponge in a circular pattern to gently rub the powder into the spot. Do not rub so hard as to remove fur from the hat. Brush powder off of hat when done. Steam the area to restore nap to the fur.

You can use a lint roller or painters tape to remove stubborn lint.

If you get something sticky or dirty splashed on your hat, or if a soft drink or beer gets sprayed on your hat, immediately run it under a gentle stream of room temperature water and use the side end of your index finger to quickly but softly rub the stain area. When you feel that the stain is washed out (this should take less than a minute, depending on the depth of the stain) stop and let the hat dry naturally. Remember... you must try to remove these stains before they dry.

Do not use a hair dryer or other heat source to dry your hat as it may shrink the sweat band or cause the hat to lose its shape.

Some wool hats with very stubborn stains can be gently sanded with an emery board or piece of sandpaper. Be careful... if you rub too hard, you can create a bald spot and ruin your hat.

Straw Hats

Straw hats require little care. When dirty, wash with a mixture of light soap and water, rinse well and dry with a towel or let air dry.

Nustraw straw hat cleaner can be used on all colorfast straw hats. Apply with a moist sponge, rub in a circular motion and dry with a clean, damp cloth.

HAT SHAPING

You can always bring your hat in to us and have one of our Master Hatters shape your hat for you.

Fur felt hats may be reshaped using steam from your tea kettle. Apply a light coat of steam to the part of your hat that you would like to reshape. Do not soak the hat. Then with your hands, form the portion of the hat to the shape that you want and hold until dry. Repeat as needed. Apply hat stiffener spray to restore body to the fur felt and to help hold the shape.

Most straw hats have a wire in the brim edge, which allows you to shape the brim.

Palm leaf straw hats are shaped by getting them wet and shaping to the style that you want. Allow to air dry naturally.

HAT SERVICES OFFERED AT HAWKEYE TACK & WESTERN WEAR

Cleaning
Shaping
Fitting – Stretching or installation of foam tape
Brim Cutting
Complete Line of Hat Care Products & Hat Bands

HAT ETIQUETTE

Hats are to be removed for the national anthem, the passing of the flag and funeral processions.

A gentleman should always tip his hat to a lady when greeting or passing her. It's charming and an act of courtesy and respect. He should replace his hat after passing or after they greet each other and start to walk or talk.

It is considered proper for a man to remove his hat on an elevator, especially if a lady is present.

A gentleman should always take his hat off in a restaurant, unless no arrangements are made for him to hang his hat or to have it checked.

It is considered inappropriate for men to wear a hat in a church unless they are participating in a wedding.

A removed hat should be held in the hand in such a way that shows only the outside. The lining should never be visible.

HAT CARE PRODUCTS AVAILABLE AT HAWKEYE TACK & WESTERN WEAR

Hat Brim Brush (M&F1042) Used to clean the brim and crown of your hat. Available in black for use on dark hats and grey for use on lighter colored hats.
Hat Crown Brush (M&F1044) Longer bristle brush especially for cleaning crowns and creases in hats. Available in black for use on dark hats and grey for use on lighter colored hats.
Hat Cleaning Sponges (M&F1032) A package of 2 sponges to clean your hat. Use a separate sponge for each color of hat that you have.
Hat cleaning Sponge (M&F1014) A firmer sponge to help clean stained areas. Works well with Scout Spot Remover, but can also used by itself.
Scout Felt Hat Care Package for Dark Cowboy Hats (M&F1049) Kit includes Felt Hat Rain & Stain Protector, Felt Hat Cleaner for Dark Hats and a small brim brush.
Scout Felt Hat Care Package for Light Hats (M&F1048) Kit includes Felt Hat Rain & Stain Protector, Felt Hat Cleaner for light colored Hats and a small brim brush.
Scout Felt Hat Cleaner for Dark Hats (M&F1047) Removes most oil and water based stains.
Scout Felt Hat Cleaner for Light Hats (M&F1045) Removes most oil and water based stains on lighter colored hats.
Scout Felt Hat Stiffener (M&F1037) Restores life and stiffness to your hat. Designed to add body for the shaping of your felt hat.
Scout Spot Remover for Hats (M&F1018) Specially designed granules used to remove most stains, including finger prints, spotting rings and grease stains.
Nustraw Straw Hat Cleaner (M&F1050) Straw Hat cleaner that is formulated to safely remove surface reside and grime from all colorfast straw hats.
Hat Jacks (RHDHATJACK) Protect your investment and never wear a pinching hat again. Maintains your hat size by preventing shrinkage. Small Size fits Child size up to 7 ¼, Medium fits size 7 1/8 thru 7 ½, Large fits 7 ½ and up.
Plastic Hat Rain Cover (M&F1080) Protect your hat from rain and moistures with a plastic rain cover. Has elastic band to hold it tight on your hat.
Hat Saver (M&F1030) The original patented Hat Saver has a spring-loaded loop that absolutely will not let hard hats slip out. Mounts easily on the ceiling of your vehicle. Holds hard hats safely out of the way of the sun's harmful rays. Mounts easily whatever the angle of the headliner molding or mirror bracket.
Back Seat Hat Rack (M&F1062) Quick, easy, convenient vehicle hat rack. Sticks to any glass surface. Works in pickups, vans, cars, RVs and more. The Quick Stick Hat Rack is extremely handy. It works in virtually any vehicle, removing quickly and easily so you can take it anywhere.
Cowboy Hat Rack (B&D51848WRS) Wall mounted hat rack that holds three western cowboy hats.
Hat Carriers Available in single, double and triple to hold one to three hats. A great way to protect your hat during travel and storage. Protects your cowboy hats from damage and dirt. Helps keep your hat's shape.
Hat Boxes We sell extra hat boxes to store your hat in.

Please contact us with all of your questions about western cowboy hats.

Email: htack@qwest.net
Phone: 800-310-8225 or 515-264-1622