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[Crown Royal]

Someone posted this in one of my Facebook groups asking if anyone could identify the manufacturer. He said he bought the hat in Stockholm, Sweden about a year ago.

 

[Vintage Sunburst]

I picked this up for $20 at an antique mall yesterday. There are three removeable cardboard rings inside (I'm assuming this was meant to store multiple hats, correct me if I'm wrong). Does anyone have any idea what decade this is from?

 

[georgie girl]

I picked this up for $20 at an antique mall yesterday. There are three removeable cardboard rings inside (I'm assuming this was meant to store multiple hats, correct me if I'm wrong). Does anyone have any idea what decade this is from?

I don't know what decade it's from but I also have one, just not lucky enough to have anything inside.

 

[The Shoe]

This 10X Stetson Shantung showed up on the local auction site. The big brim appeals for a summer barbecue hat. However, I’ve never done reshaping with a straw hat? How much of a challenge would it be to get this into shape?
As a barbecue hat, the stains are less of an issue, but any advice on cleaning those up would still be appreciated.

 

[Bamaboots]

This 10X Stetson Shantung showed up on the local auction site. The big brim appeals for a summer barbecue hat. However, I’ve never done reshaping with a straw hat? How much of a challenge would it be to get this into shape?
As a barbecue hat, the stains are less of an issue, but any advice on cleaning those up would still be appreciated.

It's typical of those hats to have a wire reinforcement in the brim edge to aid in holding the shape. The brim can be straightened up some and the wrinkles and ripples smoothed with steam but you're at the mercy of the wire in shaping it. Shantung can be cleaned with a damp sponge and a small amount of mild dish soap.

 

[The Shoe]

It's typical of those hats to have a wire reinforcement in the brim edge to aid in holding the shape. The brim can be straightened up some and the wrinkles and ripples smoothed with steam but you're at the mercy of the wire in shaping it. Shantung can be cleaned with a damp sponge and a small amount of mild dish soap.

Thanks, Greg.
Wouldn’t the wire make the brim more obedient, and therefore the reshaping easier? Or (now I think about it) is it difficult to remove the kinks?

 

[Bamaboots]

Thanks, Greg.
Wouldn’t the wire make the brim more obedient, and therefore the reshaping easier? Or (now I think about it) is it difficult to remove the kinks?

You're welcome. I only have experience with a couple of these type hats but a piece of really stiff wire (think guitar string) is welded end to end creating a circle which is then sewn in place around the brim. You can imagine steel under tension in such a fashion. When you move a little here it may cause some movement over there. Also, if the wire has a kink or tight bend, it can be difficult to smooth out. Not sure what sort of shape you would want to create for the hat but getting it back to the shape as it was originally would be difficult. Most of Stetson's shantung Westerns come in a similar shape. That hat probably resembled something close to this in brim shape.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

This 10X Stetson Shantung showed up on the local auction site. The big brim appeals for a summer barbecue hat. However, I’ve never done reshaping with a straw hat? How much of a challenge would it be to get this into shape?
As a barbecue hat, the stains are less of an issue, but any advice on cleaning those up would still be appreciated.

I’ve bought several full size Shantung Westerns from the Outlet as work hats. Shantung is paper straw with a plasticized finish. It holds its shape from the rigidity of the coating & the brim edge (much like a felted edge). I have never had one with a brim wire or wire reed. They are thin & lightweight to wear. Easy to clean but liquids like oil or tree sap will eventually dissolve the plasticized finish & soak into the paper straw.

Because of the plasticized finish steam doesn’t do much good. A small amount of moisture is needed for lubricity with heat to soften the finish when attempting to straighten out dents & bends in the brim. I’ve had better luck with a hair dryer than an iron. By the looks of the hat in your inquiry, unless it’s free I wouldn’t expect much success with it.

 

[The Shoe]

You're welcome. I only have experience with a couple of these type hats but a piece of really stiff wire (think guitar string) is welded end to end creating a circle which is then sewn in place around the brim. You can imagine steel under tension in such a fashion. When you move a little here it may cause some movement over there. Also, if the wire has a kink or tight bend, it can be difficult to smooth out. Not sure what sort of shape you would want to create for the hat but getting it back to the shape as it was originally would be difficult. Most of Stetson's shantung Westerns come in a similar shape. That hat probably resembled something close to this in brim shape.


View attachment 630106

I’ve bought several full size Shantung Westerns from the Outlet as work hats. Shantung is paper straw with a plasticized finish. It holds its shape from the rigidity of the coating & the brim edge (much like a felted edge). I have never had one with a brim wire or wire reed. They are thin & lightweight to wear. Easy to clean but liquids like oil or tree sap will eventually dissolve the plasticized finish & soak into the paper straw.

