Difference between the Stetson Stratoliner and The Open Road

[Pat_H]

Sure could be an OR, or the Resistol equivalent

This photo, by the way, fits somewhere between 1943 and 1949 or so. Not sure exactly where in there.

 

[RBH]

Great photo Pat!

<a href="http://imageshack.us"><img src="http://img48.imageshack.us/img48/4783/lhiv8.jpg" border="0" alt="grand dad of Pat H" /></a>

That could be a possible Penneys Marathon, but Stetson or Resistol is most likely the best bet.
What area was your granddad in, that could go a long way in trying to figure out what brand it may be.

thanks for posting the pic:eusa_clap

 

[DOUGLAS]

That is a fantastic portrait Pat_H. The hat looks wonderful with the camel hair coat. My bet is,it is an OR or maybe a Stetson25. Your Grandfather looks great. The coat,gloves to match and a double breasted suit all show to me a man doing well.

 

[Pilgrim]

That's the very picture of a 1940's gentleman, isn't it? VERY classy, and he is obviously very comfortable in that outfit.

That could easily be an OR with a fedora crown style. The brim width is just right for some ORs.

 

[slimdigby]

Open Road with Stratoliner "crown"

Dear experts,
I have have been thinking about re-shaping the crown of one of my beloved (Cattleman's Crease) Stetson Open Road ("OR") hats to resemble that of the Stratoliner. It seems many "ORs" of the post war years had that anyway. Can anyone tell me if this is a viable solution. Was the "OR" originally also offered open crown or am I possibly confusing the older "ORs" with Stratoliners.
I love both hats, but have never found a Stratoliner in 7 3/4. much obliged, Digby

 

[deanglen]

Welcome to the Lounge, slimdigby! Here's to hoping you have a long and fruitful association with your fellow Loungers! Regarding the open crown question, it is certainly viable to change the bash. My avatar has an Open Road that I wiould not have enjoyed as much with a cattleman's crease. Very likely early Open Roads were open crowned. You can purchase the Akubra Campdraft, the licensed descendant of the Open Road, with an open crown to bash to taste. Strats are very nice for a basis to bash an OR, they probably bash easier given that the felt it reputed to be a bit lighter weight than the OR.

dean

 

[slimdigby]

Greetings

Thank you for the warm welcome. It does seem that the Stratoliners have an extra soft feel to them. There is also a new Alessandria by Borsalino available that seems to look a lot like a Stratoliner.
Nice hat by the way ... SD

 

[fedoralover]

Most hat makers made a Open Road type clone. The biggest difference in the Open Road and Stratoliner wasn't in the crown but the way the brim was flanged. The Open Road was flatter and had less curl, especially in the back. The Stratoliner brims typically have more curl, but again this varied some too. If you are looking for that style in a new hat, Deanglen's suggestion on an Akubra Campdraft is the way to go.

If you are looking at vintage, then I'd suggest spending time on ebay. Open Road's come up more frequently than anyother hat, probably because Stetson and the other companies have been making them for over half a century and continue to do so.

fedoralover

 

[deanglen]

Most hat makers made a Open Road type clone. The biggest difference in the Open Road and Stratoliner wasn't in the crown but the way the brim was flanged. The Open Road was flatter and had less curl, especially in the back. The Stratoliner brims typically have more curl, but again this varied some too.
fedoralover

Flanged differently, and therefore a narrower brim? How about crown heigth?
Somebody around here said there are high and low crown versions of ORs. Was that true of Strats?

dean

 

[slimdigby]

Very cool...

...that all you aficionados are giving me good leads. I appreciate your help. I ordered the Akubra Campdraft (what a name) in silverbelly ($90 AUS). 3 month wait. Will let y'all know. Did Robert Ryan wear a Stratoliner in "Bad Day at Black Rock", my laserdisc is in storage.

thanks, Slim Digby

 

[deanglen]

...that all you aficionados are giving me good leads. I appreciate your help. I ordered the Akubra Campdraft (what a name) in silverbelly ($90 AUS). 3 month wait. Will let y'all know. Did Robert Ryan wear a Stratoliner in "Bad Day at Black Rock", my laserdisc is in storage.

thanks, Slim Digby

Have to get back with you on the movie question. You'll be happy with the Campdraft. Funny name, indeed, sounds like a beer you'd drink in the Outback.

dean

 

[slimdigby]

going home for dinner (Denmark time)

will check in this ev'nin'
thank you all,
SD

 

[LEUII]

Have to get back with you on the movie question. You'll be happy with the Campdraft. Funny name, indeed, sounds like a beer you'd drink in the Outback.

ean

:eusa_clap :eusa_clap lol lol

 

[fedoralover]

Flanged differently, and therefore a narrower brim? How about crown heigth?
Somebody around here said there are high and low crown versions of ORs. Was that true of Strats?

dean

I have had 3 Stratoliners and all 3 had slightly different measurements in both the brims and crowns.

fedoralover

 

[Solid Citizen]

Convert Open Road

There was a thread a long while back here @ the FL from a guy near Washington DC step by step how to reshape an Open Road into a Stratoliner, his handle was Joe or something like that. Anyone have that link?

Soldi Citizen

 

[fedoralover]

Here's the back of my Gray Stratoliner. Notice how much curl there is.

Here's typical Open Road.

fedoralover

 

[slimdigby]

Great hats

Enclosed some stills from the movie "Bad Day at Black Rock". I have always been fascinated by how personalized the movie hats seem. Robert Ryan wears a red baseball cap too, but is that not a Stratoliner ? Lee Marvin has some real 1950s edges to his hat.
Cheers, Digby

http://www.gallerihornbaek.dk/hatmen.html

 

[Mr. 'H']

...that all you aficionados are giving me good leads. I appreciate your help. I ordered the Akubra Campdraft (what a name) in silverbelly ($90 AUS). 3 month wait. Will let y'all know. Did Robert Ryan wear a Stratoliner in "Bad Day at Black Rock", my laserdisc is in storage.

thanks, Slim Digby

Can you post a link to where you bought the Campdraft?

I couldn't find it on the Akubra/www.hatsdirect.com site....

 

[slimdigby]

The link to many, many diffrent Aussie hats

http://everythingaustralian.com.au/shopexd.asp?id=19&ccode=1190&cat_id=2

looks like a handsome hat, will give it a Strat crown. Amazing that little airplane pin on Fedoralover's fine hat. Such a great detail

 

[RBH]

The curl that goes with the stratoliner brim is made from the way it is stored in the Stratoliner box.
Check out this thread to see what I mean.
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=14869&highlight=stratoliner

After you get enough post [around 20] do a search on 'Stratoliner' you will find a wealth of info here on the Lounge.
Oh yeah glad you joined us!!!!

p.s. check out these recent threads on the Campdraft.

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=23235

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=23280

Notice I have a DC-3 [airplane] pin on my Campdraft.
From the way Strats have been going for on OFAS
this is a way to have a Stratoliner clone on the cheap.
DC-3 pins come up often on the 'Bay.