Stampede ring / Chin strap

[Dasmoeturhead]

Anyone use them? I had one on my Scala Santa Fe and it worked good. I just got a Akubra Bushman,and now I'm thinking of getting the Stampede Ring/chin strap. Its nice that it can be removed or added at will. I eventually cut the strap off my old hat, because it got in the way a lot. Just wondering. David Morgan sells them in black or tan.

 

[Jedwbpm]

I use the one on my Aussie Slouch

Jeff

 

[Mobile Vulgus]

I have one cowboy hat with a stampede cord on it. But not any others. I put it on when I was doing cowboy reenactments because it is a wide brimmed hat and the wind was always taking the thing off when I rode a horse. But other than that, I don't.

 

[Neophyte]

If I had a hat with one, I would definitely use it. I ride my bike around campus and while I should wear a helmet, I cannot stand them. The only way to keep my hat on my head right now is to jam the sucker down on my head. A pair of stampede strings would be convenient.

 

[monbla256]

I probably should have had some on my Cattleman this past weekend ! Would have possibly kept it from taking a bath in the stock tank !! I've not been a fan of the look, but I can appreciate it's practicality for sure If I were to get some for my Akubra's it would definatly be the ones from DM for either my Bushman or Cattleman as they are designed by them to work perfectly with the hooks installed in these hats and they are well braided out of Kangaroo which should last the life of the hat! I have a 6 plait Kangaroo hat band from DM on my Cattleman. I think the tan would work well with the color of the Bushman and it will darken with use and time

 

[1961MJS]

I have one cowboy hat with a stampede cord on it. But not any others. I put it on when I was doing cowboy reenactments because it is a wide brimmed hat and the wind was always taking the thing off when I rode a horse. But other than that, I don't.

Hi MV

What exactly is a Stampede cord? Is it just a leather boot lace stuck through two holes in the hat? I read something in another forum about cotter pins or something else that will pull out and not rip the hat?? I'll NEVER find it again or I'd post it.

Later

 

[monbla256]

Hi MV

What exactly is a Stampede cord? Is it just a leather boot lace stuck through two holes in the hat? I read something in another forum about cotter pins or something else that will pull out and not rip the hat?? I'll NEVER find it again or I'd post it.

Later

Here's a link to good explanation of a "stampede string" from David Morgans site:
http://www.davidmorgan.com/popup_image.php?pID=467&tab=tab3&tab3=1

 

[Dasmoeturhead]

I probably should have had some on my Cattleman this past weekend ! Would have possibly kept it from taking a bath in the stock tank !! I've not been a fan of the look, but I can appreciate it's practicality for sure If I were to get some for my Akubra's it would definatly be the ones from DM for either my Bushman or Cattleman as they are designed by them to work perfectly with the hooks installed in these hats and they are well braided out of Kangaroo which should last the life of the hat! I have a 6 plait Kangaroo hat band from DM on my Cattleman. I think the tan would work well with the color of the Bushman and it will darken with use and time

Agree on all of your post. Nice thing is it can be removed if needed.

 

[Dasmoeturhead]

If I had a hat with one, I would definitely use it. I ride my bike around campus and while I should wear a helmet, I cannot stand them. The only way to keep my hat on my head right now is to jam the sucker down on my head. A pair of stampede strings would be convenient.

I also ride bicycles a lot, but I wear the helmet. They are ugly, but if it keeps me from taking nourishment through a straw, then I reckon I will keep it on. Getting off subject I know. Riding on campus is probably safer than the mean streets around here.

 

[Neophyte]

I also ride bicycles a lot, but I wear the helmet. They are ugly, but if it keeps me from taking nourishment through a straw, then I reckon I will keep it on. Getting off subject I know. Riding on campus is probably safer than the mean streets around here.

I don't think it's possible to get off-topic on your own thread lol, but you're welcome to try. I don't really mind about the look of a helmet, but I have yet to find one that actually ventilates (despite the large holes, they never seem to do anything for me) and wears comfortably.

I don't remember where I heard this, but there are some who absolutely hate the "removable" straps, as they don't stay in as securely (word?) as the fixed strings. I don't think you're gonna need to worry about that, though, unless you've got REALLY strong winds over there in Kali ...

You should head on over to the "Western, Anyone?" thread and check out Mark's custom western from The Last Best West company. It's got a cool pair of stampede strings drawn together with a piece of deer bone!

 

[Mobile Vulgus]

Hi MV

What exactly is a Stampede cord? Is it just a leather boot lace stuck through two holes in the hat?

The other fellas beat me to it. And Neophyte's photo looks very much like what I have on my western.

