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jlee562

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,102
Location
San Francisco, CA
If you can find the beadwork, or can live with beadwork that isn't a 100% exact match, I'd bet Last Best West Hat Co. could replicate a decent facsimile. Knudsen Hats may also be able to do it.
 

Benzadmiral

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,815
Location
The Swamp
Mind if I ask a few questions about the C&K? Was this a new hat, or vintage? I was under the impression that Hatco and their predecessors back through Koracorp never bothered with the Crofut & Knapp brand, as I've never seen any sign of them, so if they were still selling them in '97, I need to know that! Any chance you could post photos? -- Brad
I'll see if I can borrow the digital camera I've used for other photos, then put 'em up on my Photobucket account. I don't know if Meyer's was still selling C & Ks new then -- this might have been an NOS. As I recall, I walked in, said "What's new?" to Mr. Paul, and he scooped this one up from a counter. It sure didn't cost anything like a new Stetson did then (approx. $75-80).

The hat looks more like a vintage to my tutored-by-FL-but-by-no-means-expert eye; the crown is pretty straight and full, which is one of the reasons I've always liked it. There's no liner, either. The C & K logo is applied to the interior of the crown.
 

mooglesrcute

New in Town
Messages
32
Location
utah
If you can find the beadwork, or can live with beadwork that isn't a 100% exact match, I'd bet Last Best West Hat Co. could replicate a decent facsimile. Knudsen Hats may also be able to do it.

thanks for the leads :) do you have any idea how much these fine proprietors usually charge for custom work?
 

Jedwbpm

One Too Many
Messages
1,031
Location
West Coast Florida
So my Roxbury (and Laurel) was delivered today; the Laurel's brim is already exactly as I want it, but the Roxbury's seems less curved, and certainly not as curved as shown on the Stetson website.

products961_big.jpg


There is a wire in the brim to hold the shape, but I'm afraid I'll ruin the hat since I've never ever attempted to shape the brim of a straw. Any idea as to HOW to actually get it to look like that? Do I just keep bending the brim wire or what?

With felt hats, I just held the brim against my body and shaped it to the contour. I don't think that'll work in this instance.

Sorry it has taken some time to get back to you. I agree with GTDean. A little steam and bend the wire a little at a time and it should come out just fine.

Jeff
 

The Wiser Hatter

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,765
Location
Louisville, Ky
johnny-depp-dark-shadows-press-conference.jpg


Call Mike at [URL="http://www.buckaroohatters.com/]Buckaroo Hatters[/URL] he carries hat bands like this all the time plus some real cool silver ones.

shopfile11-500x500.jpg
\
Here is just some of the ones he carries.
 
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bowlerman

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,294
Location
South Dakota
The hat itself looks like an ordinary high crown cowboy hat that probably has a taper when open as well. My Resistol black western easily creases into that exact shape.

As for the bands, you could also try making one yourself-- at least the bone pipe choker style band is pretty easy to do. Your local leather shop or bead shop will probably carry assortments of those beads. I made one with turquoise and buffalo bone, and used real sinew to string them together, and a rather primitive strip of leather to tie it on.

texashatterspanamabowle.jpg


In retrospect, I wish I had used narrower bone pipe beads, but that may be another project for another time.

My wife bought this one for me at our local Native American book/craft store:

034copym.jpg
 
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bowlerman

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,294
Location
South Dakota
Does anyone have any tricks to stretching a raw brim without getting unwanted curves around the circumference?
I'm using a brim flange and a cold clothes iron, with a rag stretched over the flange and basically pulling by hand all around it, but there are still a few waves.
 

jlee562

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,102
Location
San Francisco, CA
thanks for the leads :) do you have any idea how much these fine proprietors usually charge for custom work?

It looks like Last Best West starts out around $300. Knudsen may be able to do it in wool for a bit less - around $150 or so (not including the beadwork). It never hurts to shoot them an email or give them a call for an inquiry. Full disclosure: I've not dealt with either personally, I only know them as having made movie hat replicas and both are well known as western hatters.

