The Conversion Corral

[DOGMAN]

scottyrocks,thanks.Joao,not lost.I think It died as a western and was reborn a fedora.

 

[RJR]

I agree,Chuck,great save.

 

[Joao Encarnado]

Still lost to my eyes...
I do not want to say it died to me. Lost is better.

 

[rogerstg]

Got my Nutria conversion done.This is really great felt to work with.It had a rough start but it turned out pretty good.

Beautiful conversion and I really like the bow.

 

[DOGMAN]

Thanks,rogerstg.Really like making the bows.

 

[bond]

Sharp looking Nutria Dman!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jswindle2]

I have my eye on a beautiful Stetson No.1 Quality cattleman's crease and I was wondering if you guys would convert a No.1 quality hat or if it's too good of a hat to touch? Would you guys cut it or leave it alone?

 

[Joao Encarnado]

I would leave it alone.
But I know that Dogman and bond (and many many others) will say to trim the brim as you like.

 

[humanshoes]

Fine conversion there Dog. I think it was probably always a fedora that happened to be born in the wrong body.

 

[DOGMAN]

Thanks,bond.You know humanshoes I think you are probably correct.The hat just seems much more happy as a fedora.About that No.1 quality,do with it what you will.If you would wear it more converted then do it.I will say I have a 50's 7X clear beaver with the box that I got to convert.I decided not to.

 

[T Jones]

D-MAN, that is one nice conversion! I like that!

Here's a Western hat conversion I did that I wasn't too awfully satisfied with the first time around. I wanted the crown to be a bit straighter with a Center Dent and tighter pinch. I also flanged the brim to make it more fedora like. I'll put a thin ribbon back on it once the hat dries. Not sure what style of thin ribbon I'll do yet...hat still drying

Some Rock A Billy with Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps

 

[gtdean48]

I have my eye on a beautiful Stetson No.1 Quality cattleman's crease and I was wondering if you guys would convert a No.1 quality hat or if it's too good of a hat to touch? Would you guys cut it or leave it alone?

You buy it = you own it. Do with it as you like. I'm not a hat historian or collector. I'm a hat wearer. If I buy one, I'm going to do what I want to it so I'll wear it. If not, why bother?

 

[jswindle2]

I have every intent on wearing the hat. I guess I was just asking if it they are an especially valuable or collectible. I'm thinking of converting it to a Open Road clone (minus the ribbon edge).

 

[gtdean48]

I have every intent on wearing the hat. I guess I was just asking if it they are an especially valuable or collectible. I'm thinking of converting it to a Open Road clone (minus the ribbon edge).

If you'll wear it in the original state, then don't convert it. Is it more valuable to you as is or as a felt body to make something even more valuable to you?

 

[Joao Encarnado]

I was just asking if it they are an especially valuable or collectible. I'm thinking of converting it to a Open Road clone (minus the ribbon edge).

It depends on the person.
For me any hat that got it's brim trimmed for less than 3" brim looses all the value so they became a hat with no value for me, being vintage or modern and I "classify" them as a loss.
For others a hat with a brim bigger than 2.5" brim have no value and convert them to something that is more valuable for them.

 

[T Jones]

I have my eye on a beautiful Stetson No.1 Quality cattleman's crease and I was wondering if you guys would convert a No.1 quality hat or if it's too good of a hat to touch? Would you guys cut it or leave it alone?

What's the hat look like? Do you have a picture of it? I like both Westerns and Fedoras. When I get a Western that has a tapered up crown and a taco brim, I reblock and recrease the crown to make it straighter and I reshape the brim so it doesn't rise up so high on the sides. If I like it after I put it on, I leave it Western. If I don't, I convert it to a Fedora.

Resistol 3X Before:

Resistol 3X After: with a Diamond crease that I'm not particularly fond of. But, it worked in this case.

Resistol Stagecoach: that I reworked and left Western

Here's a Stetson Nutria that my good friend, John Galt, converted from a Western and gave to me. (The brim had some issues, hence the conversion to save it)...

Before:

After:

Resistol Stagecoach conversion:

Another Resistol Stagecoach conversion:

Another Resistol Stagecoach that I left Western after reworking it and changing out the ribbon:

I'm currently reworking another conversion.

 

[T Jones]

Back to the sewing board... I changed out the ribbon on my most recent rework of an older conversion. I went with a darker thin ribbon and added a Campaign style bow.

As it looked when I originally bought it.

After the conversion:
The stitching is hidden on the bow work...

Before: the ribbon I switched out

Some Honky Tonk from Hank Locklin

 

[Bamaboots]

TJones, that looks really good and Hank ain't bad either.

 

[T Jones]

TJones, that looks really good and Hank ain't bad either.

Thanks buddy. Gotta love Hank. One of Honky Tonk's greatest.

 

[RJR]

Back to the sewing board... I changed out the ribbon on my most recent rework of an older conversion. I went with a darker thin ribbon and added a Campaign style bow.

The stitching is hidden on the bow work...

Before: the ribbon I switched out

Some Honky Tonk from Hank Locklin

I really like that Campaign Hat bow and the color contrast.