deanglen
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- Messages
- 3,159
- Location
- Fenton, Michigan, USA
Started as a cheap wool western hat off ebay. Bought it because of its economy, it's folded brim edge, and its shade of felt, not too brown or silver belly.
Took the wire out of the brim edge.
Had to stiffen the felt with some spray stuff I have, that I will not use again because it was a $5.00 hardware store purchase instead of a $13.00 plus shipping actual hat stiffener. It worked, but the brim underside lost its nice felt finish, and instead it's a bit ugly with shiny areas and you can't sand the stuff because it turns white. It was not the spray shellac I thought it was but some polymer crap. I worked it a bit and it's better than it started out. I love the learning curve in the modding hobby.
The ribbon is the original off the M1899 hat I did, I chose it because it would give the hat its own look, it was the right size ribbon, and the bow was already painstakingly done and ready to go.
Needed to add holes, felt reinforcements and grommets for the chin string the M1902s had. (I've seen M1904 as a designation, and M1905! Take your pick, I could be more specific, but I now very few care what "M" it is.
Using leather punches I add a 1 1/2" Star Vent to each side. I have to learn to not work too fast, because I get impatient, this is evident in things not quite lined up just right, but I don't sweat it too much because the variations in originals I've see in photos make it clear that mass production effected the hats in the same way.
Added second row of brim stitching. More practice with the sewing machine will only improve the work. I view these efforts as prototypes and learning exercises anyway.
It was an XL size hat, so I added a leather sweatband over the fabric sweatband and a few felt spacers and it fits fine.
Reshaped the crown, which was not a 6" when open, but probably only a 5", nonetheless it's okay for my purposes, to a fore and aft crease...and voila!
How it was:
And now:
dean
Took the wire out of the brim edge.
Had to stiffen the felt with some spray stuff I have, that I will not use again because it was a $5.00 hardware store purchase instead of a $13.00 plus shipping actual hat stiffener. It worked, but the brim underside lost its nice felt finish, and instead it's a bit ugly with shiny areas and you can't sand the stuff because it turns white. It was not the spray shellac I thought it was but some polymer crap. I worked it a bit and it's better than it started out. I love the learning curve in the modding hobby.
The ribbon is the original off the M1899 hat I did, I chose it because it would give the hat its own look, it was the right size ribbon, and the bow was already painstakingly done and ready to go.
Needed to add holes, felt reinforcements and grommets for the chin string the M1902s had. (I've seen M1904 as a designation, and M1905! Take your pick, I could be more specific, but I now very few care what "M" it is.
Using leather punches I add a 1 1/2" Star Vent to each side. I have to learn to not work too fast, because I get impatient, this is evident in things not quite lined up just right, but I don't sweat it too much because the variations in originals I've see in photos make it clear that mass production effected the hats in the same way.
Added second row of brim stitching. More practice with the sewing machine will only improve the work. I view these efforts as prototypes and learning exercises anyway.
It was an XL size hat, so I added a leather sweatband over the fabric sweatband and a few felt spacers and it fits fine.
Reshaped the crown, which was not a 6" when open, but probably only a 5", nonetheless it's okay for my purposes, to a fore and aft crease...and voila!
How it was:
And now:
dean
