Post New Hats Here!

[HarpPlayerGene]

You need not expect any interventions from this crowd, bakers44.

Yowza! What a wonderful looking Cav'. I would've snapped it up too if it were my size. Super color and dimensions.

Looking forward to seeing what you bring home tomorrow...

 

[BobC]

I think I've gone a little hat-crazy the last couple of days.
I went to another vintage store yesterday; found an old Cavanagh in PRISTINE condition. Just had to buy it!

Damn, I need to stop buying hats....

I think I would just have to buy it too! :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[buler]

Dobbs Derby

I'm not really one to wear a Derby, but couldn't resist picking this one up. The liner is beautiful and the sweatband attachment is incredible.

B

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

I'm not really one to wear a Derby, but couldn't resist picking this one up. The liner is beautiful and the sweatband attachment is incredible.

And the rolled edge on the leather, and the marvelous tags, and..., and...

Just superb.

Things were sure well-made a certain amount of time ago, weren't they?

 

[J.T.Marcus]

A dark grey, Huckel (Made in Czech Republic), velour, with a self-band. An ebay purchase that's fairly decent, after a good rework.

 

[dostacos]

I won a Glock 22C a couple years ago also!lol

I think Rusty won a panama awhile back?

that is MY type of raffle

 

[jimmy the lid]

Great kick-save, JT! :eusa_clap

Cheers,
JtL

 

[deanzat]

Stretching a Stetson

A few days ago, I bought a Stetson Open Road in my usual size, 7 3/8. The next day, my dad gave me a Stetson 4x beaver western hat (with the same open road cattleman's crease), but in a size 7. I posted a photo of the two earlier in this thread.

I've been carefully, slowly working the 7, misting and wearing, misting and wearing, then putting in the Hat Jack overnight. Rise and repeat.

It's not comfortable yet, but it's wearable. Based on the pliability of my 20-year-old Stetson fedora, I think time is on my side...

My wife disagrees, of course. She says I'm not stretching the hat, but squeezing my brain... Z

 

[bakers44]

You people are NOT helping my addiction! You're only making it worse!

Actually.......there's a couple of other old hats at the store that I really want to buy, both of them fit too. I don't remember the brand of the one, but the other's a brown Churchill beaver hat with the Cavanagh Edge. VERY cheap for the money, but that's something I don't have alot of these days.

 

[Torpedo]

You people are NOT helping my addiction! You're only making it worse!

Hi Bakers,

Actually, admitting it is the first step in the right direction.

Now, you should dispose of all of those hats in order to rehab properly. I am sure some of us would receive them in good grace, for proper custody. What size did you say you wear?

 

[Mr. Paladin]

A few days ago, I bought a Stetson Open Road in my usual size, 7 3/8. The next day, my dad gave me a Stetson 4x beaver western hat (with the same open road cattleman's crease), but in a size 7.

deanzat, that is another nice one. I like that color and, of course, the crease!

 

[RobFedoraField]

my first hat made in Buffalo, NY

Here's a hat I found in an antiques mall. it was made by Carli the hatter in Buffalo, NY, but I can't find anything on him (her?) It's some type of fur felt, I think beaver, but can't say fur sure, but I can say it's "super" quality

it's a little large so I had to pad the sweatband, but better to pad than to be too small. but for $20, I couldn't pass it up. it has a little more tan / yellow hue than my silverbelly campdraft, but the dimensions are almost identical. gave it a quick brushing, but it needs a good cleaning. I was considering sending it to optimo for a $100 rebuild / size reduction, just not sure if I want to spend $100 on that...

 

[Stoney]

Rob,

I think I would keep it as is. The hat is in very good shape for the age and looks to fit you pretty well. A little bit of leather conditioner applied to the sweatband should help preserve it.

My primary concern, with sending it out, is that I don't know of anyone who can remove that unreeded sweatband and put it back in properly. It could of course be converted to a reeded sweatband, but IMHO you lose some of the character of the hat.

