The Conversion Corral

[John Galt]

That looks like it's going to turn out nice John. Too bad it's not a 7 1/8 LO though. Whippets are one of those hats I've been wanting for long while, but are always out of reach for me. I think you'll pull that one off really well. Your talent is really advancing, fast!

Thanks Terry! It would have needed to be trimmed & rebound to make a smaller sized fedora, and I just couldn't see changing the original body if I could make it work as something marketable without doing so.

 

[John Galt]

Here are two new hats, and the aforementioned cautionary tale.

First hat was a western conversion.

Very thick, heavily lacquered brim. It came out looking good, except...

I obviously didn't get the brim soft enough before flanging, because it creased/cracked when I ironed it on the flange. I didn't see this because it was under the flange cloth. I've never had this happen before, but also never had such a thick & heavily lacquered hat for conversion.

Next time I will take the whole hat apart & get it good & wet & really hot & steamy before flanging. Sanding was an option because the cracks were only 1/2 way through the thick felt, but I quickly got into the hat body so no go.

I finished it anyway.

So it's now a wearable, but plainly ruined hat. "Way to go - what are you going to do about that?"

Well, the only thing to do was to make the fellow a custom hat from scratch:

Finished hat to follow.

I used a new navy blue heather body and trimmings from the TopHatters stock, and shaped it on one of their Lundstrom blocks & flange.

Size 7 1/2, brim 2 3/4. Crown 5 3/4

 

[John Galt]

I've done quite a few renovations & conversions, but this was the first finished hat from scratch (I haven't finished another I started some time back).

 

[1mach1]

Beautiful work, JG. I am glad I sent you my hats. Can't wait to see progress on them.....

 

[John Galt]

Soon Harv, soon! The list is shortening.

When I get the renovations in the queue done - including yours, TJ's and one other fellows, I'm going to start building hats from the TopHatters bodies & trimmings.

 

[1mach1]

Now THAT I want to see!!!!

 

[ingineer]

John Galt said:
"Well, the only thing to do was to make the fellow a custom hat from scratch"
Now this is what is seldom heard.:eusa_clap:eusa_clap
The replacement is fantastic.
Will you have rights to the TopHatters name?
Richard

 

[John Galt]

John Galt said:
"Well, the only thing to do was to make the fellow a custom hat from scratch"
Now this is what is seldom heard.:eusa_clap:eusa_clap
The replacement is fantastic.
Will you have rights to the TopHatters name?
Richard

Richard: Thanks for your kind words. To borrow a phrase from Hell on Wheels" the "moral mathematics" was very simple. It was my mistake and my responsibility to make it right.

I also just happened to have more hat making stuff than I had scratch ;-)

I am also very pleased with the replacement hat, and so is the customer.

I have no trademark rights to the TopHatters name, but it was understood and expressly agreed that I would actually use the materials I purchased.

I grew up too poor to waste anything, and believe it honors Ted & Marie's legacy to use these materials. It was also very important to Peter to sell the hatting supplies as a lot, and that they be used rather than broken up and sold. I respected, understood, and happily agreed.

Collectors might like to know that I'm putting my signature and the date (month/year) on the inside of the sweatband for any hats I'm making, so there will be no confusion as to era & maker of a TopHatters branded hat. I have yet to figure out how Ted & Marie did the trimming. I'm guessing it was by hand or they did it at home, as I found no sewing machines at the shop. Maybe Peter can enlighten me...

Harv: I love some of the unique hat bodies I purchased and really can't wait to build more hats from scratch, but I have to make good on the work in the queue first. More mathematics

 

[Joao Encarnado]

Thanks for comments .
No the brim is un even as is most straws are and another reason to cover this one in a binding.

OK then.

Its a western wt beaver that's been distressed by washing it several times to soften it up and afterwards burning the nap down .

Looks nice apart the short brim.

New ribbon & bow on this navy blue early 1950's Beaver Brand (Langenberg) 100% beaver fur stingy brim. I didn't take before photos, but mocked them up with the old ribbon & bow. I like it a lot better now. I will be selling it though, to help pay off my recent purchase...

Another fine work.

A vintage Resistol Beaver 100 western that I'm converting to a Whippet style hat.

Too bad it is not a 7 1/4LO...

First hat was a western conversion.

Sadly it turn out badly... (need to say more?)
The replacement looks nice.

I've done quite a few renovations & conversions, but this was the first finished hat from scratch (I haven't finished another I started some time back).

Looks really nice and well done!

 

[John Galt]

OK then.


Looks nice apart the short brim.


Another fine work.


Too bad it is not a 7 1/4LO...


Sadly it turn out badly... (need to say more?)
The replacement looks nice.


Looks really nice and well done!

