Reader Michael recently sent us a fantastically detailed note about his experimentation in cap surgery.
Hello,
After purchasing a New Era 5950 Stars and Stripes Phillies Hat, I tried a few of the suggested tips in your blog but I got impatient and decided to perform a "cap surgery" and remove the mesh from the crown. I should note that I practiced on an older adjustable New Era hat with the same mesh but I was successful both time using this method.
First, find a small safety pin and open it. Locate an inconspicuous area ( I used the top of the crown near the button on the top of the hat. Gently work the safety pin through the mesh without piercing the front of the cap ( this seem to be hard to do and even if you did it wouldn't hurt the cap much. Once you get the pin through the mesh, twist it gently two or three times. This will open up a small hole and snap some of the black plastic threads. Do this a few more times to open a hole big enough for a pen. Grab a smooth rounded pen, such as a Bic Stick and gently work it under the mesh. The purpose of this is to separate the mesh from the small dots of glue that hold it to the front of the hat. Once you have done this, use the pen as a guide to keep the polyester material of the hat away from the mesh. Use sharp kitchen shears for best results. Once you trim enough mesh and plastic away you can make smaller touch up cuts. This process will make your hat much more relaxed, similar to the style of Twins 47 Franchise hats ( which I own and love). I am hoping to get some cap cleaner and get rid of the glue, although it hasn't been a problem so far. I hope this can help readers.