A note of caution on cleaning that liner... Be careful if you decide to clean it. I've last some vintage liner art by using harsh agents like OxyClean.

 

[St.Ignatz]

RBF thats a great hat. I asked for help for a dry (read crispy) sweat band and the biggest response was Lexol. Looked everywhere but should have checked my local shoemaker first. It worked wonders. Foil or cardboard or both under the band to prevent soak through and truly better than I could have expected. The lexol website will give you some help on dealer if the shoemaker doesn't carry. Wear it well.
TomD.

 

[feltfan]

My primary concern, with sending it out, is that I don't know of anyone who can remove that unreeded sweatband and put it back in properly. It could of course be converted to a reeded sweatband, but IMHO you lose some of the character of the hat.

Are we talking about the Carli The Hatter hat?
Looks like a reeded sweatband to me.

The pictures are grainy, but it appears to be a fine
hat as-is. Fold a few dollar bills under the sweatband,
give it a brushing, and enjoy it.

 

[Stoney]

You're right Feltfan!

I guess I'm gonna have to start wearing the glasses more often. lol
The reed blended in so well, with the felt, that my old eyes didn't pick it up.

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

"PDQ" Panama

Received this new old straw today (on Sept. 15th, no less). The hat has a lot of character and must have belonged to a real character. This hat fulfills my desire to have a decent quality vintage Panama which is rough enough to be a knock-around straw without worrying about the thing.

Welded seam:

Check out all the initials. I guess the owner was in shipping or import/export.

F-reight
O-n
B-oard

C-ash
O-n
D-elivery

P-retty
D-amn
Q-uick

And then his real initials, I assume.

And best of all, this was inside! VERY old, yellowed and brittle.

 

[jazzncocktails]

Found a Vintage Stetson...help

After visiting a local coffee shop to work on student essays today, I strolled down the street to my favorite Long Beach vintage shop, The Vintage Collective on 4th Street. Occasionally I'll find a cool mid-century modern ashtray or side table, but never a fedora. Until today.

Saw this olive green Stetson with green ribbon sitting by itself and thought, "Ok, first time I've seen a fedora here...but there's no way it'll fit me." Until I dug around the sweatband--the leather looks as though it's never been worn--and saw the 7 3/8 tag. Immediately, but casually, tried to talk the vendor down from his $45 price tag, but he wouldn't budge. So, I went for it anyway.

The brim is 2 3/8" wide. With the diamond bash, the front is about 4 3/4" high, rising up to 5 1/4" and back to 4 1/4"; I haven't unbashed it to get the full crown height, but it must be around 6 1/2" unbashed.

It needs some cleaning up. As you can see from the pics below, there's a white stain on one side above the 2 3/8" ribbon. The liner has rust spots on it, with one rust spot on the underside of the front brim. Otherwise, it looks pristine. It was badly bashed; I dry bashed it into a quick diamond. And, happily, fits like a glove.

The front of the sweatband says "Exchange Club presented exclusively by Silverwoods," Silverwoods being the name of the hat store in So. Cal. (according to the sweatband on the left). On the right, the sweat reads, "3X Beaver Quality Stetson Mode Edge" and the initials TMW have been stamped in gold near the back. Here are the photos:

So, here are the questions I have, having never purchased a lid that needs cleaning up:
1. The liner is rust spotted but not smelly, and there's no evidence of water damage on the felt itself. What do you think--should I remove the liner or just let it be? And if I remove it, is there a way to clean it and put it back in without damage or shrinkage?

2. Any recommendations for removing the rust spot on the front brim underside or the white spot (a dry, crusty residue, pretty small) on the crown?

3. What type of Stetson is this? It's a good 3X Beaver felt; is Exchange Club the style of the Stetson?

Sorry for the long post...any thoughts on this will help!
Steve

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

"PDQ" Panama CONT'D..

It has a nice sweat absorbing layer built into the band:

And it rolls up and pops back easily.

 

[jazzncocktails]

It has a nice sweat absorbing layer built into the band

Very nice Panama, HPG--nice score! Sorry to have gotten between your posts!