tweedydon
My Mail is Forwarded Here
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Thank you--that's both interesting and helpful! 
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- Thread starter Lefty
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drmaxtejeda
I'll Lock Up
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More Ignacio tips.
He told me that some low-quality black hats "whiten" because they have a sort of black "gum" that becomes discolored and dusty with time. He rubs them with a soft cloth impregnated with industrial alcohol, which disolves the black gum, and then he just pushes the "melted" black gum back into the hat with a piece of polished wood, and the felt looks black again.
Then he told me that my El Presidente hat's felt is bumpy, a sort of low-quality "saldo" felt. It is, I felt it. "Saldo" is difficult to translate, but the best word I can think of is "left over". He told me not to brush it, because Stetson puts a talcum powder (I had read about this in a thread somewhere) so that the hat looks smooth, like make-up. If the felt shows a greasy finger mark it is easier to rub the dirt or grease away with a piece of soft paper when the felt has the talcum powder on.
He sprinkled my El Presidente with a colored talcum powder he colours himself, mixing it with "anilina", a colored powder, and then rubbed into the felt with a piece of paper.
He also said that the leather sweat I like so much in my "El Presidente" is really low quality. He showed me how thin and ugly looking it is on the side that comes in contact with the hat.
Finally, he measured the length of the sweatband which was marked as 7 3/8, and showed me how it was really 60 cms., not 59.
That is why the hat felt so loose.
Then he reblocked the hat, trimmed the sweatband, put it on the conformer, and voila, my El Presidente fits perfectly now.
I am really disenchanted with the quality of a hat that cost me $1000 dollars, but it now fits very well.
Heck, they could have kept the silver and gold buckle, and given me a good quality felt and sweatband instead.
Now I understand why Anthony @moontheloon says modern Stetson felts are bad, although the new New York LE felt is better.
Sent from my LG-H870 using Tapatalk
He told me that some low-quality black hats "whiten" because they have a sort of black "gum" that becomes discolored and dusty with time. He rubs them with a soft cloth impregnated with industrial alcohol, which disolves the black gum, and then he just pushes the "melted" black gum back into the hat with a piece of polished wood, and the felt looks black again.
Then he told me that my El Presidente hat's felt is bumpy, a sort of low-quality "saldo" felt. It is, I felt it. "Saldo" is difficult to translate, but the best word I can think of is "left over". He told me not to brush it, because Stetson puts a talcum powder (I had read about this in a thread somewhere) so that the hat looks smooth, like make-up. If the felt shows a greasy finger mark it is easier to rub the dirt or grease away with a piece of soft paper when the felt has the talcum powder on.
He sprinkled my El Presidente with a colored talcum powder he colours himself, mixing it with "anilina", a colored powder, and then rubbed into the felt with a piece of paper.
He also said that the leather sweat I like so much in my "El Presidente" is really low quality. He showed me how thin and ugly looking it is on the side that comes in contact with the hat.
Finally, he measured the length of the sweatband which was marked as 7 3/8, and showed me how it was really 60 cms., not 59.
That is why the hat felt so loose.
Then he reblocked the hat, trimmed the sweatband, put it on the conformer, and voila, my El Presidente fits perfectly now.
I am really disenchanted with the quality of a hat that cost me $1000 dollars, but it now fits very well.
Heck, they could have kept the silver and gold buckle, and given me a good quality felt and sweatband instead.
Now I understand why Anthony @moontheloon says modern Stetson felts are bad, although the new New York LE felt is better.
Sent from my LG-H870 using Tapatalk
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It's been that way for me since I started using it a couple years ago.
Sent directly from my mind to yours.
OliverTwist
New in Town
- Messages
- 49
- Location
- San Francisco, CA
Does anyone know where I might be able to source vintage hat ribbons?
I picked up a Stetson Madrigal straw porkpie from Meyer the Hatter in NOLA last week but I really hate the 90s looking faux-madras band and would like to replace it w/ a vintage cotton madras or similar band. I picked up a nice c.'40s green and yellow striped ribbon on Etsy a few weeks ago but it's a bit too narrow for this porkpie and wouldn't look right doubled due to the striped pattern.
On a similar note, does anyone have suggestions for vintage hat models in a the same shape and fit as this Stetson? I'd love to upgrade to a better made hat but I'm hesitant to use eBay as I really prefer to see how I look in a hat before pulling the trigger. I've bought a few mid century coconut hats online in the past and none have really worked out. Do you have recommendations for specific models w/ very similar proportions (brim/crown/etc) as this cheapo Stetson?
Thanks!
I picked up a Stetson Madrigal straw porkpie from Meyer the Hatter in NOLA last week but I really hate the 90s looking faux-madras band and would like to replace it w/ a vintage cotton madras or similar band. I picked up a nice c.'40s green and yellow striped ribbon on Etsy a few weeks ago but it's a bit too narrow for this porkpie and wouldn't look right doubled due to the striped pattern.
