The Conversion Corral

[Tukwila]

Here's a Bradford, "Beaver 30", western that I finally got around to finishing up. It started out as a size 7 and I blocked it up to a 7 1/4. I started this project about 3-4 weeks ago but with my wife being sick and me having another flare up with back issues I was only able to work on it a little bit at a time. This was one stiff and stubborn hat to work on but I finally got through it. It sports a tall straight crown that's creased to my preferred teardrop with a tight pinch. It's 4 3/4 at the pinch with a rake sloping to 4 inches in the back. I cut the brim to 2 5/8 and flanged it on a Stratoliner replica brim flange. It has a matching 1 1/2 ribbon with a slight up-swoop to the bow work...

Darn fine, Terry. I love the rake, the flange. .. perfect!

 

[T Jones]

Darn fine, Terry. I love the rake, the flange. .. perfect!

Thank you, Tuk!

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Here's a Bradford, "Beaver 30", western that I finally got around to finishing up. It started out as a size 7 and I blocked it up to a 7 1/4. I started this project about 3-4 weeks ago but with my wife being sick and me having another flare up with back issues I was only able to work on it a little bit at a time. This was one stiff and stubborn hat to work on but I finally got through it. It sports a tall straight crown that's creased to my preferred teardrop with a tight pinch. It's 4 3/4 at the pinch with a rake sloping to 4 inches in the back. I cut the brim to 2 5/8 and flanged it on a Stratoliner replica brim flange. It has a matching 1 1/2 ribbon with a slight up-swoop to the bow work...

Love it, Terry. For a guy who didn’t like black hats you certainly have some nice ones.


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[T Jones]

Love it, Terry. For a guy who didn’t like black hats you certainly have some nice ones.


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Ha! Thank you Brent! Yeah, they're kinda growing on me.

 

[humanshoes]

Here's a Bradford, "Beaver 30", western that I finally got around to finishing up.

Another excellent example Terry. I've come to expect nothing less from the Conversion King.

 

[T Jones]

Another excellent example Terry. I've come to expect nothing less from the Conversion King.

Ha! Thank you, Rick! I gotta say, though, I always make a point to go through the Phoenix Hat Co. thread everytime I log in. There's a lot of good and interesting stuff there.

 

[milandro]

There are previous threads about this predicament, but they are all ancient and no longer contain any pictures ( which is a real shame because most comments are totally void of any significance when the images are gone).

Some time ago I have acquired a beautiful, vintage, Resistol Black Gold. Obviously a Western Rancher style hat with a 8cm wide brim and a 12cm high crown.

The hat has been worn but not abused and too very well to cleaning.

I don’t have too many chances to wear it “ as-is” and I thought it was a shame to keep it unused, which is the reason why I have advertised it here. However there has been no interest (yet) and I am asking myself whether to proceed with yet another adaptation, if not precisely a conversion or going all the way to convert this premium felt into something that it was not.

I understand that many collect hats which they don’t wear, but I don’t really have a way to display the hats and I really like to wear them.

So, I am looking for inspiration. I certainly would like to loose the cattleman crease. I have two hats already with it ( a Stetson Bar None 6 X where the huge 10 cm brim was cut to 8 cm ) and a Mexican summer hat made of stiffened cotton.

That’s more than enough that type of crease.

I have another Resistol model Ohio which I had had trimmed down to 8cm brim and the very tall and straight crown I have reshaped to a teardrop crease with a rather pronounced dome. The hat has still a rather western look but it is more wearable in an urban context.

If I go through with this conversion before anyone buys the hat off me, I was thinking whether to try to achieve a proper telescope shape on the crown lowering it as much as possible ( I would start from here) and perhaps have the brim cut down (something that I can’t do myself) to urbanize the look.

Does anyone have pictures of their successful and radical western conversions?
I would ask you to upload the pictures rather than paste the link to a hosting site since this way the pictures should stay and be part of the archives.

 

[T Jones]

There are previous threads about this predicament, but they are all ancient and no longer contain any pictures ( which is a real shame because most comments are totally void of any significance when the images are gone).

Some time ago I have acquired a beautiful, vintage, Resistol Black Gold. Obviously a Western Rancher style hat with a 8cm wide brim and a 12cm high crown.

The hat has been worn but not abused and too very well to cleaning.

I don’t have too many chances to wear it “ as-is” and I thought it was a shame to keep it unused, which is the reason why I have advertised it here. However there has been no interest (yet) and I am asking myself whether to proceed with yet another adaptation, if not precisely a conversion or going all the way to convert this premium felt into something that it was not.

