The Stiff-Visor Blues/Poll Results

Now that New Era is no longer offering repairs (and I still haven't found a company or person that can do repairs), I've been trying to see if I can find a way to fix visors that are too stiff to bend and are at high risk of breaking. Despite the risk of running some of my caps, I decided to experiment. I held the caps under a faucet and ran water on both sides of the visor until the entire visor was saturated. I was careful to try and get as little water possible on other parts of the cap. Here are the results:

Getting the visors moist DOES make them bendable again. However, older caps go back to being stiff after they dry. Only bend visors of old caps once they are completely saturated. The only reason you should do this to an older cap is to bend a warped/misshaped visor back in to the right shape. However, a few of them became bent out of shape again after drying. Luckily, caps made in the 90s and after seem to be cured and become flexible again. Obviously you must be careful while doing this with older caps (80s and before) and there is always a risk of ruining them, so don't blame me if it happens to you. It appears that running water on the visors doesn't do much to wool fabric the first time, but if you do it again the fabric will begin to warp.

Again, if anyone can find a company or person to repair baseball caps, please contact me.

POLL RESULTS:
The poll showed that pretty much all of you can tell the difference between USA-made and Chinese-made on-field caps. Interestingly enough, there were two people that voted "don't care". If either of you that voted that way are reading this now, I am interested to hear your perspective (you may post in the comments section).

Comments

  1. StenMarch 9, 2013 at 2:10 AM

    I agree that saturation works, but one runs the risk of staining lighter material. I have used a very strong hair drier on 59Fifties with plastic brims. This techniques won't work with older cardboard brims. Your mileage may vary, of course, but good luck rehabbing everyone! Wish I could post a pic - I have a gorgeous light grey Lakers New Era/Hardwood Classics fitted with purple embroidery that I salvaged after a BAD break-in (by me). Anyway, I salvaged it and it looks really good. You cannot tell I had the brim so lopsided...

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