On a similar note, does anyone have suggestions for vintage hat models in a the same shape and fit as this Stetson? I'd love to upgrade to a better made hat but I'm hesitant to use eBay as I really prefer to see how I look in a hat before pulling the trigger. I've bought a few mid century coconut hats online in the past and none have really worked out. Do you have recommendations for specific models w/ very similar proportions (brim/crown/etc) as this cheapo Stetson?
Thanks!
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drmaxtejeda
I'll Lock Up
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I see it in several posts from others, but not in my own. I don't know if others see them doubled, though.
I have noticed that if I download a picture from the net , copy it to a picture gallery folder in my cell, and then upload that copy to a post in the lounge, the duplicate pic will be positioned sideways in the thread.
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Tukwila
My Mail is Forwarded Here
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@OliverTwist
Maybe check with some hatters and see if they'll sell you a little, or even send it in to have a new ribbon put on.
Maybe check with some hatters and see if they'll sell you a little, or even send it in to have a new ribbon put on.
- Messages
- 19,001
- Location
- Central California
Etsy and eBay offer them, but you have to know your ribbon to be sure you’re getting what you really want. Hatters Supply House offers ribbon but cheap it is not.
https://hatterssupplyhouse.com
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- 19,001
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I don’t know, but have you looked here?
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/dating-vintage-stetsons-by-liner-a-field-guide.32679/
I don’t know that it’s in there, but ???
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Roadopen
One of the Regulars
- Messages
- 215
- Location
- Hollywood North b/w 7 - 7 1/8
Hi Gent's,
Is there a Stetson Royal De Luxe that was made in the 50's or so without a liner but have the light tan/brown leather sweatband with the company logo markings on the left and on the right of the band say's Royal De Luxe on the top line and bottom line of it on the sweatband says STETSON.
No liner whatsoever. Not sure if it was removed or came that way.
Thanks,
Roadopen
Is there a Stetson Royal De Luxe that was made in the 50's or so without a liner but have the light tan/brown leather sweatband with the company logo markings on the left and on the right of the band say's Royal De Luxe on the top line and bottom line of it on the sweatband says STETSON.
No liner whatsoever. Not sure if it was removed or came that way.
Thanks,
Roadopen
Antinomy
Familiar Face
- Messages
- 52
Dear friends, can you tell me and show on some photo how you stitching your sweatband if he doesnt have wide place for stitching?
Hi,
First time poster (middle time lurker for research). I just bought a stetson off Ebay. I'm really liking it, but I'd love to learn more about its history. There are no X's or lot number. The retailer marked it as "Dury," but I can't find anything about that. I'm adding pictures of all the identifying elements (I think).Any ideas?
Also, does anyone have recommendations for cleaning / removing stains on the brim?
First time poster (middle time lurker for research). I just bought a stetson off Ebay. I'm really liking it, but I'd love to learn more about its history. There are no X's or lot number. The retailer marked it as "Dury," but I can't find anything about that. I'm adding pictures of all the identifying elements (I think).Any ideas?
Also, does anyone have recommendations for cleaning / removing stains on the brim?
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scottyrocks
I'll Lock Up
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- 9,178
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- Isle of Langerhan, NY
Try this. I found it invaluable.
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/stitch-awl-tutorial-sweatband-installation.38010/
- Messages
- 19,425
- Location
- Funkytown, USA
1960s, and I think the sweatband has been replaced.
Sent directly from my mind to yours.
- Messages
- 19,001
- Location
- Central California
Good lookin hat. I agree that the sweat looks to be a replacement; doesn’t detract from the hat. There are several threads on cleaning hats, etc. Try the search tool or use Google to search The Fedora Lounge.
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Antinomy
Familiar Face
- Messages
- 52
thank you. I saw this post, but this sweatband have wide place for stitching
scottyrocks
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 9,178
- Location
- Isle of Langerhan, NY
Well, maybe a picture of what you call not a wide place for stitching would be helpful.
Antinomy
Familiar Face
- Messages
- 52
of course, i can send a bit later))Well, maybe a picture of what you call not a wide place for stitching would be helpful.
Roadopen
One of the Regulars
- Messages
- 215
- Location
- Hollywood North b/w 7 - 7 1/8
Quick question Gents!
Does anybody in the know what different shades/number of Grey/Gray coloration Stetson made for the felt hat in the 50's?
I have come across light gray, powder gray, with tinged of blues and greens along with the obvious dark ones.
Thanks!
Roadopen
Does anybody in the know what different shades/number of Grey/Gray coloration Stetson made for the felt hat in the 50's?
I have come across light gray, powder gray, with tinged of blues and greens along with the obvious dark ones.
Thanks!
Roadopen