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bobkeenan

bobkeenan

Familiar Face
Messages
67
Location
Portland, OR
I just used the last of my hat funds (sold one of my Big Canon Lenses) to buy a custom fedora from Vintage Silhouettes. The conformenator or whatever you call it is on its way. But here is the question or series of questions. I am struggling on hat style. And it occurred to me... What are the pros and Cons buying a hat with Open or Closed Crowns. It seems to me that I can get an open crown and then I can have any crown I care to shape. I have a steamer and hat block and have changed the shape of some of the hats that I have already. But is there any disadvantage to an an open crown. Also if I get an open Crown Do I have to specify height and shape of it. If there are a few different final shapes that I may like to try is there one open crown that can be used for all of them or are there limits to what you can make. I will have the same discussion with the VS people when I pick a shape but I would love to hear peoples thoughts from here. Thanks.
 
moontheloon

moontheloon

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,592
Location
NJ
bobkeenan said:
I just used the last of my hat funds (sold one of my Big Canon Lenses) to buy a custom fedora from Vintage Silhouettes. The conformenator or whatever you call it is on its way. But here is the question or series of questions. I am struggling on hat style. And it occurred to me... What are the pros and Cons buying a hat with Open or Closed Crowns. It seems to me that I can get an open crown and then I can have any crown I care to shape. I have a steamer and hat block and have changed the shape of some of the hats that I have already. But is there any disadvantage to an an open crown. Also if I get an open Crown Do I have to specify height and shape of it. If there are a few different final shapes that I may like to try is there one open crown that can be used for all of them or are there limits to what you can make. I will have the same discussion with the VS people when I pick a shape but I would love to hear peoples thoughts from here. Thanks.
Click to expand...

the open crown shape will come from the block you choose

I see zero disadvantages to open crown hats and would never consider buying anything but an open crown hat ... I personally hate blocked in creases on fur felt hats ...I think they look awful ... at the same time I hate hand creases that look blocked.

one of the advantages to a higher crown is that you can bring it down to wherever you want and have a nice deep crease or leave it high if you wish ... with a shallow blocked hat you only have so much to work with

then you get in to the taper of the block and that is a whole other can of worms

before spending VS type money on one of Arts amazing creations I highly recommend doing your homework and owning quite a few hats to see what you like and don't like before you order the hat and have your tastes change during the time when your hat is being made

if I remember correctly from reading some of your posts you are pretty new to hat wearing ... I don't think it is a very good idea having a custom hat be one of your first few hats ... new hat wearers tastes always change ... and change quite often before you find your niche
 
bobkeenan

bobkeenan

Familiar Face
Messages
67
Location
Portland, OR
moontheloon said:
the open crown shape will come from the block you choose

I see zero disadvantages to open crown hats and would never consider buying anything but an open crown hat ... I personally hate blocked in creases on fur felt hats ...I think they look awful ... at the same time I hate hand creases that look blocked.

one of the advantages to a higher crown is that you can bring it down to wherever you want and have a nice deep crease or leave it high if you wish ... with a shallow blocked hat you only have so much to work with

then you get in to the taper of the block and that is a whole other can of worms

before spending VS type money on one of Arts amazing creations I highly recommend doing your homework and owning quite a few hats to see what you like and don't like before you order the hat and have your tastes change during the time when your hat is being made

if I remember correctly from reading some of your posts you are pretty new to hat wearing ... I don't think it is a very good idea having a custom hat be one of your first few hats ... new hat wearers tastes always change ... and change quite often before you find your niche
Click to expand...

Good advice thanks. I may pass on the wait-for-a-while philosophy. You are most likely correct but I find that now that I am in my later 60s, waiting makes less sense. And I can always sell the hat, at a loss, but I will get to enjoy the hat Now rather than later. You have convinced me that I want an open crown. I have gathered a bunch of photos of hat styles that I like and plan on showing them to the hatmaker to have him select the crown block that would come closest to allowing me to duplicate the different crown shapes and dents. Of course I will have to talk to them to see if that is a viable approach. Thanks again for the help.
 
gtdean48

gtdean48

Messages
10,524
Location
DnD Ranch, Cherokee County, GA
bobkeenan said:
Good advice thanks. I may pass on the wait-for-a-while philosophy. You are most likely correct but I find that now that I am in my later 60s, waiting makes less sense. And I can always sell the hat, at a loss, but I will get to enjoy the hat Now rather than later. You have convinced me that I want an open crown. I have gathered a bunch of photos of hat styles that I like and plan on showing them to the hatmaker to have him select the crown block that would come closest to allowing me to duplicate the different crown shapes and dents. Of course I will have to talk to them to see if that is a viable approach. Thanks again for the help.
Click to expand...
All my VS's have been open crown as well as any other custom that I buy. Most of the factory ones that I can't get open crown are quickly recreased, only have a few alpine/cattleman creased westerns that are in OEM state. Hand blocking looks so much better IMHO.
 
