Giant Pith Helmet Thread of Doom

[johnnycanuck]

Given my under brim a fresh coat of green. Still need to seal it. Debating giving the Inner crown a coat of read. The tinfoil was a quick thought to keep the sweat from soaking thru the hat.

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Given my under brim a fresh coat of green. Still need to seal it. Debating giving the Inner crown a coat of red. The tinfoil was a quick thought to keep the sweat from soaking thru the hat.
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Johnny

Green under brim paint - cool!

Got it - tin foil prevents soiling from perspiration! I was worried you might say something about blocking communication with local birds or aliens.

Tonight I am learning about pith helmets. I will start at the beginning of this thread.

Eric -

 

[johnnycanuck]

After I sweat thru my French and got it dirty and gross as all hell I started babying this guy. But today I thought I would get over myself and wear it watering the yard and garden. Put some tinfoil in the front to stop the sweat from hitting the helmet. added weather stripping to keep the sweatband away from the helmet. Used shoelaces to make a suspension part that wasn’t included in this helmet new. And away I go.

Johnny

 

[Cattus Petasatus]

I wore my pith the other day to fight 104* Texas sun. I soaked the inside to try the evaporative cooling. It made a real difference. And the helmet took it like a champ.

I'm thinking of getting one like yours. I have a USN surplus version.

 

[johnnycanuck]

I wore my pith the other day to fight 104* Texas sun. I soaked the inside to try the evaporative cooling. It made a real difference. And the helmet took it like a champ.

I'm thinking of getting one like yours. I have a USN surplus version.

Nice! Is that the “pressed fibre sun helmet” I started looking for one this year and they seem to be rare and expensive. 10-20 years ago they were $5-$10 at any surplus store. It’s like they stopped making them.
Maybe you can post some pics.
Johnny

 

[Cattus Petasatus]

I bought mine on goodwill's site 7 or 8 years ago for our annual Hat Party. I got 2 of them for about $20. Here's a close up of the stamp on the inside.

I did the pug myself.

 

[Cattus Petasatus]

God Bless Texas

So I went to the gun show last week with some friends. They were looking for a new home defense weapon. I ended up buying a new EDC (Springfield XDs 9 OSP, but that's another story.) It turns out that almost a third of the show was dedicated to militaria (military memorabilia.) Being an old soldier I enjoyed that as much as the firearms. There was lots of army gear from various nations along with some great hats. Cold weather covers, peak hats, soft caps and even a few 1911 Campaign hats, my favorite.

A trip to the restroom put me near a vendor selling reproduction Wolseley pith helmets. These were from Village Hat Shop according to the sweatband. They sell theirs for $50, this vendor was asking $25 so I had to have one.

After getting home and messing with it a little bit I discovered why the price was so low. I tried to adjust the headband and it started to crumble. It seems the helmet was in and out of the heat of the vendors trailer for many years and the heat got to the plastic of the sweatband. I replaced the original sweat with the suspension system of a hard hat so forgive the franken-bolts. I added the pug and goggles for fun.

Go to a gun show for a new gun, walk away with a gun and a hat. God Bless Texas.

What do you think?

 

[fireman]

Cool

 

[johnnycanuck]

God Bless Texas

So I went to the gun show last week with some friends. They were looking for a new home defense weapon. I ended up buying a new EDC (Springfield XDs 9 OSP, but that's another story.) It turns out that almost a third of the show was dedicated to militaria (military memorabilia.) Being an old soldier I enjoyed that as much as the firearms. There was lots of army gear from various nations along with some great hats. Cold weather covers, peak hats, soft caps and even a few 1911 Campaign hats, my favorite.

A trip to the restroom put me near a vendor selling reproduction Wolseley pith helmets. These were from Village Hat Shop according to the sweatband. They sell theirs for $50, this vendor was asking $25 so I had to have one.

After getting home and messing with it a little bit I discovered why the price was so low. I tried to adjust the headband and it started to crumble. It seems the helmet was in and out of the heat of the vendors trailer for many years and the heat got to the plastic of the sweatband. I replaced the original sweat with the suspension system of a hard hat so forgive the franken-bolts. I added the pug and goggles for fun.

Go to a gun show for a new gun, walk away with a gun and a hat. God Bless Texas.

What do you think?

