The Conversion Corral

[RJR]

Good idea,rogerstg.

 

[DOGMAN]

FWIW, I use my brim trimmings to experiment on ways to repair felt. I also reserve some pieces for patches to their source hats if needed.

Roger

I do the same.

 

[belfastboy]

I do the same.

I have a white black 8x beaver western that will be my first conversion. Has anyone attempted to dye anew hat? The hat is brand new and pure white so am thinking it worth the risk. Thoughts?

 

[belfastboy]

Shld hv read BLANK not black

 

[Drdan]

If I were to find a vintage fedora in my approximate hat size in very good condition, can a skilled hatter remove the sweatband and ribbon, and tranform the hat body from a high non tapered crown to a new fedora with low tapered crown with a wider brim? I'm asking since I look best in fedoras with about a 4" tapered crown and 2.5 - 2.75" brims, and many high quality vintage fedoras have high non tapered crowns with less wide brims. My question is based on my assumption that the hat body can be shrunken in size and then reworked; the extra felt from the shortened crown used to widen the brim.

It's been said that no questions are considered dumb, so please excuse me if this one is a close contender.


Thanks

 

[Lean'n'mean]

Has anyone attempted to dye anew hat? The hat is brand new and pure white so am thinking it worth the risk. Thoughts?

I've dyed a couple of furs in the past using hair dye. You need to dilute the mixture more than the instructions indicate as you don't want a paste but a liquid so that the dye can penetrate better & it's easier to use.
The result is Ok but I wouldn't tempt it with an expensive dress hat. Rather restricted in colors too.

 

[gtdean48]

If I were to find a vintage fedora in my approximate hat size in very good condition, can a skilled hatter remove the sweatband and ribbon, and tranform the hat body from a high non tapered crown to a new fedora with low tapered crown with a wider brim? I'm asking since I look best in fedoras with about a 4" tapered crown and 2.5 - 2.75" brims, and many high quality vintage fedoras have high non tapered crowns with less wide brims. My question is based on my assumption that the hat body can be shrunken in size and then reworked; the extra felt from the shortened crown used to widen the brim.

It's been said that no questions are considered dumb, so please excuse me if this one is a close contender.


Thanks

Any "skilled hatter" can take a vintage fedora, reduce it to just a felt body & re-block, re-size, re-flange it.
The challenge is where the sweat is stitched in becomes a weak point when pulling the felt body over the block, sort of like perforated paper = easy to tear.
Now the question is why should such a hatter take a vintage fedora "in very good condition" & render it to a more modern configuration?
There are too few & getting fewer items of the vintage configuration in very good condition...start with a good, modern beaver felt body, JMHO...

 

[RJR]

Agree with above post.Relatively few good vintage hats available and a very good possibility that the hood might tear.

 

[Daniele Tanto]

As gtdean48 suggest why don't you try to have a new hat in the shape and proportions you like?
Buying a vintage hat in very good conditions and remake it as new will cost you more than a new one!
And most of the time you will "destroy" an "unrepeatable" hat.
You really can find here in Italy hats with you measurements........

 

[Drdan]

O.K. guys, thanks for the input. The possiubility of tearing certainly would be an issue.

I was under the impression that the vintage hats had better quality felt. If a 100% modern beaver felt hat is of the same quality of vintage beaver felt, then yes, it would be best to go custom, and get exactly what I want!

 

[Joao Encarnado]

[insert scream smily here]

 

[B.J. Hedberg]

Purchased a Sunbody hat (hg35f) for fun a few weeks back, and proceeded to re-block it on my Hatshaper. Ironed a new brim break in and straightened the sides before adding a wide sweatband and ribbon. At the end of the day I gained about an inch in height, but only lost 1/4” off the 3 1/2” brim, so it’s still pretty wide – probably too wide for me to be allowed to wear it out adventuring. Still, it was a fun project; and once I get around to building a taller wooden block, I might have to try it again with a smaller width brimmed hat as a starting point.

Out of the box:

After re-blocking and some ironing. Sadly I waited a few days to sew in the sweatband, so the base bowed back out again slightly:

My second try sewing the sweatband in resulted in success:

And the finished hat:

Next step will be to add some grommets so I can attach a cord to it to keep it from blowing away. This was my first Sunbody hat, and I had fun with it.

 

[dh66]

That looks really nice. Great work!

 

[javadave61]

In the spirit of Moehawk and Job, who both converted a Akubra Snowy River and Down Under, respectively, I decided to remake my Stockman. I love my fedoras and Open Roads, so the safari/outback look was falling way down in the rotation. Meanwhile, a few weeks back, I traded out a grey ribbon for a rust one on my Falcon Park. I've been eyeing this grey ribbon, knowing someday, I'd find the perfect hat for it. The ribbon just looked perfect for the Stockman's "Sandstone Fawn" color. Then I began thinking... hmm... I've been wanting another Fed IV. What if....

So I started with this...

Then I decided to replicate the brim dimensions of the Fed IV, so I stacked and aligned my Fed IV against my Stockman and carefully traced the brim and began cutting (the most nerve-wracking part). The Stockman now had a dimensional brim (2 3/4 x 2 1/2).

After sewing the ribbon on, I brought it to an open crown, which measured 5 3/4, just like the Fed IV. Sweet! So then it was blocking it and shaping the crown to a simple center dent with simple pinches. Wahlah!

Then it was time to compare it to the Fed IV.

Then, of course, time to try it on.

I think I'll call it, the Fed IV Jr.

 

[Bob Roberts]

Think I'll call it very nice. Great job.

 

[rogerstg]

Great job converting to a Fed IV Jr!
FWIW, if you have any unevenness in the brim from trimming, I've found that a palm sander with 220 grit makes quick work of dressing the edge.

Roger

 

[javadave61]

Thanks Bob!

And Roger, there were a few spots I had to sand and still need to touch up, but the challenge of this particular hat is the continuously wavy brim. I've steamed, ironed, and done everything else short of parking my car on top of it to try to tame it, but she waves as she pleases. I guess I'll just call it "character."

 

[Daniele Tanto]

B.J. Hedberg you did an excellent work on the Sunbody!
I like the final hat very much.
Molto bravo!

 

[job]

Great job on the Stockman conversion.

 

[RJR]

+1