A Comparison...

[deanglen]

Using some software I adjusted color, focus and crop on these two shots, RBH's "the Wildcatter" and his "DGO" and found the effect striking in terms of similar colored hats, but crown and brim variation lending themselves to different moods. Any opinions, preferences or comments would be fine. (I just hope RBH doesn't mind!)

"The Wildcatter"

"DGO"

dean

 

[griffer]

i gotta swing toward the wildcatter.

profiles are similar, but the sharp pinch give the wildcatter a more solid, dare i say 'cutting' look. Also, the lines on the DGO give a droop- the brim and crown seem give the appearance of sloping down from a center high point, whereas the wildcatter has a more squared, horizon level, horizontal lines.

my two cents.

 

[deanglen]

I like "The Wildcatter" better, too. Blast that taper! We need lots of crown to get the right look and it seems only cowboy hats, and/or "vintage" hats have enough of it. Or...you re-block the darn thing, stretch it to the max, an lose about an inch of brim. I don't mind brim droop, I prefer it.

dean

 

[ideaguy]

Incentive for me to get the Western hats out & try to soften them enough to
work with- any advice? they're awfully stiff, even the good ones; fine felt, but
you could hit a baseball past the infield with some of the brims, so no chance
of dreaded "Brim Droop"

 

[John in Covina]

Al-key-haul!

try to soften them enough to work with- any advice? they're awfully stiff, even the good ones; fine felt, but you could hit a baseball past the infield with some of the brims, so no chance of dreaded "Brim Droop"

The stiffener used in hats such as cowboy ones is SHELLAC the same as the furniture kind and shellac gets disolved in alcohol. So a soak and a rinse with maybe wood alcohol (Methyl) or maybe denatured (Ethyl with nasties) could disolve away the shellac leave soft felt behind. Art talked about using a bunch in a 5 gallon bucket. Maybe there's a way to used less. Soak it in a big zip lock bag overnight and rinse some?