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[Winston Carter]

New or vintage? New and cheap would be the Stetson outlet in Garland, or it's sister site in St. Joseph, MO. Not certain about Akubra, as the only raw edge OC by them I know of is the "Fedora."

Vintage? The usual suspects.


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That's what I like about Hatco. Most of their seconds have beautiful wide ribbons that they don't advertise for public. If they do have a skinny ribbon and you want a custom ribbon they will also install one. I'm not a fan of the skinny factory ribbons.

 

[Winston Carter]

Thanks for all the great ideas....I am looking for new, I didn't consider used because ....well....how would you know how clean hat is? Then, once you have it , how would you clean it well enough to want someone else's hat on your head? I like the idea of converting a western, how well can you get cattleman crease out?

If you want a custom crease in a western start with an open crown it is much easier. I bought this Stetson Amish B because it had an open crown and 3 1/4" edged brim, and 1" ribbon band like I wanted. Then I creased the crown and brim like I wanted. I like to customize to my taste.

Before

After

 

[Winston Carter]

As far as open crown with no ribbon or binding just take the factory ribbon off and buy a raw edge. Stetson comes in a variety of colors and brim sizes with open crown fedora and western style.

 

[scottyrocks]

I'm having a granite hat with burgundy ribbon made. It will be a diamond crown, 4 1/2 inches at crease top and 2 1/4 brim. My first inclination is to go with a 1 5/8 ribbon but am wondering about a wider ribbon. I dont want it to be too ostentatious. Any opinions? Any pics of a hat with same crown height and wider ribbon?

I love wide ribbons, and 1 1/2" is my minimum. My newest hat is dimensionally similar to the one in question here and it has a 2" ribbon, which I think looks terrific.

I will say, however, that my hat and its ribbon are the same color, so that will have a different, less dramatic, effect than the color combo you are considering.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Thanks for all the great ideas....I am looking for new, I didn't consider used because ....well....how would you know how clean hat is? Then, once you have it , how would you clean it well enough to want someone else's hat on your head? I like the idea of converting a western, how well can you get cattleman crease out?

I get the revulsion at the idea of wearing someone else’s vintage hat. Wether you freeze them, spray with Lysol, or dunk in Naptha most of us do something to ensure any critters in the old hats are gone. If the felt is just dirty a good brushing and steam work wonders. There are several threads here on how to deal with stains etc., but many of these 60+ year old hats will show some age and some wear no matter what. Just part and parcel to vintage anything.

There are several ways to trim the brim on a hat, I like a rounding jack. There are threads here on that too.

As for removing factory pressed in creases, time and steam are what you need. Remove the liner, mist the outside of the hat with distilled water (the hat should already be as clean as possible), steam the hat (exterior). Push the crease out from the inside. Steam some more, and work more of the crease out. Repeat until you are satisfied. If you have a block that is great, but not required. I recently acquired a steel heated block that allows me to iron the crease out from the inside. The heated steel makes short work of it and removes all traces of the old crease (as long as there isn’t any discoloration to the felt). It’s easier than it might sound. You really can achieve good results with nothing more than a kettle for steam and your fingers to work out the old crease.

Realize that “converted” westerns are still usually thick felt with lots of stiffeners in them. I like them a lot as they are good looking rugged hard wearing hats, but they are not for everyone.

What size are you? There is a next to new Akubra Federation IV in your classifieds for a great price.


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[Winston Carter]

I get the revulsion at the idea of wearing someone else’s vintage hat. Wether you freeze them, spray with Lysol, or dunk in Naptha most of us do something to ensure any critters in the old hats are gone. If the felt is just dirty a good brushing and steam work wonders. There are several threads here on how to deal with stains etc., but many of these 60+ year old hats will show some age and some wear no matter what. Just part and parcel to vintage anything.

There are several ways to trim the brim on a hat, I like a rounding jack. There are threads here on that too.

As for removing factory pressed in creases, time and steam are what you need. Remove the liner, mist the outside of the hat with distilled water (the hat should already be as clean as possible), steam the hat (exterior). Push the crease out from the inside. Steam some more, and work more of the crease out. Repeat until you are satisfied. If you have a block that is great, but not required. I recently acquired a steel heated block that allows me to iron the crease out from the inside. The heated steel makes short work of it and removes all traces of the old crease (as long as there isn’t any discoloration to the felt). It’s easier than it might sound. You really can achieve good results with nothing more than a kettle for steam and your fingers to work out the old crease.

Realize that “converted” westerns are still usually thick felt with lots of stiffeners in them. I like them a lot as they are good looking rugged hard wearing hats, but they are not for everyone.

What size are you? There is a next to new Akubra Federation IV in your classifieds for a great price.


