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[deadlyhandsome]

Ah thank you, I tried to get there myself and I keep getting an error. It looks like it will be going up on ebay later now anyway since the only guy I know who would wear it is my uncle, and he's doesn't want it because he said he's happy with the 2nd hat I bought that day for it's box, an Adam Hat Fedora of the same era, another thing they tossed in the "nobody wants this garbage lot". I had no idea that estate agency and I were in such a fierce race to see who knew less about what they were doing that day.

II I call this a "1930s Stetson Fedora 7 1/8 Optimo Panama Hat" that's accurate right? And I apologize I'm not asking for anyone here to do my work, now that I know a bit more I feel should make sure I don't insult anyone by trying to sell it as a mediocre sedan with a really nice Hat Box restoration project.

It’s hard to accurately assess the condition just through photos. Is the leather sweatband soft and reasonably supple? Are any of the straw fibers broken or creased/bent?

The actual definition of a fedora is a soft felted hat so all straw hats are precluded, but I think you should keep “fedora” in the description. As to the age, I usually just say “vintage” if I’m not sure, but on something like this I would probably say “my best guess is 1930s or 1940s.” For the title you would be safe saying vintage or very old.

The vintage Panama hat market is hard to understand. They originally sold (typically) for a lot less than their felt contemporaries. They also get damaged easier and fewer of them have survived. Size also makes a huge difference on value with the smaller sizes typically selling for a lot less. At 7 1/8 you’re in the middle: not the big money sizes but not the very small sizes either. The market will tell you what it’s worth and if it doesn’t sell after a couple weeks you can lower the price.

Good luck!

 

[1967Cougar390]

I have a small thing that bothers me about my thin ribbon hats, the twisted ribbon. It happens as a result of me hanging my hats when they are not being worn. Is there anything I can do to stop the twisting? I can’t store my hats flat because they would take up to much space; if I did store them flat, my wife would most likely say something about me having to many hats. Any ideas on getting my ribbons to lay flat? Below is a picture of the ribbon on my Gannon inspired LBJ/OR. It shows the twist that I’m talking about.

Have a safe and blessed day.
Steven

 

[Robieman]

I have a small thing that bothers me about my thin ribbon hats, the twisted ribbon. It happens as a result of me hanging my hats when they are not being worn. Is there anything I can do to stop the twisting? I can’t store my hats flat because they would take up to much space; if I did store them flat, my wife would most likely say something about me having to many hats. Any ideas on getting my ribbons to lay flat? Below is a picture of the ribbon on my Gannon inspired LBJ/OR. It shows the twist that I’m talking about.

View attachment 435389

Have a safe and blessed day.
Steven

I hang mine from the side, ribbon up.

 

[1967Cougar390]

I hang mine from the side, ribbon up.

Thank you. That is a pretty simple solution. I will give it a try.
Steven

 

[Hurricane Jack]

I have a small thing that bothers me about my thin ribbon hats, the twisted ribbon. It happens as a result of me hanging my hats when they are not being worn. Is there anything I can do to stop the twisting? I can’t store my hats flat because they would take up to much space; if I did store them flat, my wife would most likely say something about me having to many hats. Any ideas on getting my ribbons to lay flat? Below is a picture of the ribbon on my Gannon inspired LBJ/OR. It shows the twist that I’m talking about.

View attachment 435389

Have a safe and blessed day.
Steven

You can usually get them to lay by wetting the pads of your thumb & index finger, & pulling the ribbon tails out a couple times just before wearing the hat. It doesn’t take a lot of water & the tails don’t show being wet.

 

[Bamaboots]

You can usually get them to lay by wetting the pads of your thumb & index finger, & pulling the ribbon tails out a couple times just before wearing the hat. It doesn’t take a lot of water & the tails don’t show being wet.

Yep. I've also steamed mine by breathing on them a couple of times and laying them flat

 

[M Hatman]

Did not know where to post these but....

 

[The Shadow Knows]

Hello everyone! I'm quite new here, so please bear with me if I'm a little out of the loop.
What I'd like to know is, if anyone can tell me why my Resistol straw hat uses stars instead of the typical "X" rating system, and perhaps put an approximate age on it.
I picked it up at a resale shop on the cheap as something of a work hat. It was pretty beaten up when I bought it, and I have put it through the wringer since.

 

[belfastboy]

The XXX's in a hat subjectively refer to the beaver fur content. The more XXX's denotes more beaver fur content although there is NO industry standard as to what it actually means.....marketing more than anything. But as your hat is straw/shantung neither X's or *'s have any meaning.