Eliesti

Eliesti

A-List Customer
Messages
316
gtdean48 said:
All my VS's have been open crown as well as any other custom that I buy. Most of the factory ones that I can't get open crown are quickly recreased, only have a few alpine/cattleman creased westerns that are in OEM state. Hand blocking looks so much better IMHO.
Click to expand...

I agree wholeheartedly that open crown looks better and more unique in the long run and is the way I would go for a custom, especially if your custom is fedora-style. The only time I think factory creases are better is with certain cattleman's creases (I'm not sure if G.Durand does his by hand or not but somehow he gets them absolutely perfect) and with outback and gambler style hats. Factory pork pie/telescope creases also tend to look better (Bob Roberts seems to have perfected one on his BGCD by hand though).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Bob Roberts

Bob Roberts

I'll Lock Up
Messages
11,201
Location
milford ct
Eliesti said:
I agree wholeheartedly that open crown looks better and more unique in the long run and is the way I would go for a custom, especially if your custom is fedora-style. The only time I think factory creases are better is with certain cattleman's creases (I'm not sure if G.Durand does his by hand or not but somehow he gets them absolutely perfect) and with outback and gambler style hats. Factory pork pie/telescope creases also tend to look better (Bob Roberts seems to have perfected one on his BGCD by hand though).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Thx for the mention my Bro. It could b better but the salad bowl helped.
 
Lew Decker

Lew Decker

Familiar Face
Messages
54
Location
exeter, nh
Hope i'm in the right place using the correct protocol:
Question: I have a Biltmore straw fedora bleached white.
I'm thinking of dyeing the brim of this hat.
What would be the best approach - bye the way, i'd like to do this myself.
 
bobkeenan

bobkeenan

Familiar Face
Messages
67
Location
Portland, OR
Going a big trip later this year and planning on bringing a felt rollup and a panama rollup hat. I may want to pack one or both of them. They will be packed for 12hrs. I will have a travel steamer with me to work out kinks. The question is....
1. If I had to chose one to pack.... which one would fair the best?
2. Is the hat better in a travel tube or just in the bag rolled up ( I have a velcro belt I made to hold it together)?
3. I have some mailing tubes or I could get some. The come in 2", 3",4" and 5". The 2" would be too tight. I tried the 3" and it fits but I have to roll it a bit tighter than I would if I put it in my jacket. The 4" and 5" would be better for the hat but take up a lot more room in the suitcase.

Thought?
 
Michael R.

Michael R.

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,889
Location
West Tennessee USA
I'm NO Expert , but from what I've seen loose is best . A roll up , rolled correctly , should be in a bag or coat pocket . But if you need a tube the bigger the better . There are vids on this , but I'm pretty sure there are experts with experience on here that KNOW . I've seen the way some of those Hats look coming out of the caskets , ... not too good , but with proper reshaping they look Great . Alan @alanfgag shows some Borsalinos on the Borsalino Brotherhood Thread (a few months ago) . Others travel extensively for work , and pleasure , definitely with Hats . Sorry I couldn't Help .

I will say , to be honest , I traveled with my Hats years ago , extensively , but it was with work , and not air travel . I had a Hat Saver (no idea what happened to it) , they still sell them , I know . But it wasn't a Crusher , or Rollable Hat .
 
Last edited:
gtdean48

gtdean48

Messages
10,524
Location
DnD Ranch, Cherokee County, GA
bobkeenan said:
Going a big trip later this year and planning on bringing a felt rollup and a panama rollup hat. I may want to pack one or both of them. They will be packed for 12hrs. I will have a travel steamer with me to work out kinks. The question is....
1. If I had to chose one to pack.... which one would fair the best?
2. Is the hat better in a travel tube or just in the bag rolled up ( I have a velcro belt I made to hold it together)?
3. I have some mailing tubes or I could get some. The come in 2", 3",4" and 5". The 2" would be too tight. I tried the 3" and it fits but I have to roll it a bit tighter than I would if I put it in my jacket. The 4" and 5" would be better for the hat but take up a lot more room in the suitcase.

Thought?
Click to expand...
Hat tube from Chrisy's that came with their roll up is 4" in diameter. HTH

Sent from my QTAQZ3 using Tapatalk
 
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