The Conversion Corral

[jpbales]

My first full conversion

A week ago it was a Dobbs Westward:

Yesterday it was a Dobbs Westward:

Today it is unique:

 

[Spats McGee]

Nice, jp! Looks like you were a little more adventurous in the ribbon department than I was.

 

[jpbales]

thanks!

You did a great job on your conversion too! I sort of modeled the ribbon after this one:

The ribbon I used is wider though, so I couldn't quite make as many folds as that one had. Somehow the 6" of crown it started out with now seems shorter too [huh] After creasing it, it's only just over 4". Perhaps my block being squarer and having a longer oval took out some of the height for length.

Nice, jp! Looks like you were a little more adventurous in the ribbon department than I was.

 

[indycop]

Great job JP! Are you going to try your hand at binding the brim now?

 

[jonbuilder]

highpocket
That is one impressive conversion. Did you sew on the edge binding yourself? :eusa_clap

 

[High Pockets]

Oh gosh no! I'da had it lookin' like the Rocky Road to Dublin!

Shorty's C'Boy Hattery in Oklahoma City applied the ribbon and added the edge.

 

[jpbales]

Nah, I don't think so. Maybe if I had the right ribbon I would consider it, but it seems like too much of pain for such a little result [huh] That may look nice though

Great job JP! Are you going to try your hand at binding the brim now?

 

[gtdean48]

Great job JP! Are you going to try your hand at binding the brim now?

Stop encouraging the further demise of vintage thin ribbons!!! :rage:

 

[indycop]

Stop encouraging the further demise of vintage thin ribbons!!! :rage:

 

[Colby Jack]

There are some wonderful conversions being made!..Wish we had a cowboy hat store that did brim binding like that around here!:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[Roninjedi]

I removed the ribbon and sweatband, soaked the entire hat in cold water and pulled an inch of crown into the brim using a flange. I flanged and blocked the hat, then and let it dry for two days. I finished putting it together this afternoon and took it out on the town about an hour later.

Beautiful conversion, Stoney. Can you send me a link or a PM on how to go about pulling crown height into the brim? I may have stuck myself with a 6 1/2 inch crown Resistol. Decent hat but not exactly what I'm looking for. I don't want the money to go to waste and would like a nice brown fedora out of it. I'm not sure how to safely remove the sweatband, pull crown felt into the brim, and resew the sweat. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Mario]

Oh my god...I'm about to faint! That's one beautiful hat! :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[bolthead]

Beautiful conversion, Stoney. Can you send me a link or a PM on how to go about pulling crown height into the brim? I may have stuck myself with a 6 1/2 inch crown Resistol. Decent hat but not exactly what I'm looking for. I don't want the money to go to waste and would like a nice brown fedora out of it. I'm not sure how to safely remove the sweatband, pull crown felt into the brim, and resew the sweat. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Has anyone seen Stoney? I'm beginning to get a bit worried about him. [huh]

 

[High Pockets]

Oh my god...I'm about to faint! That's one beautiful hat! :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

Wow,..thank-you!
That's one nice compliment, considering it comes from a guy who wears hats like this:

My new 1950's Resistol.

 

[CRH]

I recently aquired a western Stetson thinking it would make a good conversion hat.

Alas, it has much too much front to back taper for a Fedora like crease without a reblock, at least on my nog anyway.

Notice the planned color coordination for conversion:


Ribbon: 1 1/4 or 1/1/2 in. Bottle brown with white and gold highlights.

Brim width: 2 5/8 in. with binding the same color as the stuff in the bottle.


I have found, however, that a lot of water and a little not so gentle persuasion can go a long way with a stiff hat.

Notice the 'blocked in nonchalance.'

Evidence of the moth party will be alleviated with sandpaper.

This one will be, henceforth, relegated to beaterdom at least until I acquire a proper block.

 

[babs]

First OR style for me.. And I've found THE thread to learn

So today, I jumped on this one..
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220396968922&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Dobbs OR clone. Looks like just a bash and a snap on that brim and it'll "fed" out nicely. Does look like a moth got a hold of it slightly. I'll have to learn about using sand-paper to address a moth nibbling.. Because I for one would LOVE to keep the original ribbon.

 

[Stoney]

Beautiful conversion, Stoney. Can you send me a link or a PM on how to go about pulling crown height into the brim? I may have stuck myself with a 6 1/2 inch crown Resistol. Decent hat but not exactly what I'm looking for. I don't want the money to go to waste and would like a nice brown fedora out of it. I'm not sure how to safely remove the sweatband, pull crown felt into the brim, and resew the sweat. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

You can do the same thing with steam, but when working with a stiff cowboy hat, I prefer to soak it in cold water. Place the hat body on the block, place the flange, flat side down, on top of the hat body and pull the felt from underneath, while pushing down on the flange. Adjust the height of the brim break to where you want it. Finally let it dry then iron the brim and crown.

 

[Stoney]

Beautiful job

Never really liked this one;

So,....while a pot of water was heating to a boil, with razor blade I cut away everything that didn't look like a fedora and rushed it to the ribbon shop for some stitches!





Patient's fine and dandy!

That is one sharp looking lid.

:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[scottyrocks]

Wow, that conversion is stupendous!

 

[Roninjedi]

You can do the same thing with steam, but when working with a stiff cowboy hat, I prefer to soak it in cold water. Place the hat body on the block, place the flange, flat side down, on top of the hat body and pull the felt from underneath, while pushing down on the flange. Adjust the height of the brim break to where you want it. Finally let it dry then iron the brim and crown.

AH! That's what I was thinking might work. Thanks so much, Stoney!

BTW, I didn't end up with that tall brown Stetson after all. I just won a black Stetson that I still intend to convert from a Gus crowned Western into a fedora I might wear more regularly. Pics when the hat arrives.