 

[M Hatman]

Hello everyone! I'm quite new here, so please bear with me if I'm a little out of the loop.
What I'd like to know is, if anyone can tell me why my Resistol straw hat uses stars instead of the typical "X" rating system, and perhaps put an approximate age on it.
I picked it up at a resale shop on the cheap as something of a work hat. It was pretty beaten up when I bought it, and I have put it through the wringer since. View attachment 437191 View attachment 437192 View attachment 437193 View attachment 437194 View attachment 437195 View attachment 437196

Tag has a revision date of 1983 so no older and before they put bar codes on them..............which I think was mid 90's (maybe a little earlier for bar codes or later???or......)??

 

[KILO NOVEMBER]

Last month I moved. Two of my hats (a Northwest Hat Co. 1902 and a homburg of unknown provenance) were packed carelessly and arrived here in Sarasota in need of reblocking. Does anyone know of a place on the Gulf coast of Florida where I can have this done?

 

[M Hatman]

So, to directly put it out there.....does any one have a good idea when HatCo (ie Stetson, Resistol ect) started using in house and/or UPC barcodes?



I tried looking around here but to no avail......it seems that many products adopted them from 1995 or so......after RFID became more redily available at a lower cost.


It apears the grocery industry was the first to give it a go with the Wrigly chewwing gum itroducing an early UPC barcode in 1974.....

I know the Whisky industry was using them by 1990 or so....

Would be curous just when they were introduced for our hats......

 

[Edward]

https://www.bufote.com/collections/straw-fedora

Anyone used this site? The Stratoliners look nice, especially in the flash sale. Don't mind if they're not 'real' Stetsons, might even take a punt furing the sale with paypal protection, but no substitute for a first-hand recommendation...

 

[Edward]

https://www.bufote.com/collections/straw-fedora

Anyone used this site? The Stratoliners look nice, especially in the flash sale. Don't mind if they're not 'real' Stetsons, might even take a punt furing the sale with paypal protection, but no substitute for a first-hand recommendation...

Trustpilot considers this one a scammer, so giving it a miss!

https://www.scamdoc.com/view/984225

 

[Bamaboots]

Trustpilot considers this one a scammer, so giving it a miss!

I've seen 'premium' products show up like this at eye-catching prices in identical formats from knives to RRL.

 

[Edward]

I've seen 'premium' products show up like this at eye-catching prices in identical formats from knives to RRL.

Unfortunately, it does seem to be becoming more common. The price seems almost always to be the giveaway. The actual Stetson hemp Stratoliners seem to be on average about +/-USD80 more per unit in the UK than the US, but when I realised that site was claiming to offer one in each of all six colours for the US price of one.... Alarm bells.

I'm guessing hemp in a milano weave is much more expensive to produce than toyo paper straw, which is why it seems only to be available in more expensive options? Nice to see it there at all, though. I've taken to milano weaves and alternative materials to natural straw after finding panamas to be a bit more fragile than I tended to prefer... It's nice to see Stetson doing a 'regular fedora' shape in them rather than a distinctly different 'straw hat' shape, if that makes any sort of sense. Keeping my eye out for a sale. I do like a variation in colours in a straw, always nice to have options that way in Summer when it's too blasted hot for felt.

 

[Bill Hughes]

I have wanted a safari hat form since I saw one on Brent Blacks site.

But there was no way I would be willing to pay $400. So I had a local wood worker do this for $50.

Not as pretty but 1/8 the cost. The question I have is what do I coat it with? What is used on hat blocks? I'll post more pictures when I receive it which should be next week.

 

[belfastboy]

I have wanted a safari hat form since I saw one on Brent Blacks site.

View attachment 439272 View attachment 439275

But there was no way I would be willing to pay $400. So I had a local wood worker do this for $50.

View attachment 439276 View attachment 439277

Not as pretty but 1/8 the cost. The question I have is what do I coat it with? What is used on hat blocks? I'll post more pictures when I receive it which should be next week.

I too was going to buy one but I am cheap. My ex boss is a hobbyist woodworker and he made me one for free! It is called a "Belly Board" according to Art. Simple but it works!!! Tim @purebeaver recommends using Helmsman product to coat. It is an oil based coating. I use Diamondcoat from Varathane. It is a water based and I just used it so can't give a report on its longevity.

 

[dkstott]

I wasn't sure where this should go. Jeff Dyer, Former General Manager at Delmonico Hatter & Stetson Sales rep is now with a company called "fashionable Hats" located in Largo, Florida. I think he was also a member of the lounge in the past

Several of his hat videos are popping up in my YouTube searches.

 

[Frunobulax]

I wasn't sure where this should go. Jeff Dyer, Former General Manager at Delmonico Hatter & Stetson Sales rep is now with a company called "fashionable Hats" located in Largo, Florida. I think he was also a member of the lounge in the past

Several of his hat videos are popping up in my YouTube searches.

Thanks and yes, he was around here for a while. His username escapes me, but we miss his input.