 

[hatophile]

You can also use cotter pins to attach the cord to the area just behind the sweatband. This will enable you to use them on different hats, and not have to put holes in the hats. They are available through many Western stores and catalogues. Most are made of horsehair. Quite convenient for a larger brim or Aussie style hat on a windy day or when riding horseback as MV noted.

 

[gtdean48]

I've got a couple of Resistols with stampede or "oh sh!t" strings that I have attached. I use a leather punch to put a hole in the brim. I do like a leather string as some horse hair strings can be rough against your cheeks. I've used the ones that go between the sweatband but like these better.

 

[Sam Craig]

Back when I was wearing westerns, I favored bonnet straps on the every-day wear ones. I'd usually use them like you see the Duke do, just flop them in the back.
I know that doesn't seem like much, but out here where the wind just doesn't stop blowing, you'd be surprised how much that back string makes a difference.
Many times on a hill top or other windy spot, the string in the back kept be from losing a hat.
Of course you can let it out a bit and wear it in front, too.
I usually just stopped in a shoe repair shop and bought a couple of leather boot laces and I'd either make a slide out of a piece of antler, or stop in one of those bead shops and scrounge through the wood or bone beads to make the slide.
It's pretty handy on anything much wider than an open road.

Sam

 

[frussell]

I'm with Mr. Dean. If you're wearing a hat in real wind, the cotter pin versions and "chin strap hook" versions don't cut it. That's why some of my finest custom cowboy hats have holes punched in the brim, to run the stampede strings directly from around the crown and under the chin. When not in use, I tighten it up just under the bony part of the rear of my skull. If you're in front of a group of people on horseback and your cotter pin bends and slides out of your hatband, or breaks some stitches, you may cause a huge wreck with your wandering hat. Of course, if it's just city wear, I guess those types are okay.

 

[hatophile]

I've got a couple of Resistols with stampede or "oh sh!t" strings that I have attached. I use a leather punch to put a hole in the brim. I do like a leather string as some horse hair strings can be rough against your cheeks. I've used the ones that go between the sweatband but like these better.

Nice Westerns, Mr. Dean!

 

[1961MJS]

Hi

Thanks, I still have no real idea which I'm going to get. I did get my TOTALLY soaked Bush hat blown off during a moderate (for Kansas) thunderstorm a couple of months ago so I know I need one. I'm torn between the fanciest horse hair jobs and the completely utilitarian leather boot lace with Deer horn keeper.

Later

 

[frussell]

Mr. Dean is correct about horsehair being a little prickly sometimes, but I use it because it is less likely to leach any dye or color onto my felt hat if it's raining. Just don't use reddish latigo leather, which runs like crazy, but is great for making saddle strings and tack. If you use leather, get a piece of it wet and roll in between your fingers to check for color runoff. Thanks, Frank

 

[AlterEgo]

Most of the Imperial quality Akubras that David Morgan sells, like the Bushman, come with chin straps hooks already installed. I think DM does that as "incentive" to buy one of its kangaroo braid chin straps, which are superb. That's great if you want to attach a chin strap, because it makes doing so easy, and it's a cinch to detach, as well.

On the other hand, if you do not intend to attach a stampede string, the hooks are not only unneccesary but also some regard as inappropriate if not unsightly, especially if you are going for a dressier, non-sporting look: They look very much like vent holes and are in plain view on all Akubras except those with a very wide hatband to hide them.

Interestingly, DM offers no chin strap hook on any of its Heritage grade Akubras, even pure sporting hats like the Lawson. To attach a chin strap to these, DM does explain how to do it, so go to www.davidmorgan.com for details. Briefly, take a razor blade and make slits in the sweat on each side of the hat. Tack each end of the slits down with needle and thread to prevent unravelling, and then sew a shirt button inside the crown on each side directly above the slits. Thread each end of the chin strap up through the slits, than wrap its loops over the buttons to hold the strap in place.

If you use thread the same color as the hat's felt to sew the buttons on, it is barely noticable on the exterior even if the hatband is not wide enough to obscure it. Though it's a bit of a project--the hardest part is getting up the nerve to cut slits in the premium reeded roan sweat--I think this is the best overall way to anchor a stampede string to a hat, better than the cotter pin method, which I've also tried.

With the chin strap so attached with shirt buttons, I've ridden in convertibles at 80 mph and never had my hat blow off.

 

[Sam Craig]

Believe it or not, the bootlace, from a good shoe repair shop, is a great answer.
It's tough, it will stay supple even after it's been wet, and I've never had one stain a hat.
I wore an off-white Stetson in all weather, rain and sun, cold and hot, for years with the same bootlace bonnet strap and just a simple wooden bead for a slide.
It never shifted even in WESTERN Kansas wind and the hat didn't get stained ... at least not from the strap
I only wear it ocassionaly now ... but the strap is still as good as new.
And it IS more comfortable than braided horsehair.

Sam