Post New Hats Here!

[UWS Cowboy]

Get a hat stretcher (sometimes called Hat Jack) in your size and once you've steamed the felt put that in and crank it tight. Do a little more each time 'til you've got what you want. Now that the hat has no sweatband inside you'll probably need to be very careful as it will probably stretch fairly easily.

That is a pretty nice example of a Knox clone of the Open Road.

Good advice, I'll buy one soon enough. I should have left the sweatband in but I wanted to be able to wear it now. It fits a lot better, about a size bigger, still a size too small. I plan on stretching it then sewing in a new strap of leather.

Here are two other pics. Brim down and brim snapped up.

 

[donCarlos]

I brought three new hats from my favourite second hand shop today. I´m happy, but they will need some treatment. And that´s why I´m writing this post.

The first one is quite dark gray, but it´s been damaged by bad treatment and inappropriate storage. The felt is very thin and it´s wrinkled! Do you think that simple reblocking will do the job, or shall I use it as a source of sweatband for my other gray hat?
Overall view:
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn121/donczcarlos/2008_12160003.jpg
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn121/donczcarlos/2008_12160009.jpg
The wrinkles I´m talking about:
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn121/donczcarlos/2008_12160011.jpg
Inside (Oxford)
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn121/donczcarlos/2008_12160010.jpg

The second one is probably older than I thought, because the size label has a schwabach inscription on it (plus the size, of course). The color is very light green. It will need reblocking as well, but not so urgently.
Overall view:
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn121/donczcarlos/2008_12160006.jpg
Inside (Helios):
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn121/donczcarlos/2008_12160006.jpg

And the third one is my new furry friend. It´s in a great shape and ready to wear.
Overall view:
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn121/donczcarlos/2008_12160001.jpg
Detail of the fur:
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn121/donczcarlos/2008_12160001.jpg
Inside (Wegener Eskimo):
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn121/donczcarlos/2008_12160003.jpg
Inside 2:
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn121/donczcarlos/2008_12160004.jpg
And one more nice detail was inside the hat:
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn121/donczcarlos/2008_12160005.jpg
This piece of plastic is meant to keep (or even make) the shape of the front part of the crown (hell, I forgot how you call it...)

P.S.: If there are any experts on german hat industry and its history, please PM me. Maybe you can help me with dating these hats.

 

[RBH]

.... Brim down and brim snapped up.

Just proves you are never to young to convert to Thin-ribbonism!

Looks great Cowboy! Good luck on your refurb... my advice is take it slow. It should turn out good.

 

[Trotsky]

No pics at the moment (after work!) but I picked up a State Trooper's grey montanna peaked hat for all of $9. It's a pretty solid fur felt, '60s or '70s maybe.
I am thinking about slapping a black ribbon and using it as my "outdoor" hat after I curl the front and back parts of the brim down. I don't know, opinions from the peanut gallery?

 

[Mr. Paladin]

JTL- You are indeed a wizard with those shapes and creases! That hat looks great and as smooth as if it were stamped!

Slim Portly- Simply dashing! Compliments the suit perfectly and your crease work looks great as well.

UWS- Good luck with your refurb. Thats a good looking hat but I think I heard a few "thuds" that sounded like bodies hitting the floor when you mentioned you took out the sweatband...

Don Carlos- Watch that furry one....I think I saw it move. Seriously, you used a term I am not familiar with; what is a schwabach inscription?

Nice hats all around guys!

 

[randooch]

UWS: awesome thrift store score, and it looks great with that jacket, too. I admire your confidence. Post a shot of the new sweat, eh?

 

[skyvue]

I'm killing a few birds with one stone with these images, which show off a hat and several garments I've never shared here before.

First up is the hat, an Akubra Sydney I bought from a fellow FL'er some months back. I've been slow to start wearing it consistently because a) it's the widest brim I own and it's taken me a while to get used to that, and b) because it's black, which isn't my favorite color in hats.

But I'm comfortable wearing it now, so I'm gathering up my courage to share it with you guys.

The trousers I'm wearing in this picture are new (old but new to me), too. They're heavyweight wool of some type (but not too itchy, thank goodness) with a kind of dot pattern woven in (you can't see the pattern, but I'll try to scan it or get a closeup photo to share). They're the highest waisted trousers I own, and I've love to have a dozen pairs styled just like them, in various fabric colors and weights.

The sportscoat is new/old too -- I think it's from the 1950s, though I'd be happy to know otherwise, if anyone can offer insights on the topic.

The overcoat is newly purchased, too, and is vintage, though I've yet to pin down exactly what period it's from -- but it's in near-mint condition, so I was very pleased to get it.

 

[thunderw21]

Nice look you got going on there, skyvue.

The jacket is late-1950s/perhaps '60s, I would say. That style of casual jacket was popular then (with the three rounded patch pockets) and the thin lapels point to the later '50s.

Here's my early '50s jacket with bigger lapels:

And, returning to hats, that's a recent find Whippet in green.

 

[ScionPI2005]

Awesome getup! That looks great on you!

Nice look you got going on there, skyvue.