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I'm an oddity here at the lounge. I don't care for used hats. I would rather start with new ones. I have thrown away plenty of old hats over the last 45 years. Never thought anyone would pay good money for them.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I'm an oddity here at the lounge. I don't care for used hats. I would rather start with new ones. I have thrown away plenty of old hats over the last 45 years. Never thought anyone would pay good money for them.

If the current hats were even close to the same quality as vintage hats I’d rather have new too. I enyoy my new hats, but quality felt from 70+ years ago is in a whole different league.

 

[drmaxtejeda]

Anyone else having trouble with Tapatalk app today?

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[Desert dog]

Anyone else having trouble with Tapatalk app today?

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Yes.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Anyone else having trouble with Tapatalk app today?

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Not me. Which is strange because if something is going to go wrong....


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[Obi1]

I have searched through this site for a few months but have not found a few of the answers I am looking for. If this is the wrong place or format I apologize.
I would like to get into hat making and have converted one hat thus far. I have been trying to find body sources and currently Winchester is not taking new customers. I waited 6 months and now they are telling me hopefully the begining of 2019. I have searched fepsa and found the site a bit difficult to understand. In mens they had nothing but medium bodies, and I could not tell what the actual difference was in the millinery bodies, but liked those colors more. They had a few xls and I think that's what I want to make a 7 3/8 but do not want to order the wrong thing. Could anyone with any experience help me out here, point me to an answer, or tell me where I should be asking this question?
Thanks,

 

[drmaxtejeda]

Yes.

I am not getting any notifications for new posts. How about you, DD?

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[hatsRme]

I have searched through this site for a few months but have not found a few of the answers I am looking for. If this is the wrong place or format I apologize.
I would like to get into hat making and have converted one hat thus far. I have been trying to find body sources and currently Winchester is not taking new customers. I waited 6 months and now they are telling me hopefully the begining of 2019. I have searched fepsa and found the site a bit difficult to understand. In mens they had nothing but medium bodies, and I could not tell what the actual difference was in the millinery bodies, but liked those colors more. They had a few xls and I think that's what I want to make a 7 3/8 but do not want to order the wrong thing. Could anyone with any experience help me out here, point me to an answer, or tell me where I should be asking this question?
Thanks,

Tonak, perhaps?

 

[Obi1]

Tonak, perhaps?

Unless I was looking at the wrong site. It was a .cz site. Then Tonak seemed even more confusing. All I saw were premade hats and some prints for women's hat bodies, but nothing at all like what people have previously mentioned.

 

[hatsRme]

Unless I was looking at the wrong site. It was a .cz site. Then Tonak seemed even more confusing. All I saw were premade hats and some prints for women's hat bodies, but nothing at all like what people have previously mentioned.

I thought they mention hat blanks somewhere in a list on the site. I have no experience with them.

 

[Obi1]

Unless I was looking at the wrong site. It was a .cz site. Then Tonak seemed even more confusing. All I saw were premade hats and some prints for women's hat bodies, but nothing at all like what people have previously mentioned.

The English version seemed like it didn't have all the links when it came to bodies. It would always link me to the foreign language section.

 

[jlee562]

The English version seemed like it didn't have all the links when it came to bodies. It would always link me to the foreign language section.

Did you see the link for "hatbodies" at the bottom right?

https://www.tonak.cz/hatbodies-en/?search=offset:0|articlesCount:0

 

[Desert dog]

I am not getting any notifications for new posts. How about you, DD?

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No notifications here.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I have searched through this site for a few months but have not found a few of the answers I am looking for. If this is the wrong place or format I apologize.
I would like to get into hat making and have converted one hat thus far. I have been trying to find body sources and currently Winchester is not taking new customers. I waited 6 months and now they are telling me hopefully the begining of 2019. I have searched fepsa and found the site a bit difficult to understand. In mens they had nothing but medium bodies, and I could not tell what the actual difference was in the millinery bodies, but liked those colors more. They had a few xls and I think that's what I want to make a 7 3/8 but do not want to order the wrong thing. Could anyone with any experience help me out here, point me to an answer, or tell me where I should be asking this question?
Thanks,

If you go on Etsy you’ll find Agnoulita sells Tonak felts bodies, cones, etc. he has them in suede/antelope, velour, longhair, standard, etc. The proprietor, Mr. P, speaks perfect English and is easy to work with, but be aware that he sometimes takes several days to answer his emails. All I’ve ever found are rabbit fur felts (and wool) so if you want beaver or hare or a blend I don’t know that he can help you.

This link will get you started:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/515316...elt&ref=sr_gallery-1-1&organic_search_click=1

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[Just A Hat Rack]

I am not getting any notifications for new posts. How about you, DD?

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No notifications here either.

Ryan
Hat size: 7 1/2