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Looks like great fun to me. I would like to see the inside and how you attached the new sweatband. I am always looking for new ideas. That plastic never lasts and I have had to jerry rig sweatbands more than a few times.
Wear it in good health.
Johnny
And yes I wear mine doing hot sweaty yard work.

 

[Cattus Petasatus]

I'll have to take another pic of the inside. The one I took earlier wouldn't upload.

 

[Cattus Petasatus]

I ordered the hard hat suspension system from Amazon

Here is the underside of the franken-bolt

 

[johnnycanuck]

Temperatures are finally jumping into the double digits. To celebrate here are some Harry S Truman pictures of a President in a sun helmet

Cant wait to break mine out in the garden for a relaxing morning coffee.
Johnny

 

[johnnycanuck]

Here are the ones I have been wearing so far.
Indian style

French for lawn care

And my Wolseley for relaxing in the yard

At least trying to relax with the kids screaming in the pool.
Stay safe this summer
Johnny

 

[fireman]

God Bless Texas

So I went to the gun show last week with some friends. They were looking for a new home defense weapon. I ended up buying a new EDC (Springfield XDs 9 OSP, but that's another story.) It turns out that almost a third of the show was dedicated to militaria (military memorabilia.) Being an old soldier I enjoyed that as much as the firearms. There was lots of army gear from various nations along with some great hats. Cold weather covers, peak hats, soft caps and even a few 1911 Campaign hats, my favorite.

A trip to the restroom put me near a vendor selling reproduction Wolseley pith helmets. These were from Village Hat Shop according to the sweatband. They sell theirs for $50, this vendor was asking $25 so I had to have one.

After getting home and messing with it a little bit I discovered why the price was so low. I tried to adjust the headband and it started to crumble. It seems the helmet was in and out of the heat of the vendors trailer for many years and the heat got to the plastic of the sweatband. I replaced the original sweat with the suspension system of a hard hat so forgive the franken-bolts. I added the pug and goggles for fun.

Go to a gun show for a new gun, walk away with a gun and a hat. God Bless Texas.

What do you think?

View attachment 306682 View attachment 306683 View attachment 306684

I wish gunshows around here would sell pith helmets. We get overpriced guns and garage sale crap.

 

[Cattus Petasatus]

I think my sons know their dad. Here is a birthday gift for them. A British Foreign Service Helmet. I have good boys.

 

[johnnycanuck]

I think my sons know their dad. Here is a birthday gift for them. A British Foreign Service Helmet. I have good boys.

View attachment 344578

Great looking present from loved ones. From the background it looks like your a history buff. Should fit right into the collection. I am a little jealous. My head size is just a little to big for the current offerings.
Wear it in good health
Johnny

 

[Cattus Petasatus]

My head officially qualifies as a "keg-head." I normally wear a 7 3/4. This one was tagged as an XL. I still have a little room in it. My son got it from Village Hats in the UK, https://www.hatsandcaps.co.uk/pith-helmets-c_pith_helmets/

I have parking lot duty at church this Sunday. I'm thinking of wearing this one. Does Victorian Empire headwear go with Hawaiian shirts?

 

[TheManInTheHat]

I bought a green one in Vietnam a few years ago for $10.Vietnamese men wear them all the time on bikes, walking around the streets and pretty well anywhere. It’s also the standard military headgear so it’s really a common sight. However, I got plenty of stares wearing it!

 

[johnnycanuck]

My head officially qualifies as a "keg-head." I normally wear a 7 3/4. This one was tagged as an XL. I still have a little room in it. My son got it from Village Hats in the UK, https://www.hatsandcaps.co.uk/pith-helmets-c_pith_helmets/

I have parking lot duty at church this Sunday. I'm thinking of wearing this one. Does Victorian Empire headwear go with Hawaiian shirts?

Pith helmets and Hawaiian shirts? Oh heck yes. Wear it with pride my friend.
Unfortunately for me thevillagehatshop in North America still don’t offer such size options in the foreign service helmets. I guess I will still wait and see.
Wear it in good health
Johnny

 

[johnnycanuck]

I bought a green one in Vietnam a few years ago for $10.Vietnamese men wear them all the time on bikes, walking around the streets and pretty well anywhere. It’s also the standard military headgear so it’s really a common sight. However, I got plenty of stares wearing it!

If I was there and it was a common hat I would totally get one as well. I love the odd and different. If it was strictly military it would probably give me pause but if your average citizen was wearing one, why not. When in Rome as they say.
Johnny