Come to think of it, Jaxonbilt is another company that specializes in Westerns:
http://www.jaxonbilthats.com/hatshop.html
 

Doc Mark

Familiar Face
Messages
66
Location
Left Coast
Greetings,

I've been seeking a nice grey Stetson fedora, to go with the others I've recently been buying and wearing, and today, won a Dobbs grey fedora, which has a Stetson liner in it. Did Stetson actually make hats for Dobbs at any time, or did someone just swap out the liner in this hat? I can post photos when it arrives. Or, you can check this link to see what I bought.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/360476594833?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

It would be nice if this hat was made by Stetson, but even if it's actually a Dobbs all the way, I think it should be a nice hat, and should serve my purposes well. Still, I'd like a proper grey Stetson, about the same grey color as the Dobbs I won today, if I can find one, and even better it it's a 7 3/8 LO. Thanks for any ideas or comments you can share. Once I get my hat stable in line with what I want, and after I get back a hat or two I'd like to send to Art Fawcett, I'll take and post photos here. Thanks, again, and God Bless!

Every Good Wish,
Doc
 

jlee562

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,102
Location
San Francisco, CA
Alternatively, it could be a Stetson hat with a Dobbs sweatband. Dobbs and Stetson are both subsidiaries of HatCo. Theoretically it could be a factory second...which might explain the odd hole in the back of the sweatband, as well as it being a Dobbs sweat, but that's completely speculative on my part. I'm no expert on dating Stetsons, but it doesn't strike me as particularly old, as that's a fairly standard blocked crease for a modern hat.
 
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Doc Mark

Familiar Face
Messages
66
Location
Left Coast
Evening, Jared,

Thanks, very much, for your take on this Dobbs mystery fedora. I am hoping it is a felt hat, and not wool, but I guess I'll take what I get, as long as it fits. It won't bother me if this hat is, indeed, a Dobbs, but I'm not too interested in a wool hat. Thanks, again, and God Bless!

Every Good Wish,
Doc
 

DougC

Practically Family
Messages
643
Location
San Antonio
I already sent them a message, but, I thought I'd ask here. When I went to Optimo this summer, I REALLY liked the way they displayed their hats on the back wall. Does anyone know what they used for the coated cable and anchor system? I would love that in my house--albeit, with fewer hats!
 

jlee562

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,102
Location
San Francisco, CA
Auraliano did something similar, but he hasn't been around these parts much as of late, but I'm certain he detailed it in one of the threads around here...
 

Landman

One Too Many
Messages
1,751
Location
San Antonio, TX
I already sent them a message, but, I thought I'd ask here. When I went to Optimo this summer, I REALLY liked the way they displayed their hats on the back wall. Does anyone know what they used for the coated cable and anchor system? I would love that in my house--albeit, with fewer hats!

It's hard to tell from the picture but that looks like 3/8" clear coated cable. You can probably buy it at Home Depot or Lowes back where the chains and ropes are located. I know for sure you can buy it at Tractor Supply Stores.
 

StokerCat

New in Town
Messages
34
Location
Delaware
Hello, boys...

...I'm new to the forum and fairly new to hats in general and could use a little help. I bought a 2nd
hand but never worn black 4X Stetson Boss Of The Plains with a 6-6 1/2" round-top, undented crown and a 4" straight brim, traditional string-ribbon band. I was thinking that it may look good on
me with a Montana/Campaign 4 dent crown but I don't know where I could have that done. It's a great hat in perfect shape and it's a 7 1/2 that fits, albeit loosely. I'm kinda stuck between having it
shaped, leaving it and displaying it as it is since it's such a cool hat or moving it on via eBay to
someone else who will wear it and replacing it with a hat I will wear.


I'm in Delaware and our local western wear shop closed last year and I have no idea who does
crowning and shaping, etc. I recently bought a Head N' Home Honey Stoker from a shop in
Lancaster, PA but they are about an hour away and I don't think they have those services.

Any help is appreciated!
 

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