The Conversion Corral

[bond]

Heres a nice Stetson Hburg felt that Iam resizing and converting to a whippet style fedora, Actually has dated price tag of what looks like 1949 .

 

[bond]

Was planning to do a brim binding until I came up with this ribbon now not so sure about the binding ?
Any suggestions ?

 

[bond]

Ended up with a 1" brown ribbon as I liked this look with the bash and sort of a pencil curl brim edge rather than a binding, reminds me of a nice Borsalino with emphasis on the taller crown. Amazing how dirty this hat was as the color of the felt is much redder than than brown before cleaning.

 

[g.durand]

bond--very nice work.

 

[bond]

Thank you Sir.

 

[DOGMAN]

Another great hat,bond.How did you do the edge curl?Do you have a tool to do it?

 

[bond]

Thank you. No tool dogman I used my hands and a little water sprayed on to felt. Lay the hat flat on a table and just keep rotating it and working the felt with the thumb to get it right. Takes time and I do a little at a time over a couple of days until the felt takes.

 

[bond]

Hard to believe this Borso didn't sell on eBay for 79. so i decided to keep it and change it up to fit.I really like the 50s quality felt so I bumped the size to a7 3/8 LO from a 7 1/4. I wanted to add more ht off of the brim and got another 1/4 in ht to the crown ,the brim still ended up at 2 1/2 . Also added a simple wrap ribbon in charcoal.

 

[hatophile]

Nice job on those 2 Bond!

 

[DOGMAN]

Here is a Stetson 4x size 7 I did for my wife last christmas.It started out with a 6 1/4" crown,3 1/2" brim.Now crown front 4 3/4",back 3 3/4",brim 2 1/2",ribbon 1 1/2" black with ivory stripe in keeper.We have 7 dogs and when she picks the yard we say she is on poop patrol.So I named her hat-The Yard Officer-

 

[mikespens]

Nice job DOG, and I know all about poop patrol.......

 

[bond]

Good job D man. I give you credit for wrangling those 4xs.
Here is my first ever Wormser hburg that I just converted. Felt is very mice quality and has a nice hand to it the brim is very pliable.For got to take a before pic so here's the finished pic only added brim binding and rebashed crown. Everything else is original. Color of brim binding is exactly same color that was originally on

 

[Geldoc]

Really nice work, Bond. This goes to show that not all homberg conversions look the same.

 

[hatophile]

Dogman,

It's nice to know we're not the only ones with 7 dogs out there! Poop patrol is indeed an ongoing chore!

Nice job on conversions Bond.

 

[bond]

Thanks guys. This one was nice to do as it has a 6" crown ht and felt is un like a hburg felt.
Getting better at stitching the binding on as its now taking me about a 1 1/2 hrs with a couple of breaks.

 

[DOGMAN]

Thanks,mikespens,bond.Yes hatophile it is the never ending chore.But I love my dogs which makes it all worthwhile.When I tell some poeple we have 7 dogs,I think they think I'm crazy.....maybe a little...

 

[Dan Allen]

I recently received the Resistol beaver 100 that I had sent to Falcon Park to be converted to a "civilian" hat. It was a nine dollar purchase that was so dirty I thought it was brown. the sweat band was gone but the felt was just amazing. I have since spoken with some of the original owners family and was told that it was owned by a construction company owner and was presented to his by employees as a gift in the early fifties and was worn by him daily till he died thirty years later. They wondered where the hat went, I felt a little bad for having it but I was assured that it was ok.

 

[bond]

Nice Resistol . Would love to have a beaver 100 of that vintage.
Good score .

 

[Dan Allen]

Were it not for a sweat band so brittle that I was afraid to stare too hard , it would have been kept original. As the owners name was embossed on the band and it was sold locally I was able to track down the family, Again- the felt is just amazing.

 

[ManofKent]

Dan - that's beautiful. Great job on the restoration.