How to reattach the bosalino elastic wind guard?

[gcollins]

The elastic wind guard string thingy has fallen off my Borso? Ho to reattach? The end with the button of course is no problem, but where does the loose end attach...under the bow? Any advice?

G

 

[Art Fawcett]

HI G
The windstring is sewn under the center of the bow with the end pointing up. Usually you have to remove the bow to do this.
Good luck

 

[Paladin]

I have a Borsalino that has this "wind string" that's been loose since I bought it some years ago. I've always wondered what it actually was. Can you provide further info on what it does and am I better off having a hatter re-attach or try doing it myself? Thanks.

 

[Art Fawcett]

Paladin,
In "days of old" most of the automobiles were open top and there was a great fear of losing your hat in the wind so hatters developed a method of putting a button on a string that you could attatch to your shirt or coat button hole in the event the hat came off and not lose your hat. That simple.
If you are handy with a needle it really isn't a problem to lift the bow ( or cut the treads holding it down, then resew the string and the bow over the top. If you aren't handy with a needle, send it to your nearest hatter. It's "hatting 101" type stuff.

 

[Paladin]

Art--I'm trying to picture this with my Borsalino--it's got a very narrow ribbon around the crown, not a normal wide one. The elasticized "wind string" (is that what it's called?) is loose around the crown. I'm wondering where it would fit under such a narrow ribbon. On my other Borsas I now notice the string--but they seem not to be sewn down, but the elastic keeps them tight around the ribbon. Is there anything that can be done to make this one inparticular stationary short of threading it down?

 

[Art Fawcett]

Paladin, they are only sewn down in one place, under the center of the ribbon. I don't know of any other accepted method of attatching them.

 

[Art Fawcett]

AHHH, I think I understand what you are saying!! If you take the button and gently pull it counter clockwise it should tighten it up. It is still probably sewn under the bow but is just loose. Correct?

 

[Andykev]

It's like this:

This has been a misunderstanding when it was explained before.

If you have a "decorative" wind catcher string and button, it is just that, never attached, and only looped about the crown. Pure decoration.

If it is the "cord" (very heavy thread) with the button and the end which is attached to the crown, then it is a functional wind catcher.

The "loop" of the functional one can be slid tighter, as it is held that way when not in use. Slide the "loose" direction and it is lifted over the crown, which then gives you a long string with the "noose" end at the button. This is the part which attaches to your lapel button, securing your hat.

Of course, you then have the "monicle" looking string hanging down your hat brim to your coat, but this is far preferable that having your lid blow off while on that ferry boat ride, etc.

 

[Art Fawcett]

Hmm Andy, I've never dealt with a "decorative" windstring. they have always been attatched, but then I have only really dealt with vintage hats. They are making them "decorative" now???

 

[Paladin]

The decorative wind string makes sense. I haven't found any stitching on them to the crown on any of my modern Borsalinos. I've kept the one on my Borsa with the thin ribbon tightened on the crown by pulling the button as you describe. I'm sure it's not enough, though, because I can't place the hat upside down on the crown without losing the string. That's how loose it is. I'll have to figure out how to get it partially under the ribbon somehow. The strings are tight with no problem on my other Borsas, though.

I can't figure out the style name of the Borsalino with the narrow ribbon, more narrow brim and very supple felt. Any suggestions on what I can look for in the hat lining to figure anything out? I bought it at Peter Bros, it had been there many years I understood from Joe Jr, because it was such a large hat size. Fits me perfectly. But I just can't determine what the style name is or the year it was made. Any suggestions? Thanks.

 

[Andykev]

Humm

I'm suprised YOU haven't seen one buddy. Art, I have a modern hat (1960's) that has an elastic looped windstring....it never was attatched, and has no "slip knot" by the button for attaching to your lapel.

It is a very thin elasticized decoration which goes around the hat....you can unfasten it like a big rubber band.

It's worthless junk. I don't remember which hat it is on...It may have been on one that I either gave away or Ebayed it to a new home.

edit

Oh and I bought a straw Stetson or Biltmore either from Hat Guys or Miller.com. I have since given it to my brother. It was unworn being stiff as a board with schellac. It too had the non functional decorative attachment.

 

[Art Fawcett]

Andy, maybe I have seen them but just didn't notice. You know how much I love modern felts.)

 

[Michaelson]

It's true, Art. I was telling my wife what one was for on a Borsalino I had acquired last year, and to demonstrate what the wind trolley was supposed to do, held the button end of the string, dropped the hat. Instead of stopping at the end, the hat hit the floor, and I was left standing with a button and string hanging from my hand. My wife got a good laugh, but needless to say, I was a bit red faced. The button and string hit the garbage can. Regards. Michaelson

 

[Art Fawcett]

I'm sorry Gents, I had no idea that Borsalino had degenerated to that point. Does anyone know if they are leasing out their name again? They tried that many years ago when Bollman was making hats for them but the quality dropped so bad that they pulled all licenses. I wonder.....