I understand that many collect hats which they don’t wear, but I don’t really have a way to display the hats and I really like to wear them.

So, I am looking for inspiration. I certainly would like to loose the cattleman crease. I have two hats already with it ( a Stetson Bar None 6 X where the huge 10 cm brim was cut to 8 cm ) and a Mexican summer hat made of stiffened cotton.

That’s more than enough that type of crease.

I have another Resistol model Ohio which I had had trimmed down to 8cm brim and the very tall and straight crown I have reshaped to a teardrop crease with a rather pronounced dome. The hat has still a rather western look but it is more wearable in an urban context.

If I go through with this conversion before anyone buys the hat off me, I was thinking whether to try to achieve a proper telescope shape on the crown lowering it as much as possible ( I would start from here) and perhaps have the brim cut down (something that I can’t do myself) to urbanize the look.

Does anyone have pictures of their successful and radical western conversions?
I would ask you to upload the pictures rather than paste the link to a hosting site since this way the pictures should stay and be part of the archives.

'The Conversion Corral' has a ton of stuff in it that may interest you. Here's a few of my conversions...

Biltmore: it was originally a size 6 5/8 before I blocked it up to a 7 1/4 and converted it to a fedora...

After:

Resistol Stagecoach (tan color): this started out as a too small and moth eaten Stagecoach that I sized up and converted.

On the head:

Beaver Brand Western that I sized up and restyled: I also added a new ribbon and brim binding

Resistol Western that I converted to a thin ribbon Strat clone:

Bradford Western that I converted to, yet, another thin ribbon Strat clone:
It was originally the same western style as the Resistol above...

On the head:

Resistol 3X Western that I reblocked and restyled to a Montana Pinch crease with a more curled brim:

These are only just a few examples of the conversion projects I did.

 

[milandro]

Thanks! Very nice stuff.

What is the typical brim size and crown of your conversions (in cm)?
Did you bind the rim edge or those without a raw edge were always bound?



I have taken part to the mega-thread Conversion corral too.

However, as may other super-mega-threads, finding stuff in there isn’t very easy.
I am all for keeping things in one place, but if you use the search engine here you either get tones of results or very old threads ( title search). Most with expired links to the images. few examples

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/how-are-the-cowboy-conversions-done.28341/

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/thr...sion-gus-hat-to-fistful-of-dollars-hat.53982/
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/my-western-conversion-early-adam-executive-and-lock.42976/
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/western-conversion.35819/
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/vintage-resistol-dress-western-hats-conversion.17264/

 

[T Jones]

Thanks! Very nice stuff.

What is the typical brim size and crown of your conversions (in cm)?
Did you bind the rim edge or those without a raw edge were always bound?



I have taken part to the mega-thread Conversion corral too.

However, as may other super-mega-threads, finding stuff in there isn’t very easy.
I am all for keeping things in one place, but if you use the search engine here you either get tones of results or very old threads ( title search). Most with expired links to the images. few examples

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/how-are-the-cowboy-conversions-done.28341/

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/thr...sion-gus-hat-to-fistful-of-dollars-hat.53982/
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/my-western-conversion-early-adam-executive-and-lock.42976/
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/western-conversion.35819/
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/vintage-resistol-dress-western-hats-conversion.17264/

Thank you milandro.

The open crown heights for my conversions are typically a straight sided 5 3/4 inches and my brim widths are usually at 2 5/8 and at 2 3/4 inches. I don't have a conversion calculator handy to tell what those measurements are to cm.

 

[milandro]

5 3/4 = 14.605 cm ( very tall)
2 5/8= 6.66 cm
2 3/4 - 6.98

Thank you! The crown is probably taller than I would like for me.

As for the brim, 8 cm ( which I have now on 2 conversions) is plenty and I could certainly do with a little less. The sizes you use sound like a very good option for a later change of heart for example for my Stetson Bar None 6X.

I am still debating, with myself, whether I want to buy a brim cutter and which one would fit my needs (and bill).
Probably the best thing, for me, would be a 1/2” W&F which is not very expensive (since I don’t anticipate of cutting many brims). For the time being I have been availing myself of the services of a competent hat shop in the Netherlands.

I am still thinking what to do with the Resistol. In a way it would be a shame to convert it but in another better a conversion of an expensive and rare hat rather than keeping it in the closet and occasionally looking and feeling it.