Because of the plasticized finish steam doesn’t do much good. A small amount of moisture is needed for lubricity with heat to soften the finish when attempting to straighten out dents & bends in the brim. I’ve had better luck with a hair dryer than an iron. By the looks of the hat in your inquiry, unless it’s free I wouldn’t expect much success with it.

View attachment 630105

Thanks, guys.
I think that I’ll pass it up.

 

[belfastboy]

Thanks, Greg.
Wouldn’t the wire make the brim more obedient, and therefore the reshaping easier? Or (now I think about it) is it difficult to remove the kinks?

I have limited experience but with two that I have owned (purchased used) ...the wire seems to have a mind of its own. The wire seems to have a memory and even after much coaxing wants to revert.

 

[Jimmy__patt]

Hello,

Where can I order a new brown wind cord for my Borsalino?

 

[Zombie_61]

Thanks, Greg.
Wouldn’t the wire make the brim more obedient, and therefore the reshaping easier? Or (now I think about it) is it difficult to remove the kinks?

Every hat I've owned that had wire in the brim, regardless of the overall quality, was a tremendous pain-in-the-tuchus as far as shaping and/or maintaining the shape of the brim. Sounds good in theory, but wire in the brim creates more problems than it solves.

 

[M Hatman]

Every hat I've owned that had wire in the brim, regardless of the overall quality, was a tremendous pain-in-the-tuchus as far as shaping and/or maintaining the shape of the brim. Sounds good in theory, but wire in the brim creates more problems than it solves.

YES....I remove them when I can (which is 90% of the time).

 

[DonR]

Is this actually a Longley or a hybrid with a Mirakal sweat?

 

[BobHufford]

Is this actually a Longley or a hybrid with a Mirakal sweat?

Since it says “Longley” all over it (including the sweat) I’d go with that. The Mirakal is the waterproofing.

This may be one of the Beaver Brands.

 

[DonR]

Since it says “Longley” all over it (including the sweat) I’d go with that. The Mirakal is the waterproofing.

View attachment 631432

This may be one of the Beaver Brands.

Thanks Bob. It was the red size tag that threw me the most since it also says Mirakal.

 

[tamz0r]

Ebay seller, or should i say his “dad” (you know the one), shipped this hat in a too small box and as a result the brim is misshapen. would i be able to fix the wonkyness with just steam and my hands? (i dont have any special tools like a flange etc)

as i side note i feel like he shipped it like that on purpose out of spite because after id already paid for the hat he messaged me and tried to upsell me for an actual hat box (rather than a regular usps shipping box) , which i promptly declined and reported to ebay because that just felt scammy.

TIA!

 

[Bill Hughes]

Ebay seller, or should i say his “dad” (you know the one), shipped this hat in a too small box and as a result the brim is misshapen. would i be able to fix the wonkyness with just steam and my hands? (i dont have any special tools like a flange etc)

as i side note i feel like he shipped it like that on purpose out of spite because after id already paid for the hat he messaged me and tried to upsell me for an actual hat box (rather than a regular usps shipping box) , which i promptly declined and reported to ebay because that just felt scammy.

TIA!

View attachment 632046
View attachment 632047

Steam and a good hand will do the trick. When it comes to hats - steam is your friend.

 

[RickP]

Over the past couple of years Ive kinda noticed in my unscientific investigations that American Hat sizing in Stetson, Champ, Towncraft, Knox etc are slightly different than foreign made hats. ( A 7-1/4/ 58 Stetson fits me the same way that a 59 Akubra does. Not having a Borsalino around to compare leaves a knowledge void on the matter but I did look at an older-ish english made hat marked 58 and it was pretty snug. Question is... do the Americans use a slightly different standard than the rest of the world... Are out heads just bigger ? lol

 

[Granville]

Over the past couple of years Ive kinda noticed in my unscientific investigations that American Hat sizing in Stetson, Champ, Towncraft, Knox etc are slightly different than foreign made hats. ( A 7-1/4/ 58 Stetson fits me the same way that a 59 Akubra does. Not having a Borsalino around to compare leaves a knowledge void on the matter but I did look at an older-ish english made hat marked 58 and it was pretty snug. Question is... do the Americans use a slightly different standard than the rest of the world... Are out heads just bigger ? lol

7 1/4 in UK equals 7 3/8 in US (59cm) You can find hat size charts on-line with all the international variations.