BUCKAROO BONANZA! - The Hats that Major Mike Moore Makes

[T Rick]

Oh man! That is gorgeous, reminds me of this dude:

My first thought exactly when seeing NEO's hat above. And I had one (sorta) like it. Back in '71 or '72, I was around 12/13 years old, have seen the movie and loved it. I was at that "age of rebellion". On a family vacation (not sure if this one was Florida or Massachusetts), I picked up a very similar looking hat (cheap wool felt in my case) as a souvenir. Wore that sucker for the better part of a year IIRC (my parents hated it, probably made me like it all the more ). I recall my Uncle trying to show me how it would look creased (think he put in a teardrop, without my permission though- I seem to recall being upset, liked it "open crown").

That a cool pic! If you don't mind my asking, what is this pic from?

You don't know Jack? Yeah, Billy Jack was well before your time. A cult Classic of sorts, the "Hippie" types (I was aspiring to that at point IIRC) were convinced it was the greatest movie of the year, and were shocked when it didn't win major awards. Watching it since, it was really pretty cheesy and camp, but IMO still worth a watch just to see what the times were like (it was fairly representative of a segment of pop culture in that odd time).

 

[Neophyte]

Yesterday morning at Buckaroo Hatters. A real bonanza!

The display up front. My custom hat will closely resemble the leftmost hat in the display, a style the Major calls "Mountain Man."

Straw hats and discount hats up front.

The Wall!

 

[Harry Gooch]

Hi

That's Billy Jack. Two (maybe more) hippy Native American Chopsocky movies. VERY 1970's.

Later

Listen to the song "One Tin Soldier" on YouTube. I believe it's from the first Billy Jack movie.

Harry.

 

[hatophile]

Alex, you need a buckskin fringe jacket to go with that hat! Great pics, BTW.

 

[Joshbru3]

well, here is the hat itself in its preliminary stage (i.e. Sans brim curl and bound edge). In this photo the major is showing me the contrast between the hatband i chose and a black grosgrain ribbon. A beautiful combo against the steel grey felt, but unfortunately is nearly indistinguishable in this picture.

You might be wondering how my custom hat is already near completion. I'll explain the incredible series of events later when i'm off work. It seems that lady luck is on my side, and as such i've decided to call this creation the buckaroo hatters serendipity.

For now, here's the pic. Keep in mind that the crown is not as high as the picture would imply.

Great lookin' hat, Neo!!! :eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap
The Major really did a great job with that one. Are you going to leave it open crown?

 

[T Rick]

Listen to the song "One Tin Soldier" on YouTube. I believe it's from the first Billy Jack movie.

Harry.

Correct, pretty sure it was the theme song for the movie.

 

[1961MJS]

Hey Neo, are you gonna start wearing Levi's jeans and jean jacket with that hat? You need to learn Billy's Jack's Martial Art (which ever one he was big on).

Later

 

[T Rick]

Hey Neo, are you gonna start wearing Levi's jeans and jean jacket with that hat? You need to learn Billy's Jack's Martial Art (which ever one he was big on).

Later

My guess is Tae Kwon Do, though I don't remember if they ever covered that in the movie. It was the most well known of the "generic Karate'" genres of that day IIRC. His character had been a Green Beret.

 

[Neophyte]

According to Wikipedia, Billy Jack practiced Hapkido. Makes sense, as it's a more combat-oriented discipline.

Anywho, I will wear this hat w/ jeans and boots. Anything beyond that, with the possible exception of Hatophile's jacket idea is outside my comfort zone at this moment.

Joshbru, yes, the crown will stay open on this hat. The crown is shorter than that photo would suggest, and is nicely proportioned to the wider brim on this hat.

 

[Rats Riley]

My guess is Tae Kwon Do, though I don't remember if they ever covered that in the movie. It was the most well known of the "generic Karate'" genres of that day IIRC. His character had been a Green Beret.

If I'm right, this came out right around when Bonnie and Clyde came out, also very anti-establishment. But as far as Billy Jack is concerned it has one of the most famous lines as far as tough-guy one liners goes...

"You know what I think I'm gonna do then... just for the hellovit. I'm gonna take this right foot (pointing to his right foot) and I'm gonna wop you on that side of your face (Pointing to the bad guy's right cheek). And you know something...there's not a damn thing you're gonna to be able to do about it."
[video=youtube;v325wdgoFH4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v325wdgoFH4[/video]
Very timeless!

Oh I forgot to add, my mother and aunts knew Tom Laughlin. The grew up in a very working class neighborhood. The kind where everyone knew each other and dads worked at the same factory.

 

[T Rick]

According to Wikipedia, Billy Jack practiced Hapkido. Makes sense, as it's a more combat-oriented discipline

Yes, it does!

 

[bowlerman]

According to Wikipedia, Billy Jack practiced Hapkido. Makes sense, as it's a more combat-oriented discipline.

Anywho, I will wear this hat w/ jeans and boots. Anything beyond that, with the possible exception of Hatophile's jacket idea is outside my comfort zone at this moment.