The jacket is late-1950s/perhaps '60s, I would say. That style of casual jacket was popular then (with the three rounded patch pockets) and the thin lapels point to the later '50s.

Here's my early '50s jacket with bigger lapels:

And, returning to hats, that's a recent find Whippet in green.

 

[Mr. Paladin]

thunder21- That is a great looking hat! It looks very nice with that crease and brim curl.

 

[jimmy the lid]

Skyvue -- that's a great look, and the Akubra Sydney looks like it was made just for you. Well done! :eusa_clap

Thunderw21 -- I have to echo those thoughts for you, as well. That Whippet is just a great lid! :eusa_clap

Cheers,
JtL

 

[randooch]

Skyvue: Lookin' sharp! I'll be darned if I can spot a ribbon on that hat. Ribbonless? The overcoat has a comfy look to it, whatever the era.

 

[jimmy the lid]

Portis

This Portis just arrived today. It's in darn nice condition, and the color scheme is cool -- kind of a light brown/taupe felt with a greenish gold ribbon and matching binding.

The brim on this lid comes in at a hair under 2 3/8". This would absolutely be the "stingiest" brim in my collection, and one of my rules is that I only hold on to lids that I will actually wear. So, right now, I'm trying to figure out if this is a look that will work for me. [huh] From yesterday's 3 1/4" Stetson to today's 2 3/8" Portis is quite the contrast...

Cheers,
JtL

 

[Mr. Paladin]

Jimmy, I say keep it. It looks quite well on you and the color scheme is excelent. You have done it in your "signature" style and its great.

 

[jimmy the lid]

Thanks for the feedback, Mr. P. I have to admit, it's growing on me...

Cheers,
JtL

 

[jimmy the lid]

Well, for one thing Jimmy always starts with good taste and good hats. Plus he is something of a wizard with the shaping. Well done on the score and the shape, Jimbo!

Much appreciated, Gene. And thanks for the comments on the creasing, gents. I really like the way that the Stetson came out.

how were you able to get the back brim to snap down and have the sides look so smooth? I have a campdraft I've been trying to do that to, and I can't get it to look right.

Rob --

On a lid that that I want to wear brim down all around, I generally try to flatten out the back part of the brim. I apply steam to the back half of the brim -- on both the top and the bottom. Not enough steam to make things droopy -- just enough to soften things up a bit and relax the felt. Then I put the hat down on a flat surface, and, using the heel of my palm, I apply pressure and sweep my hand around the back part of the brim. I do this on both the top and bottom of the brim, applying the most pressure to the part of the brim closest to the crown. The goal here is to simply flatten the back part of the brim so that it doesn't look "curled down" when you have it on your noggin'. What I've found is that if you flatten the back part of the brim in this way, it will generally do the trick in terms of helping to form a very natural curve from front of the brim to the back once the hat is on your head.

Ultimately, I use a three way mirror (bathroom medicine cabinet ) to look at the curve of the brim from the side. If it needs some adjustment, I apply steam to the bottom of the brim (from front to back on the side I am adjusting), then quickly put the lid on my noggin so that I can adjust by looking in the mirror. Then I sweep a couple of knuckles (first and second fingers) and the back of my hand underneath the brim in one smooth motion from front to back so that the final result is a smooth curve.

OK, that was a lot -- but you asked! Hope it was clear.

Cheers,
JtL

 

[bolthead]

This Portis just arrived today. It's in darn nice condition, and the color scheme is cool -- kind of a light brown/taupe felt with a greenish gold ribbon and matching binding.

The brim on this lid comes in at a hair under 2 3/8". This would absolutely be the "stingiest" brim in my collection, and one of my rules is that I only hold on to lids that I will actually wear. So, right now, I'm trying to figure out if this is a look that will work for me. [huh] From yesterday's 3 1/4" Stetson to today's 2 3/8" Portis is quite the contrast...

Cheers,
JtL

Jimmy, it's a beautiful lid, but I have to be honest with you and say that it looks like it's a bit small on you or something.....it's not the brim though, I think that looks fine, something about the crown and the bit of taper that it has, makes it look small on you.....[huh]

 

[jimmy the lid]

Thanks for the feedback, Bolt. My wife's reaction was exactly the same as yours. She thought the brim looked fine, but that the upper part of the lid just seemed small on me. The hat has definitely "shrunk" -- I really had to yank it down on my noggin' for that photo. If I were to keep it for myself, I think I would probably have to have it reblocked at Optimo.

Cheers,
JtL

 

[bolthead]

Thanks for the feedback, Bolt. My wife's reaction was exactly the same as yours. She thought the brim looked fine, but that the upper part of the lid just seemed small on me. The hat has definitely "shrunk" -- I really had to yank it down on my noggin' for that photo. If I were to keep it for myself, I think I would probably have to have it reblocked at Optimo.

Cheers,
JtL

If you go ahead and do that, I'm sure it will look fine. As we all know, they do an awesome job.

 

[kaosharper1]

Borsalino

The Borsalino I bought on EBAY. It's my first vintage hat. Very light felt and it'll make a great Summer hat here in Southern California:

Not sure of the vintage. Price tag says $35 which sounds like early 1960s to me.