The Open Road Guild

[Fivesense]

I've got the OR Royal Deluxe in the sage & the natural color. It is sort of like the Road Master that came out a few years back, definitely darker than the regular silverbelly. I don't consider the band & brim binding that contrasting tho.

To confirm, the natural is more of a moderately darker color than the silverbelly? Are the textures the same? I'm trying to decide between both.

 

[Fivesense]

For those who have the Open Road (or similar fedora style hat) in Sage, what are your general impressions?

I'm back and forth between choosing silverbelly or sage and will probably end up with both eventually. But sage is pretty appealing for me as a 3 season hat. All the images I see of sage show it to be a bit of a chameleon depending upon the lighting.

 

[J Williams]

For those who have the Open Road (or similar fedora style hat) in Sage, what are your general impressions?

I'm back and forth between choosing silverbelly or sage and will probably end up with both eventually. But sage is pretty appealing for me as a 3 season hat. All the images I see of sage show it to be a bit of a chameleon depending upon the lighting.

I don't have one in sage but I have definitely had my eye on it. If I hadn't started down the vintage OR path I probably would have bought one. Instead of going with a sage I'm actually having an OR inspired hat made by Gannon in Dark Moss. My suggestion is get the sage in the RD quality it's a little different and it seems 95% of the vintage ORs are silverbelly or tan.

 

[RossRYoung]

+1 on the moderne royal deluxe Sage suggestion. I love mine and it was my first fedora hat, and similarly I favored it over SB. But it didn’t take long before I added SB and tan! There’s also a bunch of examples in the Green Machine thread.

 

[Fivesense]

I don't have one in sage but I have definitely had my eye on it. If I hadn't started down the vintage OR path I probably would have bought one. Instead of going with a sage I'm actually having an OR inspired hat made by Gannon in Dark Moss. My suggestion is get the sage in the RD quality it's a little different and it seems 95% of the vintage ORs are silverbelly or tan.

Thank you for your response. I am definitely leaning sage now. I know what the silverbelly looks like and I will likely get one of those too.

I do want to go the vintage route at some point but I'm not quite sure where to start. My "unique" head size probably means I just have to be ultra patient and then strike when something pops up. Otherwise, I'll have to search the threads here to see how best to get started down the vintage path.

 

[Fivesense]

+1 on the moderne royal deluxe Sage suggestion. I love mine and it was my first fedora hat, and similarly I favored it over SB. But it didn’t take long before I added SB and tan! There’s also a bunch of examples in the Green Machine thread.

Thanks, Ross. After sage, I'll try to hunt down a Natural.

 

[J Williams]

Thank you for your response. I am definitely leaning sage now. I know what the silverbelly looks like and I will likely get one of those too.

I do want to go the vintage route at some point but I'm not quite sure where to start. My "unique" head size probably means I just have to be ultra patient and then strike when something pops up. Otherwise, I'll have to search the threads here to see how best to get started down the vintage path.

It's not as hard as you think, especially if you are willing to pay what you would for a new hat. Most of the vintage hats at the higher price point are in excellent condition and still about the same as a new one. Usually quite a few buy it now options. This has been a particularly dry month for ORs on ebay and I still managed to get 2! Both from the 50's one at a steal price that needs to be cleaned up and one at around $200.00 that's in pretty mint condition. They are both 7 3/8 Long Ovals. You could also try posting a WTB in the classifieds as some of the collectors around here may be willing to part with one and even members with competing sizes seem to be very helpful, they certainly have been with me.

 

[J Williams]

+1 on the moderne royal deluxe Sage suggestion. I love mine and it was my first fedora hat, and similarly I favored it over SB. But it didn’t take long before I added SB and tan! There’s also a bunch of examples in the Green Machine thread.

But how do you favor it over your 50's 7X ?

 

[RossRYoung]

But how do you favor it over your 50's 7X ?

