Reshaping a straw Open Road--can it be done?

[DougC]

Title says it all--can you reshape a straw Open Road? I know you can shape the brim, but, I really would like a tear drop in a hat with the open road dimensions. (I have a Christy's of London, a Stetson panama, a Panama Bob, a Stetson cowboy, and a couple palm leaf cowboys---none are similar to the OR Straw). If there is a post on DIY reshaping, that would be great.

 

[frussell]

The only straw ORs I have seen are of the stiff "Shantung" variety, and would not take a new shape without cracking or warping. Unless you have a different model, those hats are not made for re-shaping. Good Luck, Frank

 

[DougC]

Thanks--don't have one yet. And the only ones I've seen are Shantung too. Was thinking about buying a new hat but had my doubts about being able to reshape.

 

[gtdean48]

Outside of Palm Leaf hats, most straw hats can be shaped once.
When at FedFest3, we stopped by a western hat shop just up the road from the stockyards in Ft. Worth.
They had American Hat Company straw blanks = flat brimmed, open crown.
The sales rep said they had presses to shape per customer's choice but once it was done, that was it = not like felt, to be re-blocked & re-shaped.

 

[Sam Craig]

You used to be able to find straw ORs that were real Panama ... this is pre Shantung days. They were great. And around here they were pretty common.
What you could do is reshape the brim into a fedora snap and then just leave the crown alone.
Man, those were premo hats. Nice and cool and brrreeeezy!

I just wish I'd taken better care of mine. I wore them all to death, sadly.

However, the answer is "no." You cannot successfully reshape the crown, at least not without it looking like ... well, poorly.

If you get lucky enough to find a Panama OR, just enjoy.

Sam

 

[tonyb]

I've picked up some well-used Shantung cowboy hats for next to nothing, just to see for myself what might be done with them. The answer, so far, is "not much."

"Real" straws can be reworked, but doing a proper job of it requires the right block(s) and tipper(s) and flange(s).

If hatters' shops are scarce these days, scarcer still are those equipped to refurbish straws.

 

[HatsEnough]

Closest I could get was to help the brim a bit on my Stetson Panama. When I got it the front would not snap down. I steamed it so that it would.

 

[JimWagner]

I just got a Shantung Open Road about a month back. It's stiff as a board and looks too water proof (to my eye) for even steam to do much to. It looks like it's been coated in something to keep it stiff and waterproof. I'd be very afraid it would snap and crack if I attempted to modify its shape in any way and if I did manage to get it wet/soggy enough to safely bend, without a press or form I don't believe it would ever look right. YMMV.

 

[fmw]

I know Optimo in Chicago blocks straw hats. Whether or not they can handle paper straw is something you would have to ask them.

 

[navarre]

I once worked for a place refurbishing western hats. We never took in a single straw hat for repair. I can not recall the product Resistol and Stetson use on their shunting, but if anyone has a tag from one let us know. If I am not mistaken it is a furniture varnish.

 

[DougC]

Thanks for all the comments. I just remembered I have a palm leaf fedora too. I'll just wear that and wait for my Heritage Camp Draft to come to the house and for the Buckaroo Stratoflyer to come out.

 

[DRB]

I agree with Tony. You will need a block and flange. Even then, you might wind up with a hat that shows evidence of having had a different style. Sometimes an iron (not too hot) will take out some of the dimples created from the new style, sometimes not. I did it and got dimples.

 

[Sam Craig]

Again, If you are talking about an early Stetson OR in REAL Panama, maybe you can change the crown and have it turn into something, but you will certainly need to either be a professional or get one to do it.

If it is the cheaper OR straw ... modern ... then you will never get it to look right.

Also, if you are luck enough to have the real Panama, just enjoy it as it was intended.

Otherwise, just go out and get a new straw hat.

Sam

 

[handymike]

Wow am I glad I didn't see this thread this morning!
This afternoon, I received a Stetson Genuine Panama hat from eBay. It came in the Cattleman/ OR style which I thought I'd like:


but... after trying it on, I quickly realized it wasn't the right look for me. Plus the box it came in was long and thin and crushed the shape of the brim a bit.
With a total lack of knowledge about straw hats (I've never done a bash before, but read that one uses steam), I pulled out our steamer....
First, I steamed the crown into an open crown/ bowler to get rid of the Cattleman Crease. Then I re-steamed it and put it on my head to cool. While cooling, I pushed all around the top of my head until the straw was stiff again. Next came the brim. That took a few go-arounds but I think I like it...
Anyway, here is the result:





I'm not quite sure if it lives up to the standard around here, but I'm pretty proud of my first attempt.
Now, I'm not sure of the color. It's a bit yellow for me. Has anyone ever used wood stain on their straw hat?
Thanks for reading!

 

[RJR]

It looks good to me.

 

[gtdean48]

It looks good to me.

:arated:
And as long as you're satisfied, that's all the really matters...

 

[DougC]

Nice looking lid! I was more concerned with restyling the shantung OR when I started this thread.

 

[jkingrph]

Last year Meyer the Hatter, in New Orleans had new Stetson Panama straw Open Roads. I picked up a couple, one for now, one for the future. They are more of a tan color and not nearly as white or stiff as the shantung models. Much nicer, but I don't have a clue about reshaping.

 

[handymike]

I was amazed at how easy it was....

 

[John Galt]

Now, I'm not sure of the color. It's a bit yellow for me. Has anyone ever used wood stain on their straw hat?
Thanks for reading!

If I were going to give it a try, I would use a wood pre-conditioner and try to spray the stain on to make the color uniform. You can buy pre-conditioner (Minwax is good), or make it yourself with polyurethane & mineral spirits. You will also want to seal it with some spray poly, I imagine.