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[Snowman]

When measuring brim width, do most of you measure the top side from the ribbon to the edge, or do you measure the bottom from edge to edge? I have noticed that when I look at some of my brims, I think “that really can’t be right” and I get as much an 1/8“ difference when comparing top and bottom measurements. (I use a flexible cloth tape to measure, by the way, so I can get the contour right).

 

[belfastboy]

When measuring brim width, do most of you measure the top side from the ribbon to the edge, or do you measure the bottom from edge to edge? I have noticed that when I look at some of my brims, I think “that really can’t be right” and I get as much an 1/8“ difference when comparing top and bottom measurements. (I use a flexible cloth tape to measure, by the way, so I can get the contour right).

I measure top side, crown ribbon to edge. It seems to be the most accurate.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

When measuring brim width, do most of you measure the top side from the ribbon to the edge, or do you measure the bottom from edge to edge? I have noticed that when I look at some of my brims, I think “that really can’t be right” and I get as much an 1/8“ difference when comparing top and bottom measurements. (I use a flexible cloth tape to measure, by the way, so I can get the contour right).

I do the top side too. As the rounding jack indexes on the crown from the outside, I think the top measurement makes the most sense.

 

[Snowman]

I do the top side too. As the rounding jack indexes on the crown from the outside, I think the top measurement makes the most sense.

I measure top side, crown ribbon to edge. It seems to be the most accurate.

Thank you, gentlemen. That’s how I have been doing it, but for some reason I thought “what if I did it this way?”

 

[belfastboy]

Thank you, gentlemen. That’s how I have been doing it, but for some reason I thought “what if I did it this way?”

I too have played around with it but for me the settling aspect was mass produced hats that have a stated dimension for me the most accurate way of checking was measuring the top side.

 

[glider]

It seems that Stetson now offers 3 Stratoliners, a stratoliner not identified as anything except stratoliner, an ultralite and a pure stratoliner. On their web page there is no mention of a royal deluxe and no X rating on any of them. Of course, we know the pure stratoliner is pure beaver but no idea what the other 2 are. Hell, they may not even be fur felt, I would assume they are but they don't say that. Stetson needs to get there advertising fixed! Does anyone know what they are doing with the stratoliner ?

 

[AndyR]

I can't really say for sure what the felt is, but it looks like the felt on the lightweight does not get finished to the utmost. Just by looking at the picture, the outside of the Lightweight looks a little more like the inside of the Stratoliner I got recently.

Either that or could it possibly be wool? Would it be called wool felt or is that a misnomer? I believe the regular Stratoliner is rabbit fur felt, but it's much smoother than what I see in the picture of the lightweight.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

It seems that Stetson now offers 3 Stratoliners, a stratoliner not identified as anything except stratoliner, an ultralite and a pure stratoliner. On their web page there is no mention of a royal deluxe and no X rating on any of them. Of course, we know the pure stratoliner is pure beaver but no idea what the other 2 are. Hell, they may not even be fur felt, I would assume they are but they don't say that. Stetson needs to get there advertising fixed! Does anyone know what they are doing with the stratoliner ?

The Stratoliner without any designation has the Royal liner so its fur felt…barely It certainly isn’t the Premier/Royal DeLuxe.

The Pure speaks for itself.

The ultralight is supposed to have that textured finish and it’s not a product of not being pounced as finely (I realize you didn’t say it was). I like the finish, but I can see how it could be polarizing. I don’t see any quality designation, but I strongly suspect it’s fur felt…all rabbit along the same line as the Royal? Wool products, including wool blends, are required by law to disclose the wool content. No such law for fur. The lack of wool disclosure makes me think it’s 100% fur felt.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I can't really say for sure what the felt is, but it looks like the felt on the lightweight does not get finished to the utmost. Just by looking at the picture, the outside of the Lightweight looks a little more like the inside of the Stratoliner I got recently.

Either that or could it possibly be wool? Would it be called wool felt or is that a misnomer? I believe the regular Stratoliner is rabbit fur felt, but it's much smoother than what I see in the picture of the lightweight.

You can felt all sorts of fibers. Felting is a process and not a type of fiber…Stetson once felted plastic in with furs (back when plastics were the new super material and not seen as a cheap alternative). In the early part of the 20th century there were some incredible felted wool hats. Europe in particular made some amazing felted wool hats that have no resemblance to modern felted wool hat.