I literally own 4 hats, two modern RD OR’s, the 7X and a 60’s Royal stingy brim OR ‘clone’. The vintage felt is no comparison but I do love both modern ORs. Different beasts but not a care in the world for wearing the moderns out and traveling. They both are getting marked/scuffed up a little which I’m totally fine with. My 7X is going to grave with me though, fits the best, feels the best and looks the best. The 60s Royal is also very nice but a little oversized, I’ll be posting it soon ‘For Trade’ as id like to replace it with a vintage ‘Young’s’ hat for obvious reasons

 

[Fivesense]

+1 on the moderne royal deluxe Sage suggestion. I love mine and it was my first fedora hat, and similarly I favored it over SB. But it didn’t take long before I added SB and tan! There’s also a bunch of examples in the Green Machine thread.

Where is the Green Machine thread? I couldn't find it using the search feature.

* Never mind. Found it. https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/the-green-machine.32764/page-32#post-2522688

 

[Fivesense]

I just received my silver belly Open Road 6X. I'm rather pleased with the texture; it's not quite as stiff as I anticipated, based on some comments I read over in Western, Anyone?

The silver belly is quite a nice color, a slight bit more muted than my Skyline cowboy in silver belly.

I'm eager to compare this to my incoming Open Road Royal Deluxe in sage. Pics soon to follow (not that anyone here is unfamiliar with the Open Road)!

 

[Fivesense]

Is there a trick to evening out the cattleman's crease? The two top "ridges" are often slightly uneven (one higher than the other by about an 1/8"). If this is common with all Open Roads, I can let it go. But I've got a touch of OCD when it comes to shaping my hats.

 

[Fivesense]

I just received my silver belly Open Road 6X. I'm rather pleased with the texture; it's not quite as stiff as I anticipated, based on some comments I read over in Western, Anyone?

The silver belly is quite a nice color, a slight bit more muted than my Skyline cowboy in silver belly.

I'm eager to compare this to my incoming Open Road Royal Deluxe in sage. Pics soon to follow (not that anyone here is unfamiliar with the Open Road)!

Well, with a twist anyway...

 

[DaveProc]

Stetson Twenty-Five Open Road.

 

[Just Daniel]

It will be a while before I pick this one up at my brother’s place in the US.

It has a lot going on - Last Drop Liner with no plastic or oil skin, and the liner seam to the right rather than centered. Stars on the sweat crest. Marked 7X Open Road.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

It will be a while before I pick this one up at my brother’s place in the US.

It has a lot going on - Last Drop Liner with no plastic or oil skin, and the liner seam to the right rather than centered. Stars on the sweat crest. Marked 7X Open Road.



View attachment 184004 View attachment 184005 View attachment 184006 View attachment 184007 View attachment 184008

Wow! Open Roads don’t come any nicer!


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[J Williams]

Wow you are on a 7X roll. Can you find me one next?

 

[milandro]

Well, I am not so sure that I deserve the membership in the open road fraternity but here goes my story.I have always been an open road lover even before I knew that this type of hat was called open road. As a kid, I remember president Johnson and every time there was something to do with him or Texas in the news or on telly there were lots of other people with open roads. Of course growing up I always spotted the hat in movies and loved it.
Some 20 years ago I started wearing (as my father always did) hats on a day by day base and at some point I bought a Stetson. But living in Europe buying an open road is not an easy task unless you want to go the on line way ( Stetson only imports in Europe, or has made by other companies, models that aren’t all that typically western...in the NL where I live, the name “ Stetson” has come to be a synonym for “ Western Styled Hat” and is often applied to hats that aren’t Stetson at all).
I first I bought an Italian hard felt hat made by Tacchino (Alessandria) and I bought a sort of perspex block with a cattleman crease. I steamed the hat and gave it the desired crease. Then I replaced the ribbon with one of my own making using a thin leather belt for ladies.
I was rather happy about my conversion.
But few days after I cam across a new Stetson Silverbelly 6x Bar None model. It is very rare to find such a hat, and new, in the NL so I bought it.
It was obviously too big a rim to be worn as a normal hat in the city here. So I found a friendly shop in Utrecht, “ Jos van Dijk” where the owner mr. Francesco Baldi, had the know-how, and the will (along with his grandfather’s brim cutter), to assist me. I went to his shop and we decided for a brim a little wider than the typical open road ( just shy of 7cm) and, from a 11cm the brim has been brought to 8cm. He did it and I am very happy about the result. A hat which is wearable in town and at the same time keeps the western roots without necessarily say that I am a wannabe urban cow boy.

