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The Conversion Corral

T Jones

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,800
Location
Central Ohio
Nice save, Terry. You can always put a mid or wide ribbon on it if you want to cover up its battle scars. I know a hatter who actually makes some of his hats this way, that is with separate brim and crown stitched together. I can imagine how satisfying it is to save a good vintage felt from the scrapyard. Great job as usual.
Thank you, steur! I thought seriously about going with a mid ribbon but I just had to make it a thin ribbon for some reason. I guess that's probably what I'm partial to. It's definitely satisfying to save one from the trash and to be able to give new life to it.
 

Just A Hat Rack

Practically Family
Messages
619
Location
Buckeye Nation
One of three hat projects finished, maybe. Going back to my favored thin ribbon fedoras. This was a 7 1/8 Bradford Ltd. OR clone that I won on a bidding site about five years ago. The hat was way too small. When I first started experimenting with doing conversions I thought I'd mess with this one to get it to fit me. I really messed it up. It ripped out at the crown when I was trying to tug on it. It became a donor hat for its thin ribbon and brim binding for my Bradford 7X Quality that I'm also working on at the moment. I was going to throw this one in the trash but decided to see if I could save it and make it at least wearable. I taped the torn part together and then stitched it up as best I could. I reblocked it to a 7 1/4 to fit me and it held together! I found another thin ribbon and bow that I had laying around, put in a new sweat, and got it put back together. It ain't pretty in the back but it's definitely wearable, and it's a favorite! I wish now I had a 3/8 ribbon to do the brim binding. I got a 5 3/4 open crown out of it and a 2 1/2 inches wide brim in the size up. The proportions are nice and the crown is fairly tall and is creased in my preferred teardrop. I really like this one. I think from the fact that I was able to save it and make the hat wearable rather than throwing it in the trash, gave me a sense of accomplishment. Like I said, it's not pretty in the back and it's not perfect but it's nicely proportioned and it has a lot of wear left wear left.

Mein Frankenhut....

Bradford_ltd_4_A.jpg


Bradford_ltd_6_A.jpg


Bradford_ltd_5_A.jpg


Bradford_ltd_2_A.jpg


Bradford_Ltd_conversion_16_A.jpg


On the head

Bradford_Ltd_conversion_14.A.jpg


Bradford_Ltd_conversion_8_A.jpg


Bradford_Ltd_conversion_10_A.jpg
You never cease to amaze me with your craft work Terry. The new life you breathe into hats is well, breathtaking. You have a great talent for making an old tattered hat look practically new. I truly admire your dedication, patience, skill and desire. Keep up the good work buddy!

Ryan

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
 

T Jones

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,800
Location
Central Ohio
You never cease to amaze me with your craft work Terry. The new life you breathe into hats is well, breathtaking. You have a great talent for making an old tattered hat look practically new. I truly admire your dedication, patience, skill and desire. Keep up the good work buddy!

Ryan

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
Thank you, Ryan. I really appreciate that. Here's the one I'm most anxious to finish. I could never afford to buy an actual Strat so I basically gave up ever trying to get one. Though one is on my bucket list, I'll probably kick that bucket before I could ever get a Strat. Next best thing for me, if I can't afford an actual Strat, I'll make my own version of one. This Bradford 7X Quality will be my take on a Strat when it's finished, probably this week. Just gotta sew on the brim binding and the ribbon....the donor hat for this one was the Bradford Ltd. I finished, and if I can find another 3/8 ribbon I'll put a brim binding on that one too.
Bradford_7_X_Quality_Conversion_1_A.jpg
 
Messages
12,384
Location
Albany Oregon
Thank you, Ryan. I really appreciate that. Here's the one I'm most anxious to finish. I could never afford to buy an actual Strat so I basically gave up ever trying to get one. Though one is on my bucket list, I'll probably kick that bucket before I could ever get a Strat. Next best thing for me, if I can't afford an actual Strat, I'll make my own version of one. This Bradford 7X Quality will be my take on a Strat when it's finished, probably this week. Just gotta sew on the brim binding and the ribbon....the donor hat for this one was the Bradford Ltd. I finished, and if I can find another 3/8 ribbon I'll put a brim binding on that one too.
Bradford_7_X_Quality_Conversion_1_A.jpg
Looking forward to this one. If you can produce a decent Strat clone, it would be your opus!
 

T Jones

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,800
Location
Central Ohio
Looking forward to this one. If you can produce a decent Strat clone, it would be your opus!
It definitely would. That's why I want to take my time with this one. I've always wanted a Strat but they were always out of my reach, and remain to be. I've given up on ever getting one. I'll have to try and clone one of my own. I hope I do well enough with this conversion. Keeping my fingers crossed.
 

