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[FrankMc]

I have a long oval shaped head and I bought a Stetson Gus on sale that is a 7 5/8. My head is 24 1/4" (7 3/4) and had the hat stretched and it felt great. I have a Hat Jack that I use too. My Stetson feels good and snug. My question is if it is normal for a red mark from the leather ban to be on my forehead after wearing it?

 

[amillermd]

 

[amillermd]

I hope I posted the pics correctly.

The guy's name is H. Floyd from BaronHats.

Thanks for your help, Lefty.

 

[Lefty]

Good job with the photos, but it's the guts that really provide info. Post photos of the liner and sweat for help with manufacture and dating.

It does appear to have a felted edge, but is in need of renovation. The crown (the part that goes up) looks tapered (a hat starts off as a cone of felt prior to being blocked and, with age, often wants to revert to the cone), the brim (the part that goes out) really needs to be flanged, and the ribbon looks like it needs to be re-sewn.

Here's a pretty good video showing those and other processes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvwHyrpsRcM

Most members here trust Optimo, as well as a few other hatters for such work. Depending upon what this hat turns out to be (based on the additional photos), it might just be easier/cheaper to pick up another vintage hat from ebay/etsy/antique stores/etc.

 

[amillermd]

Thanks, Lefty.

There is no liner any more, nor are there any markings whatsoever on the cloth sweat band. I honestly can't remember where I bought it. I think I may have found it in a retail store either somewhere in South Florida or in Colorado.

I'm much less interested in fixing any problems with this hat as I am in figuring out who manufactures it so that I can buy some others just like it.

Ebay is a great suggestion. Could you help me provide the sort of description / terminology about the hat so that I can appear to know what I'm talking about, and so that someone else can understand what I'm saying? I don't think I know the correct terms. All I know is that the size is medium, the brim is 2 and 1/4 inches, the crown is 4 and 1/4 inches high at its center; but only 3 and 3/4 inches at its back and front, and that the pinch front sort of angles backwards at about 20 degrees.

Thanks.

 

[Brad Bowers]

I don't know, Lefty, I think you were closer when you thought it was a concealed stitch underwelt. Looking at these photos, it looks more like a regular underwelt, as plump as it is. I think I can see stitches on the topside of the brim in the second photo.

Brad

 

[RBH]

Just from the photos, I dont think its all that old either.
I would say Raiders era.

 

[RBH]

I My question is if it is normal for a red mark from the leather ban to be on my forehead after wearing it?

Short answer....no.

The hat stills needs 'jacked' a little to fit correct.

Go to Buckaroo Hatters in Covington and get Rocky to steam it and shape it to your head.

 

[feltfan]

Who has had a hat cleaned and blocked recently? Glad to send a couple to Optimo, but if
there is a better suggestion, please speak up. I need a couple of new sweatbands as well as
cleaning and blocking. I have found Optimo's quality uneven, but good enough. Just wondering
if there is a new, stellar option.

Yeah, I've searched every way I know, but haven't seen a recent response. TIA

 

[Lefty]

I don't know, Lefty, I think you were closer when you thought it was a concealed stitch underwelt. Looking at these photos, it looks more like a regular underwelt, as plump as it is. I think I can see stitches on the topside of the brim in the second photo.

Brad

I'll venture that your monitor, and probably your vision, is better than mine. Having just had lasik yesterday, that brown thing on the screen might be a turkey for all I know.

Dr. Miller, I defer to Dr. Bowers.

 

[TPD166]

Stetson 15

I thought we had a "Dating your hat" forum, but could not locate it today - so I am here for second (or 3rd, 4th, 5th . . . ) opinion as the approximate age of the Stetson I picked up yesterday.

Below is my “new” Stetson Fifteen 3X western I got at an antique shop (sorry for the poor camera phone pictures - only camera I have with me right now). Appears unworn and the box is likely original to the hat. Liner is embroidered with protector over the “Last Drop” logo. Based on TFL research, I am guessing late ‘40s to early ‘50s? Although the sweat reads “Joseph’s Man’s Shop,” all on-line articles about the store indicate it was “Joseph's Men’s Shop” – a business “famous for selling Stetson,” in operation in Austin from 1890-1999 (so not much help there). I have looked at TFL's Stetson liner, logo, etc. dating threads - just looking for another opinion from the more knowledgable!

 

[TPD166]

I have had nothing but great luck with only two places I've used (and have used both many times) - Texas Hatters in Lockhart, TX (http://texashatters.com) and Paris Hatters in San Antonio, TX (http://parishatters.com). Excellent work and great prices.

Who has had a hat cleaned and blocked recently? Glad to send a couple to Optimo, but if
there is a better suggestion, please speak up. I need a couple of new sweatbands as well as
cleaning and blocking. I have found Optimo's quality uneven, but good enough. Just wondering
if there is a new, stellar option.

Yeah, I've searched every way I know, but haven't seen a recent response. TIA

 

[carouselvic]

mid 1950's

 

[amillermd]

Hope your surgery went well. My brother had the same proceedure.

 

[Lefty]

Thanks. Aside from a little short-term discomfort (it feels like I've had my eyes open in a chlorinated pool for a little too long), it's amazingly simple. To me, it's strange that eye surgery involves less pain than a teeth cleaning.

 

[amillermd]

Hi Mr. Bowers,

Do you happen to know if my hat corresponds to any named "style" or "model?"

I haven't yet given up on finding a duplicate, or at least something very similar. I'm even willing to look on Ebay as per Leftie's suggestion, but I don't know exactly what to search for because I'm "fedora lingo-deficient."

All I know (as I posted to Leftie) is that the brim is 2 and 1/4 inches; that the height of the crown is 4 and 1/4 inches as its center, but only 3 and 3/4 inches at the back and in the front, and that the pinch crown front angles backwards slightly (as opposed to being vertical).

Any descriptive terms you could help me with would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Alan Miller

 

[jlee562]

Cloth sweatband? Is it a wool felt hat?

There are literally hundreds of hat "models," most of which have simply been lost to time. Period Stetson ads indidcate that they were makng upwards of 200 different hats during their heydey.

 

[bond]

Great find Robert ! How's the felt on that Fifteen?

 

[TPD166]

Thanks! The felt is incredibly soft - comparable to, but less finished and maybe softer, than a later Stetson OR 7X I used to have.

Great find Robert ! How's the felt on that Fifteen?

 

[Pinkcoke]

Hi guys,
More out of curiosity than anything else, does anyone know when the British Hatters & Trimmers Union label changed to the smaller size of 26mm long? I have a c.1950's hat I didn't notice until today has one inside. Interestingly it is glued to the felt, not the leather band as I've read elsewhere. The actual design doesn't appear to change between the 1880's-1980's, but I thought knowing when the size changed might at least give me one date to use in the future.