 

[Frunobulax]

View attachment 184014 View attachment 184015 Well, I am not so sure that I deserve the membership in the open road fraternity but here goes my story.

I have always been an open road lover even before I knew that this type of hat was called open road. As a kid, I remember president Johnson and every time there was something to do with him or Texas in the news or on telly there were lots of other people with open roads. Of course growing up I always spotted the hat in movies and loved it.

Some 20 years ago I started wearing (as my father always did) hats an a day by day base and at some point I bought a Stetson. But living in Europe ( where Stetson only imports, or has made by other companies), models that aren’t all that typically western (in the NL where I live, the name “ Stetson” has come to be a synonym for “ Western Styled Hat” and is often applied to hats that aren’t Stetson at all).

So I settled down for whatever I could find and wore my hats away for some time until I discovered the possibility to buy and modify hats.

So first I bought an Italian hard felt hat made by Tacchino (Alessandria) and I bought a sort of perspex block with a cattleman crease. I steamed the hat and gave it the desired crease. Then I replaced the ribbon for one of my making using a thin leather belt for ladies.

I was rather happy about my conversion.

But few days after I cam across a new Stetson Silverbelly 6x Bar None model. It is very rare to find such a hat, and new, in the NL so I bought it.

It was obviously too big a rim to be worn as a normal hat in the city here. So I found a friendly shop in Utrecht, “ Jos van Dijk” where the owner mr. Francesco Baldi, had the know-how, and will (along with his grandfather’s brim cutter), to assist me.

So I went to his shop and we decided for a brim a little wider than the typical open road ( just shy of 7cm) and, from a 11cm the brim has been brought to 8cm. He did it and I am very happy about the result. A hat which is wearable in town and at the same time keeps the western roots without necessarily say that I am a wannabe urban cow boy.

Very nice hats and good conversions. However, an Open Road has certain characteristics these don't have.

To be an OR or OR clone, it needs to be a squarely blocked, thin ribbon, open crown somewhere between 5.5" and 6", with a bound brim about 2.75"- 3.25".

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[deadlyhandsome]

View attachment 184014 View attachment 184015 Well, I am not so sure that I deserve the membership in the open road fraternity but here goes my story.

I have always been an open road lover even before I knew that this type of hat was called open road. As a kid, I remember president Johnson and every time there was something to do with him or Texas in the news or on telly there were lots of other people with open roads. Of course growing up I always spotted the hat in movies and loved it.

Some 20 years ago I started wearing (as my father always did) hats an a day by day base and at some point I bought a Stetson. But living in Europe ( where Stetson only imports, or has made by other companies), models that aren’t all that typically western (in the NL where I live, the name “ Stetson” has come to be a synonym for “ Western Styled Hat” and is often applied to hats that aren’t Stetson at all).

So I settled down for whatever I could find and wore my hats away for some time until I discovered the possibility to buy and modify hats.

So first I bought an Italian hard felt hat made by Tacchino (Alessandria) and I bought a sort of perspex block with a cattleman crease. I steamed the hat and gave it the desired crease. Then I replaced the ribbon for one of my making using a thin leather belt for ladies.

I was rather happy about my conversion.

But few days after I cam across a new Stetson Silverbelly 6x Bar None model. It is very rare to find such a hat, and new, in the NL so I bought it.

It was obviously too big a rim to be worn as a normal hat in the city here. So I found a friendly shop in Utrecht, “ Jos van Dijk” where the owner mr. Francesco Baldi, had the know-how, and will (along with his grandfather’s brim cutter), to assist me.

So I went to his shop and we decided for a brim a little wider than the typical open road ( just shy of 7cm) and, from a 11cm the brim has been brought to 8cm. He did it and I am very happy about the result. A hat which is wearable in town and at the same time keeps the western roots without necessarily say that I am a wannabe urban cow boy.

We spend a lot of time classifying hats. Purist believe that Stetson that in every way match the specifications of the Open Road (OR) cannot be called as such if they are not labeled “Open Road.” Perhaps they are technically right.

Your hats are great. I’ve trimmed down the brims of western hats to fit my taste better too. The results don’t turn a Stetson Rancher into an OR, but they do make them more wearable (for me).


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