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[FlyFishing]

When put thru a grommet in the brim the proper way you pull it back up thru the grommets & loop it around the crown like a wind trolley when not in use. A stampede string lays around the ribbon or hatband. Those inside sweat cotter key things are a joke.

That is a great tip! I guess I found the excuse I needed for an Akubra bushman.

 

[belfastboy]

When put thru a grommet in the brim the proper way you pull it back up thru the grommets & loop it around the crown like a wind trolley when not in use. A stampede string lays around the ribbon or hatband. Those inside sweat cotter key things are a joke.

I have never been in a hurricane with mine but so far with just strong winds my stampede string works quite well.

 

[regius]

It is called a 'Stampede String'...most western shops should stock them. Many online sellers as well. They work well, and are removable or you can hide them under the hat. Cheap too!

Looks like some would puncture two holes but some would insert the pin through the stitching of the sweatband. One of my hats has a glued band so I guess this one I’ll have to make two holes...

 

[Hurricane Jack]

I have never been in a hurricane with mine but so far with just strong winds my stampede string works quite well.

I am quite sure many things will work, even bailing wire. The point is cotter pins are not original & you will not find a vintage hat so equiped if you are concerned with originality, or restoration of vintage hats.

 

[Blare]

When I got this older Stratoliner. It was my assumption that the brim had at some point been trimmed to its current 2 inches and that it at some point in its life had a liner. Some discussions in other groups refute that theory.

My question here today isn’t so much what the real story of this hat is... that may never actually be known. But have we seen any early Stratoliner that came with shorter unbound edge. Or any Stratoliner that came with no liner and no branding on the felt.


Follow up question.. original consensus is late 40s to early 50s.... any opinions on age?

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OK I managed to answer part of my Own question when I saw this old unlined Strat today. Seems they used a sticker badge on the felt In this case. So it is possible mine could have been unlined originally and sticker fell off over time. Now leaves the question if there were any Old strats without edge binding.

 

[alanfgag]

OK I managed to answer part of my Own question when I saw this old unlined Strat today. Seems they used a sticker badge on the felt In this case. So it is possible mine could have been unlined originally and sticker fell off over time. Now leaves the question if there were any Old strats without edge binding.

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Hi Joe... I have owned several of the first generation Stratoliners (1941-42). All have a bound brim approximately 2 5/8” wide. Two have embroidered tip patches like the one shown above. One does not. It also has a different sweat stamping which is perhaps the earlier example. All have a retail price below Royal Stetson. I believe yours has definitely had a brim trim and most likely did have a liner at some point in time. It might be from the later 1940s or early 1950s. Had it been unlined originally I think it would have had a silkscreened Royal Stetson crest in the crown, similar to the Premier Quality Stratoliner from the mid 1940s (a guess). There are photos of these earlier hats in the Stratoliner (vintage) and the Hat Comparison threads. I will add a couple of photos here for you in a bit.

 

[Blare]

Hi Joe... I have owned several of the first generation Stratoliners (1941-42). All have a bound brim approximately 2 5/8” wide. Two have embroidered tip patches like the one shown above. One does not. It also has a different sweat stamping which is perhaps the earlier example. All have a retail price below Royal Stetson. I believe yours has definitely had a brim trim and most likely did have a liner at some point in time. It might be from the later 1940s or early 1950s. Had it been unlined originally I think it would have had a silkscreened Royal Stetson crest in the crown, similar to the Premier Quality Stratoliner from the mid 1940s (a guess). There are photos of these earlier hats in the Stratoliner (vintage) and the Hat Comparison threads. I will add a couple of photos here for you in a bit.

Thank you for the assessment Alan. Definitely supporting our original hypothesis. Originally lined... and trimmed brim.

I will say this.. it has very little snap to its brim if any. Now I know the binding is not supposed to effect the actual flange... but it does seem to effect tension... so after being trimmed less tension

 

[alanfgag]

Thank you for the assessment Alan. Definitely supporting our original hypothesis. Originally lined... and trimmed brim.

I will say this.. it has very little snap to its brim if any. Now I know the binding is not supposed to effect the actual flange... but it does seem to effect tension... so after being trimmed less tension

Yes, a deep brim cut will serve to undermine the original flange intention.

Here is a quick summary from a few hats I have owned. At first introduction, the Stratoliner was an unlined lightweight hat. I am not sure which of the three I've owned is the earliest, but all date somewhere around the introduction of the model at the start of WWII. They all have LOTXXXX imprints behind the sweatband:

... are unlined, unreeded and show one of the two early sweatband imprints. Size label, if present, is the gold version.

