Open Road?

[perterra]

Howdy, new guy here.

Just wondering what the hat that is 3rd from the left might be. Open Road or did it have a different name at the time? Hard to tell for me so I thought I would lay the question out to the aficionados. Photo may be late 40's to mid 50's not real sure. The gentleman on the left is my grandfather who died in 59. The 3rd from the left is an uncle who was a cowman, 4th from the left is my Dad.

I'm looking for a hat like the 3rd one so any suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks
Perterra

 

[RBH]

Welcome to the Lounge!

What size do you wear?

The hat looks like it could be any number of style western hat.
I believe the "cattleman" was a common "name" for a western style hat at that time.

 

[Magus]

Yes...welcome! Great to ahve oyu around. Love the picture and your dad looked like quite the man! Regarding the hat, it would be nearly impossible to conclusivly say what it was without a closer picture. But....hmmmm...was he the third from the left?...or the right?

 

[perterra]

Thanks for the welcome, 7 1/4.

Magus, oops, 4th from the left. I must have been half asleep when I posted that one. Need to proof read myself a little better.

My unk always wore a hat of that style.

I'm leaning to this style currently. Less the crossed sabers and braids.
http://www.goldengatewesternwear.com/Hatdept/cattlemancav.html

Thanks for the welcome.

Perterra

 

[Joel Tunnah]

Welcome to the lounge.

The hat in the link is wool - this is inferior to a fur felt hat, as far as durability.

You could easily make a hat like the one in your picture by getting an "open-crowned" fedora, and then "bashing" it into a cattleman yourself. From the look of the brim, it looks more like a fedora to me, than a cowboy hat. I'd bet that's what your uncle did.

Joel

 

[Magus]

Thanks for the welcome, 7 1/4.

Magus, oops, 4th from the left. I must have been half asleep when I posted that one. Need to proof read myself a little better.

My unk always wore a hat of that style.

I'm leaning to this style currently. Less the crossed sabers and braids.
http://www.goldengatewesternwear.com/Hatdept/cattlemancav.html

Thanks for the welcome.

Perterra

Naaaa Perterra. Your post was great. I was teasing you about your Uncle...because he is third from the left....but ALSO third from the right...lol just a small attempt at humor. Great to have ya around.

M

 

[Kaleponi Craig]

Welcome to the Lounge. Great picture! They fellow on the right, however, looks like he was added in from the 80s.

Yes, that hat looks like an Open Road...KC

 

[tonyb]

That's a great old picture, perterra. I'm with Tunnah on that hat in the link. Eighty bucks is too much to pay for a wool hat.

 

[jake_fink]

Here's something similar, same price more or less and a better made hat, I'd guess.

http://www.everythingaustralian.com.au/shopexd.asp?id=31&ccode=1240&cat_id=2

 

[Pilgrim]

You can pick up a good quality western hat on Ebay for less than $80 and have it shaped exactly as you wish - and have a better hat for about the same $80-$100 total.

Hats are felt with a sweatband, and once you have a hat of the right general dimensions, any competent hatter can shape it to your desires. This is my firm recommendation - I agree, there's no sense in spending $80 on a wool hat when there are good fur felts available at the same price.

 

[perterra]

Welcome to the lounge.

The hat in the link is wool - this is inferior to a fur felt hat, as far as durability.

Joel

Joel, I was looking at the fur felt one underneath it. I really wanted a stiffer hat than most of the fedoras I've tried. But a heavy weight fedora would work fine for me. What styles/brands are available in a board stiff brim?


Gerald

 

[perterra]

Here's something similar, same price more or less and a better made hat, I'd guess.

http://www.everythingaustralian.com.au/shopexd.asp?id=31&ccode=1240&cat_id=2

I like it.

 

[Pilgrim]

Hey perterra, most of the western hats have stiffener added - that's one of the main differences in "feel". You can easily have any western hat re-shaped (both crown and brim), and if the brim is too wide, that can be cut down as well.

The biggest issue with re-shaping a western hat is that the crown is often much higher than a fedora. However, if you like a fairly tall brim, a sharp hatter like the gents on this forum can re-block to minimize the height.

Or - you could have them add some stiffener to a fedora. Simple.

 

[perterra]

Hey perterra, most of the western hats have stiffener added - that's one of the main differences in "feel". You can easily have any western hat re-shaped (both crown and brim), and if the brim is too wide, that can be cut down as well.

The biggest issue with re-shaping a western hat is that the crown is often much higher than a fedora. However, if you like a fairly tall brim, a sharp hatter like the gents on this forum can re-block to minimize the height.

Or - you could have them add some stiffener to a fedora. Simple.

Thank you kindly for the info pilgrim.

 

[DanielJones]

Welcome to the Lounge Perterra. Pretty neat looking rouges gallery you posted there. Your Pop was a snazzy dressr for cattle country. Dig on the old photo.

Cheers!

Dan