Joshbru, yes, the crown will stay open on this hat. The crown is shorter than that photo would suggest, and is nicely proportioned to the wider brim on this hat.

very cool. it's true-- the photo of your dark grey hat would suggest that the crown is much higher. exactly how tall is it?

I'm always obsessed with finding the perfect dimensions for this kind of hat (BOP on my holy grail list, etc.). I saw the photos on The Major's website of the boss of the plains and the mountain man, and I can't tell much of a difference other than color. Maybe the mountain man's brim is downturned a little more?

Anyway, Alex, if you were close enough to those two styles to describe the differences, I'd love to hear about them.

Incidentally, I recently made an inquiry with a hatter I've been very pleased with before, and he insisted that the true BOP crown historically had sharp corners. Now I'm extremely confused...

 

[hatophile]

B-man, the first hat approximates what I think is the original crown shape of the BOTP. The second is Stetson's more modern version, similar to that of Billy Jack. I am not sure at what point the crown became more rounded out, but I think the originals had a less pronounced(ie flatter) top to the crown. Some of our Stetson scholars may have more to add. Maybe we should devote a thread to BOTP.

BTW, I also think the originals traditionally had very flat brims. Only over the course of time did the wearers modify the hat with creases and brim shapes.

 

[bowlerman]

Yeah-- I love that first one. Still seems slightly rounded and loafy to me on the corners (though obviously less rounded than the modern one you posted), where some are claiming that the crown sides literally went straight up and broke at a sharp 90 degree angle.

For instance, these bops

from my perception, have a considerably different crown than these bops:

which are to my eye more like the first one you posted, and I like them so much better. Maybe I'm confusing my nomenclature, but whatever those bottom three are, and the yellowish one from your post, those are the breed I want!

 

[RBH]

Very cool photos Alex!
And sweet hat! I loved that one myself as I watched BillyJack at my local theater when I was a kid.
Sorry I missed you but I will get my hat shop fix Friday when I go to spend the weekend at the Majors and help him out a little.

http://www.usabaseballstadium.org/Tough Enough Flyer Ad.pdf

I hope to get a few good photos also.

 

[frussell]

The first Billy Jack movie was "Born Losers," which I remember watching from the backseat of a car at the drive-in. My parents thought it was okay to see a violent movie because my sister and I were asleep, until I started cheering at the bikers getting whooped by Billy Jack. The first one isn't as "hippie" as the last two, and Billy Jack didn't wear his "this open-crowned hat will make me look more Indian" black hat, just a straw western. I remember thinking it was cool because I grew up driving a similar jeep to the one he had in Born Losers. Plus, the girl was really attractive, unlike Tom Laughlin's real spouse in the later two movies. That's enough Billy Jack rambling. Love the B.O.P. style, if the top is flat, it's more of a Spanish Colonial influence in my book, which there was a lot of in early California horse culture. Frank

 

[Rats Riley]

There were two other hats in the box today, too. One was a vintage hat that I had some problems with. I had worn it out one day and gave it a good sweat and then it rained and the hat got a good soak and so did I. When the hat dried out, the sweatband curled up into a tube and got to be as brittle as glass, the hat shrunk at least a full size and the ribbon was stained with who knows what. I sent the hat to Mike and asked him if he could fix it for me. The hat gave him more trouble, and as he pulled it onto a block to restretch it, it tore at the crease between the brim and crown. He had warned me that the felt was old and might be weak and asked me what I wanted to do and I told him to go ahead and do what he could with it. If most people were involved that would be the end of the story and I wouldn't have expected more, but not the Major. Major Moore made me a replacement hat and sent it to me free of charge.

He told me he made this one from an old body he'd had for a while and that I could use it for a fowl weather hat. I don't think so. I think it's way too nice for that. I have other hats that can be fowl weather hats.

How many people would go to that length to take care of a customer? Not many, I say.

Thank you, Major. I'm looking forward to shaking your hand one of these days. And thank you for these hats. I'm going back to the mirror.

You know, I have to agree!

To do something like that for a customer, especially in this day and age of folks screwing each other over just to get what they can... That really says something about a person AND the way they do business.

That's class in my book!

 

[Rats Riley]

2 Moore from Mike on my girls! They were having a great time at his shop and he just gave the hats to them! :eusa_clap

See! Here he goes again!

That's class! I'll bet those girls will have those hats forever and remember who gave them to em.

Something like that makes me want to do business with someone!

Very Sharp!

 

[Rats Riley]

Yeah-- I love that first one. Still seems slightly rounded and loafy to me on the corners (though obviously less rounded than the modern one you posted), where some are claiming that the crown sides literally went straight up and broke at a sharp 90 degree angle.

For instance, these bops

from my perception, have a considerably different crown than these bops:

which are to my eye more like the first one you posted, and I like them so much better. Maybe I'm confusing my nomenclature, but whatever those bottom three are, and the yellowish one from your post, those are the breed I want!

If folks are looking for similar hats, check out River Junction Trade Company out of McGreagor Iowa. They have great stuff and will treat you right! I've bought Wild West gear from them for years!
http://www.riverjunction.com/

 

[RBH]

That's class....

You dont know the half of it.