T Jones

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,800
Location
Central Ohio
Here's my latest project. This is an early '60s Royal Stetson OR that was too small for me. It started out as a 7 1/8 Long Oval and I took it completely apart and reblocked the hat to a 7 1/4 to fit me. Except for the sweat I was fortunate to be able to put all the original stuff back on the hat. I even put the original 7 1/8 LO size tag back in it even though the hat is a 7 1/4 now. I was concerned and not expecting the wind trolley to fit after the size up but it went back on too. I have to say that the hat came out really nice and crisp. At first I wasn't too happy with the 2 1/2 inch brim but I was able to work some hat magic with a few choice four lettered incantations to make the brim to appear a little wider than it actually is. Here's the results....

I took plenty of pictures during the tear down to make sure that everything went back on the hat the way it was originally done
IMG_20180912_081228621_HDR.jpg


IMG_20180912_081452294_HDR.jpg


IMG_20180912_081334841.jpg


IMG_20180912_082540882.jpg


IMG_20180912_081407977.jpg


IMG_20180912_085638862.jpg


IMG_20180912_085803831.jpg


Off the block with temporary basting stitches to hold the sweat in place while I sew in the permanent stitches for the new sweat
Royal_Stetson_Refurb_10_A.jpg


Completed and sized up with a Teardrop crease, the brim flanged and all the original stuff back on the hat
Royal_Stetson_Refurb_4_A.jpg


Royal_Stetson_Refurb_5_A.jpg


Royal_Stetson_Refurb_8_A.jpg


New soft goat skin sweat with the original liner and size tag
Royal_Stetson_Refurb_2_A.jpg


On the head
Levis_and_Royal_Stetson_4_A.jpg


Levis_and_Royal_Stetson_1_A.jpg
 

Tukwila

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,382
Location
SW of Antifa Central (PDX)
Here's my latest project. This is an early '60s Royal Stetson OR that was too small for me. It started out as a 7 1/8 Long Oval and I took it completely apart and reblocked the hat to a 7 1/4 to fit me. Except for the sweat I was fortunate to be able to put all the original stuff back on the hat. I even put the original 7 1/8 LO size tag back in it even though the hat is a 7 1/4 now. I was concerned and not expecting the wind trolley to fit after the size up but it went back on too. I have to say that the hat came out really nice and crisp. At first I wasn't too happy with the 2 1/2 inch brim but I was able to work some hat magic with a few choice four lettered incantations to make the brim to appear a little wider than it actually is. Here's the results....

I took plenty of pictures during the tear down to make sure that everything went back on the hat the way it was originally done
IMG_20180912_081228621_HDR.jpg


IMG_20180912_081452294_HDR.jpg


IMG_20180912_081334841.jpg


IMG_20180912_082540882.jpg


IMG_20180912_081407977.jpg


IMG_20180912_085638862.jpg


IMG_20180912_085803831.jpg


Off the block with temporary basting stitches to hold the sweat in place while I sew in the permanent stitches for the new sweat
Royal_Stetson_Refurb_10_A.jpg


Completed and sized up with a Teardrop crease, the brim flanged and all the original stuff back on the hat
Royal_Stetson_Refurb_4_A.jpg


Royal_Stetson_Refurb_5_A.jpg


Royal_Stetson_Refurb_8_A.jpg


New soft goat skin sweat with the original liner and size tag
Royal_Stetson_Refurb_2_A.jpg


On the head
Levis_and_Royal_Stetson_4_A.jpg


Levis_and_Royal_Stetson_1_A.jpg
Fantastic work, Terry, and a great pictorial of your efforts!
 
Messages
18,590
Location
Nederland
Here's my latest project. This is an early '60s Royal Stetson OR that was too small for me. It started out as a 7 1/8 Long Oval and I took it completely apart and reblocked the hat to a 7 1/4 to fit me. Except for the sweat I was fortunate to be able to put all the original stuff back on the hat. I even put the original 7 1/8 LO size tag back in it even though the hat is a 7 1/4 now. I was concerned and not expecting the wind trolley to fit after the size up but it went back on too. I have to say that the hat came out really nice and crisp. At first I wasn't too happy with the 2 1/2 inch brim but I was able to work some hat magic with a few choice four lettered incantations to make the brim to appear a little wider than it actually is. Here's the results....