I have been bumping my ad , maybe someone will come up with an offer.

Perhaps it would be possible to trade it with a brim cutter? I wonder.

 

[milandro]

One of the problems that I have encountered is reshaping the curve of the brim without a flange block.

I have tried many things.

A large bowl works well for stingy brims. Another thing was, believe it or not, an unused w.c. seat with a more or less fitting curve.

 

[T Jones]

One of the problems that I have encountered is reshaping the curve of the brim without a flange block.

I have tried many things.

A large bowl works well for stingy brims. Another thing was, believe it or not, an unused w.c. seat with a more or less fitting curve.

You're definitely going to have to invest in some tools if you want your conversion projects to look crisp . Proper tools like flanges, blocks, rounding jacks, foot tolikers, puller downers, pusher downers, band blocks etc...are only a few of the things you'll need just to be a serious hobbyist, not to mention that you'll also need to buy new sweat bands and ribbon. It may all seem overwhelming up front but it's definitely doable if you're patient enough and collect the things you need a little bit at a time. Start with a block and a flange in your size and go from there.

 

[milandro]

Cheers, I am trying to get there.

I have an oval and a cylinder block in my size with a stand (I have a perspex sort of block with a cattleman crease too).

I also have an electric stretcher which doubles as a adjustable block and of course as a stretching and somewhat ironing device.

Sweatbands can be bought when needed (I have needed it once for now) in the UK. Ribbons are easily available too.

I am looking at other things on the secondhand market but the market here in the NL is nowhere near as developed as it is in the US. Most of the few items for sale are for lady’s hats and only very occasionally something for gentlemen appears and is gone before you can blink twice.

The flange type is also an issue, depending on the result that I’d want to achieve and the hat, but yes, I will be needing one of those. I have as friend whom is into some woodwork and has the proper machinery he may be able to provide some assistance.

 

[jswindle2]

I looked around but couldn't really discover a satisfactory answer to this question. So, I figured this was the best place to ask. Is there a place I can find a good step by step instruction on how to sew a sweat into a hat? I'm very familiar with saddle stitching leather, but this appears to be something wholly different. If someone could do an instruction post here, that would be cool.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I looked around but couldn't really discover a satisfactory answer to this question. So, I figured this was the best place to ask. Is there a place I can find a good step by step instruction on how to sew a sweat into a hat? I'm very familiar with saddle stitching leather, but this appears to be something wholly different. If someone could do an instruction post here, that would be cool.

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/stitch-awl-tutorial-sweatband-installation.38010/


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[jswindle2]

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/stitch-awl-tutorial-sweatband-installation.38010/


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I appreciate the link man, but the pictures are horribly out of focus. Is there another option?

 

[milandro]

It is not that they are “ out of focus” the pictures have been removed by the hosting site where they were ( they were posted 10 years ago and probably their owner has removed the for photobucket) , so now what this is is the remnant trace but you can see the image “ out of focus” so to speak. This is why I wish people would attach pictures in their post rather than rely on an external hosting. If you post and upload a picture than it stays here.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I appreciate the link man, but the pictures are horribly out of focus. Is there another option?

Sorry, this is the only thread I now of. I’m sure that if you put in some effort you can find other threads.

Although there is a lot of information on hats in general (including repairs, etc.), please remember that The Lounge wasn’t intended as a clearinghouse for information on all things hat related.

Personally, I’ve decided to let the professionals do all my sweatband replacements. The small cost is worth it to avoid the frustration and to have it done right.


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[milandro]

Unfortunately, the situations in different parts of the world aren’t always comparable. We don’t all have the benefit of availing ourselves of people able or willing to do the work that needs to be done.

The closest shop that I have that can do anything for me would be at 75Km and very likely it would require two trips in order to bring and collect the hat (or spending at least €16 on top of whatever they would charge me).

I am afraid that these days for this and many other things Do It Yourself is not so much an option rather than being an imperative.

Soon there will be no one to repair shoes (which means that there will be no one to repair bags and leather coats too, shoemakers are the last bastion really).

When I was young , in Italy but also here in the NL and in England where I spent several years as a young man, every self respecting clothes shop would have an in-house service which would provide alterations free of charge. Shop attendants wore a tape measure around the neck and had chalk in their pockets to mark the things which needed being altered.

These days are, gone. Done and dusted.

I have briefly worked at A&N in Victoria St. in London I can assure you that it was every bit as in " Are you being served?”