There would be no brim left on the 100% beaver dress hat if the crown were any bigger ;-)

Unfortunately, the conversion did turn out quite badly. The lesson I learned will last much longer than the embarrassment, though, and I don't mind sharing this "misadventures in hatting" story to try to save others here the grief.

My uncle used to tell me that the only way to make sure you make no mistakes is not to do anything at all. I am glad that this job - like all my work for other loungers so far - was done for a very low labor price, and that with a little effort I have been able to make things right for the customer.

 

[NewJack]

How sweet it is!!!

 

[T Jones]

It looks fantastic John. Really nice. Love the color combination. I really like that hat. Very nice indeed. Well executed!

 

[Joao Encarnado]

There would be no brim left on the 100% beaver dress hat if the crown were any bigger ;-)

It looked big enough... or was the picture perspective?

Unfortunately, the conversion did turn out quite badly. The lesson I learned will last much longer than the embarrassment, though, and I don't mind sharing this "misadventures in hatting" story to try to save others here the grief.

I do understand that.

My uncle used to tell me that the only way to make sure you make no mistakes is not to do anything at all. I am glad that this job - like all my work for other loungers so far - was done for a very low labor price, and that with a little effort I have been able to make things right for the customer.

You learn with your own mistakes. I too do make some sometimes and I always learn something from it.

 

[John Galt]

It looked big enough... or was the picture perspective?

I do understand that.

You learn with your own mistakes. I too do make some sometimes and I always learn something from it.

Joao, the 100% beaver dress hat I posted (same color scheme as the replacement hat for NewJack) has a 1 1/2" brim and is a size 7-7 1/8. Based in your expressed tastes, it will never be something you want. ;-)

Making it a size 7 1/4 would leave probably a 1 1/4 brim. Not your style...

The replacement hat for NewJack is a size 7 1/2 with a 2 3/4 brim. I have two more bodies like that, I think. There was about 1/8 to 1/4 left over after I trimmed it. These bodies _might_ have enough brim to make a size 7 1/4 with a 3 inch brim, which would be in your wheelhouse.

Please PM me if you want me to block one. I am happy to make you a custom hat out of the navy blue or another body (I have many options). I will give you a fair price and can probably get at least a 3" brim ;-). Other bodies are true western bodies and offer more choices.

I'm also very glad to learn that I'm not alone in making mistakes ;-)

 

[Joao Encarnado]

Joao, the 100% beaver dress hat I posted (same color scheme as the replacement hat for NewJack) has a 1 1/2" brim and is a size 7-7 1/8. Based in your expressed tastes, it will never be something you want. ;-)

I think we are not talking about the same hat. I was talking about this Resistol 100.

The replacement hat for NewJack is a size 7 1/2 with a 2 3/4 brim. I have two more bodies like that, I think. There was about 1/8 to 1/4 left over after I trimmed it. These bodies _might_ have enough brim to make a size 7 1/4 with a 3 inch brim, which would be in your wheelhouse.

As you may noticed I'm not after of another navy blue hat, have that Billy Kidd and I'm still waiting for the customs to liberate my other navy blue Stetson.

I am happy to make you a custom hat out of the navy blue or another body (I have many options). I will give you a fair price and can probably get at least a 3" brim ;-). Other bodies are true western bodies and offer more choices.

Need more brim so no. This weekend I found a store here in Portugal that sells wide brimmed hats (5") of what I think are FEPSA felts. First I thought those were wool but they are not! Must contact them to see all options.
And since FEPSA is closed in August for vacations, I cannot get a heavy 100% beaver hat body for now.

I'm also very glad to learn that I'm not alone in making mistakes ;-)

We are not alone. Without mistakes we can't reach near perfection

 

[John Galt]

Ah, I understand now Joao. Yeah, I blocked it at a size that let me make a fedora, thinking there would be a more ready market. Your white hat goes on the block next though, so don't be discouraged...

 

[Joao Encarnado]

And one less Resistol 100 western...

 

[TheDane]

Before cowboys got their "uniformed" hat, they converted a giant number of dress hats for the hard life on the plains. It'll take many many years for John and TJ to reach that number of conversions. Wipe your eyes and get back on the horse, Sir. You and your wrangler colleagues are still far ahead on points

 

[T Jones]

Before cowboys got their "uniformed" hat, they converted a giant number of dress hats for the hard life on the plains. It'll take many many years for John and TJ to reach that number of conversions. Wipe your eyes and get back on the horse, Sir. You and your wrangler colleagues are still far ahead on points

Ha! lol

 

[John Galt]

And one less Resistol 100 western...

Joao,

Please read my note above.

You are correct that there is one less Resistol 100. That _is_ sad, but there would have been one less Resistol 100 in any event. This hat was more garbage than anything else when I bought it and put a little bit of my soul in it.

I'm more Hercules than Charon in this story, my friend ;-).

I'm not ushering this hat out of this world - I'm bringing it back from the next.