The block is stamped on either the last of the three panel manufacturing labels or the first of the single panel labels:

The Premier Quality Stratoliner I own is a little later (mid-1940s) and similar in construction but with better/heavier felt and a silkscreened imprint on the crown. The LOTXXXX imprint and gold size tag are no longer present.

Here is a Royal Stetson Stratoliner that I once owned, a decade or so later than the examples posted above. From the soft sweatband with deep imprint, I suspect the Royal you've acquired is earlier than this one.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

OK I managed to answer part of my Own question when I saw this old unlined Strat today. Seems they used a sticker badge on the felt In this case. So it is possible mine could have been unlined originally and sticker fell off over time. Now leaves the question if there were any Old strats without edge binding.

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I don’t “know” anything about the lack of binding, but to me that’s one of the defining elements of a Stratoliner. It’s sort of like the OR in that regard. The short brim looks good on you.

 

[Blare]

Yes, a deep brim cut will serve to undermine the original flange intention.

Here is a quick summary from a few hats I have owned. At first introduction, the Stratoliner was an unlined lightweight hat. I am not sure which of the three I've owned is the earliest, but all date somewhere around the introduction of the model at the start of WWII. They all have LOTXXXX imprints behind the sweatband:

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... are unlined, unreeded and show one of the two early sweatband imprints. Size label, if present, is the gold version.

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The block is stamped on either the last of the three panel manufacturing labels or the first of the single panel labels:

View attachment 255714 View attachment 255715
The Premier Quality Stratoliner I own is a little later (mid-1940s) and similar in construction but with better/heavier felt and a silkscreened imprint on the crown. The LOTXXXX imprint and gold size tag are no longer present.

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Here is a Royal Stetson Stratoliner that I once owned, a decade or so later than the examples posted above. From the soft sweatband with deep imprint, I suspect the Royal you've acquired is earlier than this one.

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Thank you for the expose Alan. I just double checked the sweat. No LotXXXX. Just a hand written 3X and the same number from reorder tag stamped. Also looks like it was same block as two you have there 122

 

[Blare]

I don’t “know” anything about the lack of binding, but to me that’s one of the defining elements of a Stratoliner. It’s sort of like the OR in that regard. The short brim looks good on you.

Thanks Brent. I agree with you on those elements. After a few had suggested otherwise I was curious to see if any had seen any without binding. Like for example. The elements of the OR as we know... however the original being a wider ribbon.

I def love the way this one looks as is... though it won’t deter me from picking up just the right full brimmed Strat when it comes along.

 

[petef]

Hi
I have a question about a hat type identification. It is from a video (sorry). the link here should take you to the video in question (skip to 5:18). In particular, I would like to know what type of hat the keyboardist is wearing.

(he is in the white suit)

It looks similar to the type Stevie Ray Vaughan used to wear, but I don't really know what that type is called either.

Cheers
Pete

 

[Just A Hat Rack]

Hi
I have a question about a hat type identification. It is from a video (sorry). the link here should take you to the video in question (skip to 5:18). In particular, I would like to know what type of hat the keyboardist is wearing.

(he is in the white suit)

It looks similar to the type Stevie Ray Vaughan used to wear, but I don't really know what that type is called either.

Cheers
Pete

To me it looks like an open crown western.

 

[Stanley Doble]

If I had a photo I wouldn't have to ask what one looked like. Have seen 2 or 3 references in stories written in the 1920s or a bit earlier to a man wearing a Christie hat but no description or helpful context.

 

[Bamaboots]

LOL!

 

[deadlyhandsome]

If I had a photo I wouldn't have to ask what one looked like. Have seen 2 or 3 references in stories written in the 1920s or a bit earlier to a man wearing a Christie hat but no description or helpful context.

How about a photo or link of where they were mentioned? That’s what I was asking for.

It could have been a localized term, and misquote, or??? Some context on where you came across this name would be helpful.

 

[Yahoody]

Looking for a 1950's Stetson or Resistol ad showing a kid with his parents getting a new hat in a Western store? I think I saw it here recently. Anyone have the link? Thanks!

 

[Yahoody]

Found it I got confused. Not unusual my wife says. It wasn't about hats at all! I remember that cover. The moment. The store. Perfect timing.

 

[Lotsahats]

Hey, all, I know I'm not around much anymore. I recently had a brainwave--and maybe you've already thought of this--but I thought I would share. I was driving in Philly when I noticed a fur shop, and I asked if they clean men's fur felt hats. Not only do they clean 'em, they even have hat blocks and flanges. I dunno why I never thought to check with a furrier for local hat services, but I thought I would suggest it: if you don't have a hat shop in town, look for a fur shop!

A

 

[dkstott]

When I post a picture here' from my phone. They get spun 90 degrees after posting.

What am I doing wrong??