The ultralight is supposed to have that finish. I think it looks good and is a nice break for the ordinary, but I can see how not everyone will feel the same.

 

[belfastboy]

You can felt all sorts of fibers. Felting is a process and not a type of fiber…Stetson once felted plastic in with furs (back when plastics were the new super material and not seen as a cheap alternative). In the early part of the 20th century there were some incredible felted wool hats. Europe in particular made some amazing felted wool hats that have no resemblance to modern felted wool hat.

The ultralight is supposed to have that finish. I think it looks good and is a nice break for the ordinary, but I can see how not everyone will feel the same.

I received an email today from a company in Peru advertising felted Alpaca wool hats. If they offered just the felts and not finished hats I would try one just for the experience.

 

[jlee562]

I like the look of the ultralight as well. Probably because I have a heather grey hat already. Isn't the nap on heathered felts usually left a bit longer? That's been the case with a lot of the ones that I've seen.

 

[MikeinRome]

Both Crofut & Knapp (C&K) and StylePark Templeform made hats called "Aristo Supreme". Does this mean C&K made the StylePark line of hats? If not, seems like someone was infringing on a copyright, etc. Since C&K was bought by Hat Corporation of America in 1932, it's not possible that StylePark could own C&K. Did Stylepark become part of Hatco?

 

[belfastboy]

I like the look of the ultralight as well. Probably because I have a heather grey hat already. Isn't the nap on heathered felts usually left a bit longer? That's been the case with a lot of the ones that I've seen.

I only have had the heathered felts from Tonak and they have been long haired....not a velour but a definite longer haired finis.

 

[AndyR]

You can felt all sorts of fibers. Felting is a process and not a type of fiber…Stetson once felted plastic in with furs (back when plastics were the new super material and not seen as a cheap alternative). In the early part of the 20th century there were some incredible felted wool hats. Europe in particular made some amazing felted wool hats that have no resemblance to modern felted wool hat.

The ultralight is supposed to have that finish. I think it looks good and is a nice break for the ordinary, but I can see how not everyone will feel the same.

Thanks for the education! Great info.

 

[Blare]

Both Crofut & Knapp (C&K) and StylePark Templeform made hats called "Aristo Supreme". Does this mean C&K made the StylePark line of hats or vice versa? If not, seems like someone was infringing on a copyright, etc.

Anything is possible. I do know that Stylepark did indeed at some points have their own factories. I want to say at least Camden, philly and Ct. CAndK did a lot of buying up and consolidating in the mid 30s. A lot of the older big names came under their umbrella. I hadn't heard Stylepark. But it is very possible

 

[glider]

Thanks for the replies! The Ultralite appeals to me , maybe this coming spring, however a Strat needs to be a Royal DeLuxe or a pure and a pure is a bit more than I would be comfortable with. I have a Royal DeLuxe Strat and it is very pliable and actually pretty light.

 

[jlee562]

I just checked the fall 2020 catalog. The ultralight is listed as Royal quality.

 

[skylize]

I received an email today from a company in Peru advertising felted Alpaca wool hats. If they offered just the felts and not finished hats I would try one just for the experience.

Perhaps, you could buy their largest size, with the largest brim on offer, then strip it down and block from scratch?

 

[belfastboy]

Perhaps, you could buy their largest size, with the largest brim on offer, then strip it down and block from scratch?

Too much work and they want over $200 for a hat.....too much money for essentially a wool hat. Too much overall hassle just to satisfy a curiosity.

 

[skylize]

If a hat has a fully-intact logo cap with dirt, grime, or some other build-up behind it, what impact would you predict on resale value to cut it out?

Would the value go up because you can remove the ugliness? Would it go down because of the modification of original parts? Would it matter whether it is oil-skin or plastic? Would it be fully-dependent on how dirty or gross it is, being a positive to remove if it looks disgusting, but a negative is it's just some mild spottiness? Would it depend largely on how "collectible"the hat is? Etc.

As an example specimen, I have a Borsalino (not yet photographed, except for this shot) where the logo melted. A lot of the gold-tone paint liquified and separated. That stuck to the textured plastic cap as a globby mess, easily mistaken for a live growing mold culture, completely hiding the image behind it. Best I can tell the logo seems to still be crisp and clear, just obscured.