 

[jamespowers]

Ah, I see the whole problem now. It has to do with "modern hats." Translation: inferior quality.
I checked my wife's Borsalino to see if it has a real wind trolley because it was awfully springy the last time I looked at it. The hat band is a black reeded one. Turns out it is a working wind trolley with an elastic cord. Strange. I took the risk of holding the button and dropping the hat but it nearly came back up and hit me in the face. Thanks for the wonderful idea Michaelson! LOL LOL The lot listed inside the hat liner is Ghiaccio. I figured the hat was modern but maybe it is a little older than I thought.
The odd thing about this hat is that it is fuzzy and has a centrex at the top of the crown where the fuzz radiates out from. I have never see this before and the tag inside said it cost $55 at that!
Thanks for bringing up the fake wind trolley thing though because I looked closely at a brown Dobbs that was hanging around here and it had a fake one on it! A closer look revealed that it was something a previous owner added to the damn thing. The color of the button didn't even match the ribbon! What would a person add such a thing for?! Class?! LOL LOL

Regards to all,

J

 

[jamespowers]

Originally posted by Art Fawcett
I'm sorry Gents, I had no idea that Borsalino had degenerated to that point. Does anyone know if they are leasing out their name again? They tried that many years ago when Bollman was making hats for them but the quality dropped so bad that they pulled all licenses. I wonder.....

Your kidding! Bollman the wool felt (Dynafelt) hat maker made hats for Borsalino?! Gee, that must have been a real joy to behold.
What I know about Borsalino is limited but I will give it a try. Their Allessandria, Italy factory closed many years ago. The building is still there but it no longer produces hats. I think it is now a retail Borsalino shop but I could be wrong.
Borsalino was a family run company for a hundred years until the hat industry went into a deep decline from the 1950s until the present. In 1992 the Gallo-Monticone family bought the Borsalino firm. I would say that this is definitely the demarkation year for Borsalino. The new owners were more interested in worldwide markets and product diversification then producing fine quality hats as they had always done. Borsalino now has distributors in Manhattan, Mexico and the Carribean countries! They also have a factory in China that produces hats for the asian market.
Yes Art, they are still doing licensing deals and have separate pricing for new or like products without their logo---generic Borsalino anyone? They now are into fragrances, ties, umbrellas, scarves, dreaded caps :cry: and even leather goods. What this has to do with hats is something no one can explain to me. It seems their hats have now become a small part of their business and as a consequence their quailty has become diminished. Now they have all these damn wierd colors and they are even licensing their name in Tokyo. Their goal now seems to be making money whatever way they can instead of making quality hats. By the way, they are making woman's hats now too. Woo hoo!

Regards to all,

J

P.S. If I sound jaded about the current direction of Borsalino---I am! Let me know when they start producing "hats" again.

 

[gcollins]

J:

Good post. Great background on the Bosalino brand. Do they have their own factory in China, or have felts and hats produced for Asian markets...or do they just buy from Asia factories?

What surprises me about Borsalino marketing in Asia is that people in the major Asia economies don't wear good hats. Even in Japan, where you see many many hats--older men wear those stingy little brims--but all the hats I see in Tokyo, Osaka and Yokohama are cheap hats. Even with expensive suits, cheap hats. Pity, no style.

China? You do see an occasional fedora in northern cities like Beijing or Dalian, but they are really cheap wool felt hats. The best hat shop in China in Beijing is almost exclusively very cheap hats (and very little rabbit felt) for men. Shanghai, the classic city for fedora culture 80 years ago...you don't see men with hats much. A nice hairdo from the ubiquitous beauty parlors (that do much MORE than hair jobs) is more important.

Let me know where the China factory is.

thanks,
G

 

[Art Fawcett]

James, the Borsalino family sold out to a corporation in 1984. Thats MY demarkation line. I won't buy anything newer than that as the corp moved the works to Milan, did the licensing , had Bollman start making their USA hats,( I visited Bollman at the time and was shown the "Borsalino's) lost their name, then moved back to Alessandria. I didn't know they sold it again in '92.

From this point I lost interest in them so I am surprised by the Asian, Chinese productions and the additions to their line. What a pity, they were the best hatmakers in the world. It seems we are now down to just a few.

 

[Paladin]

I believe someone mentioned in a previous post the way to determine the year and location of a Borsalino's manufacture by numbers in the lining or some such thing. Anyone know of that? I have a number of Borsalinos that I'd like to try that with. Your posting of the Borsalino modern history was interesting. To paraphrase a movie line...."No more Borsalinos for YOU!" (or me).

 

[Mr. Rover]

I just bought the Akubra "The Fedora" and it has a real working wind trolley. Kinda unusual for a modern hat, I'm sure. I've yet to test it out. On the contrary, my vintage Knox 20 has a fake elastic one that is purely for decoration.