The Conversion Corral

[Joao Encarnado]

Nice re-do work.

 

[DOGMAN]

Very nice,Bond.

 

[moehawk]

Hey everyone!

About a month ago I found this nice 3x beaver Resistol Western in Silver Belly. A bit beat up and kicked-around looking but clean and uneaten by moths. Also, about as good a fit on my head as I could hope for.



Last night, I got bored, so, a trim job, a lot of steam, and a new ribbon later, we now have this:




The color in these pics isn't very good, I'll try to get some in the sun tomorrow.

I cut it down to 2 5/8 front and back, 2 3/8 on the sides, 5 1/4" crown. The ribbon is temporary, as I am waiting to find out about a lead on some good cotton/rayon ribbon instead of this poly junk. I'm either going to go wider and tan in color, or thin and way greener (as in a good Irish green). I wore it out today and got a few nice compliments on it.

Let me know what you think, and any opinions on green ribbons will be appreciated.

 

[Joao Encarnado]

It's a nice work... but why the brim trimming...

 

[moehawk]

Well, even though I live about as far west as one can get in the continental U.S., Western hats or western attire in general is not in favor in my area. Even the rednecks here mostly wear ball caps. The majority of folks wearing cowboy hats here are older Mexican men, and even they are starting to forgo them. Once a year when the rodeo comes to town is the only time that people dig out their dusty old westerns. Also, brims wider than 3" just don't do it for me. So, the scissors claim another victim for the sake of style...

 

[T Jones]

Hey everyone!

About a month ago I found this nice 3x beaver Resistol Western in Silver Belly. A bit beat up and kicked-around looking but clean and uneaten by moths. Also, about as good a fit on my head as I could hope for.


Last night, I got bored, so, a trim job, a lot of steam, and a new ribbon later, we now have this:


View attachment 23546

The color in these pics isn't very good, I'll try to get some in the sun tomorrow.

I cut it down to 2 5/8 front and back, 2 3/8 on the sides, 5 1/4" crown. The ribbon is temporary, as I am waiting to find out about a lead on some good cotton/rayon ribbon instead of this poly junk. I'm either going to go wider and tan in color, or thin and way greener (as in a good Irish green). I wore it out today and got a few nice compliments on it.

Let me know what you think, and any opinions on green ribbons will be appreciated.

Nice job. I vote for a mid-ribbon. I think that would look best.

 

[RJR]

+1 nice job.

 

[moehawk]

TY T and RJR. The ribbon width that's on it is growing on me. Still going to replace it with a better and maybe greener one though. It is becoming one of my favorite hats already.

 

[DOGMAN]

moehawk,way to bring a beat up hat a new life.I tend to like wider ribbons 1 1/2" to 2".I look at the western hats and they talk to me.They tell me they would like a new life as a fedora.I do have a few westerns that will not convert.Although I don't wear westerns as much as my fedoras.

 

[randooch]

 

[bond]

Nice work every one!
Nothing spectacular here just a nice older homburg conversion. Color of the felt is unusual kind of brown but kind of something else too. Anyway the burgundy ribbon picks up the tones well and the Binding too.
Made a Silk liner for it in gold.

 

[RJR]

Nice,Scott.

 

[Joao Encarnado]

Nice work Scott!

 

[1mach1]

Looks great Scott. Looks great!

 

[DOGMAN]

Bond,always enjoy seeing your homburg conversions.

 

[T Jones]

A $3 investment at the local thrift store for this Stagecoach that had a broken brim. I tried to get a 2 3/4 width but even that wasn't doable. I had to settle for a little over 2 1/4 inches on the brim. At least I was able to save the hat and give it new life, except it's black. I'm no fan of black hats. I have two black Stagecoaches now. I reblocked the crown and gave it a center dent. I found a mid-ribbon that I liked and I'll be sewing that on sometime today....

Two slightly different angles...I like tall crowns

This is the ribbon that I'll be sewing on...

 

[DOGMAN]

T Jones,I'm like you.I love the tall crowns.

 

[T Jones]

T Jones,I'm like you.I love the tall crowns.

Oh definitely. Gotta have tall crowns. That's one of the main reasons why Stagecoaches are so popular for conversions. That, and the felt's nice and thick too. Gives you a lot to work with.

 

[Daniele Tanto]

Really interesting conversion T. Jones.
I like this way to give new life to an old hat.
Your work is really simple but very effective. Bravo
I suggest to try a more grey light ribbon..........

 

[T Jones]

Really interesting conversion T. Jones.
I like this way to give new life to an old hat.
Your work is really simple but very effective. Bravo
I suggest to try a more grey light ribbon..........

Thanks buddy. I appreciate that. I do try to keep things simple when I work on my hats. I like the more traditional look in a fedora. It seems that in 1930s Hollywood, tall crowns with center dents and more narrow brims were fashionable. Not to say that was always the case.