I took plenty of pictures during the tear down to make sure that everything went back on the hat the way it was originally done
IMG_20180912_081228621_HDR.jpg


IMG_20180912_081452294_HDR.jpg


IMG_20180912_081334841.jpg


IMG_20180912_082540882.jpg


IMG_20180912_081407977.jpg


IMG_20180912_085638862.jpg


IMG_20180912_085803831.jpg


Off the block with temporary basting stitches to hold the sweat in place while I sew in the permanent stitches for the new sweat
Royal_Stetson_Refurb_10_A.jpg


Completed and sized up with a Teardrop crease, the brim flanged and all the original stuff back on the hat
Royal_Stetson_Refurb_4_A.jpg


Royal_Stetson_Refurb_5_A.jpg


Royal_Stetson_Refurb_8_A.jpg


New soft goat skin sweat with the original liner and size tag
Royal_Stetson_Refurb_2_A.jpg


On the head
Levis_and_Royal_Stetson_4_A.jpg


Levis_and_Royal_Stetson_1_A.jpg
Fantastic work again, Terry. I think the brim suits the hat just fine. Superb.
 

T Jones

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,800
Location
Central Ohio
Here's a quick little project as soon as I make it to a fabric store to buy some matching thread. This was the 6 7/8 Stagecoach in Tan Bark that a Lounger gave to me. I converted it to a 7 1/4 Longhair and I'm now getting ready to sew on this brim binding. Here's an idea of what it will look like once I'm finished....
Resistol_Longhair_Whippet_3_A.jpg

Resistol_Longhair_Whippet_4_A.jpg


Resistol_Longhair_Whippet_1_A.jpg
 
Last edited:
Messages
15,280
Location
Somewhere south of crazy
Here's a quick little project as soon as I make it to a fabric store to buy some matching thread. This was the 6 7/8 Stagecoach in Tan Bark that a Lounger gave to me. I converted it to a 7 1/4 Longhair and I'm now getting ready to sew on this brim binding. Here's an idea of what it will look like once I'm finished....
Resistol_Longhair_Whippet_3_A.jpg

Resistol_Longhair_Whippet_4_A.jpg


Resistol_Longhair_Whippet_1_A.jpg
Terry you are getting way too good at this;)
 

T Jones

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,800
Location
Central Ohio
Here's my Longhair Resistol Stagecoach conversion with the addition of a brim binding. I've always wanted a vintage Whippet but could never afford one when they came up on ebay. So, I did the next best thing. I made my own.

Resistol_Whippet_18_A.jpg


I can appreciate that Hatters like Penman and Black Sheep hand stitch their creations. Personally, I don't see the attraction in it. This hand sewing sh*t literally sucks! If I had a vintage sewing machine that was designed especially for hats, I wouldn't be hand sewing. Gotta give Penman and Black Sheep their due, though. They have a lot of patience for that. Here's my hand made vintage hat sewing machine. It's no Singer but it gets the job done, eventually... :)
Resistol_Whippet_15_A.jpg


Resistol_Whippet_8_A.jpg


Resistol_Whippet_7_A.jpg


Resistol_Whippet_6_A.jpg


Resistol_Whippet_9_A.jpg


On the head. Nice tall crown with a deep dished Tear Drop crease. The open crown is six inches tall and is creased to five inches tall at the pinch with a rake sloping back to four inches.
Resistol_Stagecoach_Whippet_7_A.jpg


Resistol_Stagecoach_Whippet_5_A.jpg


My thanks to Bob Hufford who originally gifted this hat to me. It started out as a size 6 3/4 Tan Bark Resistol Stagecoach.
 
Last edited:

Tukwila

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,382
Location
SW of Antifa Central (PDX)
Here's my Longhair Resistol Stagecoach conversion with the addition of a brim binding. I've always wanted a vintage Whippet but could never afford one when they came up on ebay. So, I did the next best thing. I made my own.

Resistol_Whippet_18_A.jpg


I can appreciate that Hatters like Penman and Black Sheep hand stitch their creations. Personally, I don't see the attraction in it. This hand sewing sh*t literally sucks! If I had a vintage sewing machine that was designed especially for hats, I wouldn't be hand sewing. Gotta give Penman and Black Sheep their due, though. They have a lot of patience for that. Here's my hand made vintage hat sewing machine. It's no Singer but it gets the job done, eventually... :)
Resistol_Whippet_15_A.jpg


Resistol_Whippet_8_A.jpg


Resistol_Whippet_7_A.jpg


Resistol_Whippet_6_A.jpg


Resistol_Whippet_9_A.jpg


On the head. Nice tall crown with a deep dished Tear Drop crease. The open crown is six inches tall and is creased to five inches tall at the pinch with a rake sloping back to four inches.
Resistol_Stagecoach_Whippet_7_A.jpg


Resistol_Stagecoach_Whippet_5_A.jpg


My thanks to Bob Hufford who originally gifted this hat to me. It started out as a size 6 3/4 Tan Bark Resistol Stagecoach.
Fantastic, again, Terry!
 

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