The Open Road Guild

[cookie]

Some shots of a Pristine OR that I got a few weeks ago.

Prize for best bash of 2010?

 

[BanjoMerlin]

DRB I need to make an inquiry as to the appropriate color name. It looks alot like "fawn"??. The color shown in the picture is near identical to the hat's color. I'm not sure though what Stetson calls this color...will try to find out.

Could be "Estes Tan"

 

[gtdean48]

Prize for best bash of 2010?

I'll second that nomination!

 

[rlk]

Nice color. Seems an unusually high up-kick on the ribbon but I like it.:eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[Cane Rod Maker]

Estes Tan

Confirmed, "Estes Tan"
Thanks for the compliments!

Could be "Estes Tan"

 

[John in Covina]

Checking for info.

On older hats sometimes there is a "tag" with what is considered re-order information on it. It may have the color listed or a color code number listed if there is a tag tucked behind the leather sweatband.

 

[frussell]

Unless your photos are much darker,

I wouldn't call that Estes Tan. I've always seen Estes Tan as more like Akubra's version of Silverbelly. Your OR looks like a mid brown or fawn of some kind. Nice hat either way. Frank

 

[jlee562]

How easy/hard would it be to re-shape a new modern, Stetson Open Road? I don't like the cattleman's crease.

 

[Mr E Train]

How easy/hard would it be to re-shape a new modern, Stetson Open Road? I don't like the cattleman's crease.

Probably not very easy because the crease is blocked into the hat at the factory and modern Open Roads are very stiff. If you want a fedora crease it would be much easier to get a Campdraft and shape it the way you want it.

 

[theinterchange]

Probably not very easy because the crease is blocked into the hat at the factory and modern Open Roads are very stiff. If you want a fedora crease it would be much easier to get a Campdraft and shape it the way you want it.

There's also Akubra's Boss of the Plains. The Brim is unbound, though. Nice looking hat in my book.

Randy

 

[Mr E Train]

It is nice looking, but that's a whole lotta hat.

 

[BanjoMerlin]

How easy/hard would it be to re-shape a new modern, Stetson Open Road? I don't like the cattleman's crease.

Not real tough if you use steam. You have to punch out the crease and use steam to get rid of all of the "folds" (you'll see them and know what I mean) then proceed to give it the desired crease - again using steam to encourage the hat to do what you want.

The key is to completely get rid of the original crease and only work on small sections at a time. I use a big soup ladle on the inside and a really big spoon on the outside. Also helps to let the hat rest a day before putting in the new crease to be sure it really has forgotten the original shape.

Then again, maybe it isn't that easy without the proper tools - I've done it so many times maybe it just seems easy. I've never met a western hat that really wanted to be re-creased and the new ORs are more like western hats to me.

 

[Mr E Train]

Not real tough if you use steam. You have to punch out the crease and use steam to get rid of all of the "folds" (you'll see them and know what I mean) then proceed to give it the desired crease - again using steam to encourage the hat to do what you want.

The key is to completely get rid of the original crease and only work on small sections at a time. I use a big soup ladle on the inside and a really big spoon on the outside. Also helps to let the hat rest a day before putting in the new crease to be sure it really has forgotten the original shape.

Then again, maybe it isn't that easy without the proper tools - I've done it so many times maybe it just seems easy. I've never met a western hat that really wanted to be re-creased and the new ORs are more like western hats to me.

I completely agree with BanjoMerlin that you should get a Campdraft.

 

[theinterchange]

It is nice looking, but that's a whole lotta hat.

Haha true!

But, come to think of it, I believe that since they've been updating EA's site the specs have been updated. Could be wrong.

Randy

 

[jlee562]

Probably not very easy because the crease is blocked into the hat at the factory and modern Open Roads are very stiff. If you want a fedora crease it would be much easier to get a Campdraft and shape it the way you want it.

Yeah, I was deliberating about the Campdraft as well, but in the Akubra thread, it was mentioned that the modern Open Roads have slightly smaller specs, being on the shorter side and having a thin build, I was thinking that a slightly smaller hat would look better on me.

 

[theinterchange]

Yeah, I was deliberating about the Campdraft as well, but in the Akubra thread, it was mentioned that the modern Open Roads have slightly smaller specs, being on the shorter side and having a thin build, I was thinking that a slightly smaller hat would look better on me.

I know a short/thinner guy who looks better in wider brimmed hats than I do. [I'm a hair under 6'1", medium build] I think that most of the problem would be in the crown height, which as you know is easily worked around with a deeper center treatment.

Plus, if all else fails, you can easily sell a Campdraft here if you don't like it.

Randy

 

[DougC]

How easy/hard would it be to re-shape a new modern, Stetson Open Road? I don't like the cattleman's crease.

Okay--must be pretty easy. I bought a brand new one and kept it stock. A week later I bought another brand new one and told the hatter to put a tear drop in it. Left for the office and came back after lunch (about an hour later) and it was done. Now, if I had tried to do it myself, it wouldn't have looked as great...and it would have taken WAY TOO LONG!!!

Of course, my office is right across the hatter's store--very dangerous for me!

 

[BanjoMerlin]

Okay--must be pretty easy. I bought a brand new one and kept it stock. A week later I bought another brand new one and told the hatter to put a tear drop in it. Left for the office and came back after lunch (about an hour later) and it was done. Now, if I had tried to do it myself, it wouldn't have looked as great...and it would have taken WAY TOO LONG!!!

Of course, my office is right across the hatter's store--very dangerous for me!

Oh yeah. If you have the right equipment and experience reshaping a hat is a quick job. Maybe 10 minutes if you don't have a backlog.

 

[thebroker]

New Black OR

I have been looking for a good Open Road for quite some time now, but can't seem to procure one on eBay. Just a few days ago I decided I'd break down and order a new one even though the new production models are of inferior quality. However, tonight, I decided to drive down to Pigeon Forge, TN for dinner, and when I passed by a Western Wear store that carries hats, I decided to stop in. When I pulled into the parking lot, I noticed "Going Out Of Business" on their marquis. Several months ago, I found a Black Open Road there, but it was much too small. After sifting through the hats remaining in the store, I stumbled across a beautiful black Open Road...I was certain it was the one I spotted months ago, but was delighted to see it was in fact a different one, this one in 7 5/8. I'm normally a 7 3/8, but I tried it on, and it fit. It fit so well, in fact, that I think it may actually be mis-labeled. At any rate, it was already marked down, and then the owner of the store offered me an additional 30% off. Needless to say, it went home with me. I love the look of the black Open Roads. I'm not sure what year it was made, but it feels like a much better quality hat than the brand new ORs I have handled.

 

[thebroker]

I loved the black OR so much that I ordered a new one in silverbelly, too. It came today, and i'll post pictures soon. It's obvious, though, that the silverbelly hat, which is new production, isn't nearly as high quality as the black one, which, best I can tell, had been sitting on the shelf for twenty years.