Newbie question on a balmoral

**MizzouScotsman** · 7th September 12, 10:50 PM

Ok, I have placed my order for my first Robert Mackie balmoral. I have read on here about something called "jocking" that sound rather brutal for a nice hat at that price.

Just a couple of questions.

First off...Why? Soaking and pummeling a defenseless hat?

Second...Must it be done? Or can I simply wear my hat...my first balmoral by the way. I have a Glengarry

**Nick the DSM** · 7th September 12, 11:33 PM

Yes, you can wear as is. The process that some use was just to give it shape and a worn look. It doesn't destroy it, just changes the shape.

**flyrod6057** · 8th September 12, 12:04 AM

Wool responds well to water. The original post on "jocking" is here on the forum if you care to search. In short, the orthodox process is to soak the new balmoral in a "burn" (creek here in the states) for a bit. This provides some agitation, which should help the felting process. None of my headwear has had the benefit of running water; I settled for the sink, with good results. The soaking tightens up the fibers a bit, and if you shape the damp balmoral to your noggin, you end up with a fitted hat that (I believe) looks quite a bit better than if you just dropped it on your head on the way out the door. Of course, to each his own! If you elect to forego the H2O, time and weather will eventually do the work anyway. As for me, I'm an impatient type; I prefer to shape my bonnets as soon as I get them.

Best of luck, whatever you decide!

**MizzouScotsman** · 8th September 12, 12:31 AM

Originally Posted by flyrod6057

Wool responds well to water. The original post on "jocking" is here on the forum if you care to search. In short, the orthodox process is to soak the new balmoral in a "burn" (creek here in the states) for a bit. This provides some agitation, which should help the felting process. None of my headwear has had the benefit of running water; I settled for the sink, with good results. The soaking tightens up the fibers a bit, and if you shape the damp balmoral to your noggin, you end up with a fitted hat that (I believe) looks quite a bit better than if you just dropped it on your head on the way out the door. Of course, to each his own! If you elect to forego the H2O, time and weather will eventually do the work anyway. As for me, I'm an impatient type; I prefer to shape my bonnets as soon as I get them.

Best of luck, whatever you decide!

Thanks! I have read the original thread by Jock Scot. It was a great read. No creek near me but the idea just seems too outrageous to me...lol. I guess I have to get over my fear of soaking a brand new hat and it being a good thing.

**Jock Scot** · 8th September 12, 01:52 AM

No you don't have to "Jock" your bonnet.

Just so you know, whilst the balmoral is traditional highland attire, the Scots rarely wear one these days. Bare-headed is the norm these days.

Why "jock" the bonnet? It depends, basically, on what you want. If you like the look of the straight out of the box look, then leave well alone. Although time and use will mellow the look. If you want the shrunken, ironed, shaved,"starched" military look then "jocking" will start to get you there. In passing, as we are wearing civilian attire, I personally think the "military look" is the least desirable. If you like the "helipad" look then "jocking" will not help either.

What "jocking" does is shrink the bonnet to a more precise fit around the forehead and gives you a chance to mould the bonnet crown to a more rounded and rather less starched look and the grievous bodily harm bit whilst the bonnet is wet takes the memory out of the cloth and allows you to put your own shape in. Any soldier will tell you a couple of wet days on the ranges with a new beret works wonders with the shape----"jocking" does the same thing, only its only the bonnet that gets wet this way.

For those that are looking at the "jocking" thread and are finding the pictures missing, I can only apologise, but during a fairly major "repair" job by photobucket to their/my system, I lost many pictures and as the thread is locked I cannot replace them. Mods, is there a way of temporarily unlocking the thread for the pictures to be replaced? I think I can find most of them and as many seem to find the thread useful it would be helpful for them to have pictures too. Any thoughts?

**MizzouScotsman** · 8th September 12, 02:08 AM

Originally Posted by Jock Scot

No you don't have to "Jock" your bonnet.

Just so you know, whilst the balmoral is traditional highland attire, the Scots rarely wear one these days. Bare-headed is the norm these days.

Why "jock" the bonnet? It depends, basically, on what you want. If you like the look of the straight out of the box look, then leave well alone. Although time and use will mellow the look. If you want the shrunken, ironed, shaved,"starched" military look then "jocking" will start to get you there. In passing, as we are wearing civilian attire, I personally think the "military look" is the least desirable. If you like the "helipad" look then "jocking" will not help either.

What "jocking" does is shrink the bonnet to a more precise fit around the forehead and gives you a chance to mould the bonnet crown to a more rounded and rather less starched look and the grievous bodily harm bit whilst the bonnet is wet takes the memory out of the cloth and allows you to put your own shape in. Any soldier will tell you a couple of wet days on the ranges with a new beret works wonders with the shape----"jocking" does the same thing, only its only the bonnet that gets wet this way.

For those that are looking at the "jocking" thread and are finding the pictures missing, I can only apologise, but during a fairly major "repair" job by photobucket to their/my system, I lost many pictures and as the thread is locked I cannot replace them. Mods, is there a way of temporarily unlocking the thread for the pictures to be replaced? I think I can find most of them and as many seem to find the thread useful it would be helpful for them to have pictures too. Any thoughts?

So the "jocking" process is simply used to make it a better fit? I have seen many a balmoral at Highland games and they look like a lot of the pictures I've seen around here, especially ones of Tobus. They all seem to lean over the right ear quite a bit and resemble a beret. Is this the look I'm shooting for by jocking?

And thanks for that wonderful thread, reading through it was great and I did thoroughly enjoy it.

**Pleater** · 9th September 12, 06:05 AM

Long long ago in a Kingdom not so far away - in order to make jobs, there was a statute brought out which made the general population wear caps, made of wool and 'fulled and thicked' in England, or pay a fine.

The term 'statute cap' appears in Shakespeare's plays, and the various methods of producing knitted hats, and then of inducing a degree of felting have come down through generations - fulling is not usually needed these days as wool is scoured before spinning so it is clean enough.

It is perhaps indicative of what the general population thought of the statute cap that they seem to have taken a new one and dunked in into the nearest water source, threw/kicked and mangled it somewhat, rinsed it off, probably wrung it out rather forcefully and then shaped it into whatever contortion furthest from a flat pancake they could contrive before wearing it at the furthest angle from the horizontal for it to still stick to their heads, in order to avoid the fine.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

**Pleater** · 8th September 12, 04:03 PM

Less romantically, dunking the bonnet under a tap then beating it against the side of the sink a few times, then stamping on it whilst it is folded in a towel will do much the same job.

Retrieve it, pull it into shape and wear it until dry and the wool will have adapted to the shape of your head and your way of wearing it.

The process should make the bonnet slightly smaller, less floppy and your very own.

Anne the Pleater :ootd: