The Open Road Guild

[GentlemanFarmer]

Watching eBay

Thanks Pilgrim. I in fact do get watch updates for both OR's and vintage Resistols from eBay. I then track them, mainly to watch the bidding and see where the prices go. I also watch for amusement. Occasionally a seller (like now) has a reserve of $150. Other times (like now) you can watch someone buy one an OR and at the same time put one up for auction. Busy, busy people. I'm afraid I'm done buying for the season. I have the sand/light beige OR and a light gray/ possibly dark silverbelly San Antonio that's about to be sent to Cleveland for a sweatband. I'd really like to get my hands on a black OR. I know I can get one new, but did they ever produce black ones that might be more vintage? I've yet to see one on eBay, an OR that is. Will have to find the time to snap some digital pics and post them. Anyone have any pointers for doing that?

 

[Rick Blaine]

Did'ja see this one?

http://http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8272727635&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1
$200 Wow... You would think it BELONGED to Bob Wills

 

[Hemingway Jones]

That is a beauty. I was tempted to buy it, but I have bought two hats and a suit in the last two weeks. I had to draw the line somewhere!!!

I would have paid up to $250 for that, though I wonder if it was reblocked.

 

[Pilgrim]

I've seen black Open Roads on Ebay, but not many of them, and they tend to sell for more $$ than most. If memory serves, I think most of them had black leather sweatbands, which I understand means they date from after 1970 or so.

There just don't seem to be very many of them - but they do appear from time to time.

 

[GentlemanFarmer]

Black OR

Thanks again Pilgrim. I'll keep watching. I can pick up a new black OR locally for around $120, but with summer coming I may get a straw OR for the warmer weather.

 

[RBH]

but with summer coming I may get a straw OR for the warmer weather.

GentlemanFarmer, check this site out, these folks are great to do bussiness with. I ordered me a straw O R from them [gave it the fedora bash]
Great service and fast too...
http://www.millerhats.com/stetson9e.htm

 

[GentlemanFarmer]

Straw OR

Thanks RBH. I've been to their website. I can purchase one locally for the same price and don't have to wait or pay shipping. I actually have a great western store about 5 minutes from the house. They have the standard OR for $120 ($125 for the black one) and the straw for $50. Of course those (felt) are the newer ones.

 

[maintcoder]

Membership application...

Here is a picture from yesterday evening enjoying a cigar with my tan Open Road fedora...

It was a wonderfully warm evening for early April in Seattle!

 

[Rick Blaine]

how to rebash STRAW OR?

GentlemanFarmer, check this site out, these folks are great to do bussiness with. I ordered me a straw O R from them [gave it the fedora bash]
Great service and fast too...
http://www.millerhats.com/stetson9e.htm

Thanks for the link.
Tell me tho' how hard & what is involved w/ rebashing the strawinto a fedora?
hot dawg... I may have found my summer lid, at last!

Thanks
RB

 

[RBH]

Hey RB here is a pic of my rebashed straw O R....

<a href="http://imageshack.us"><img src="http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/6923/strawor2ge.jpg" border="0" width="320" alt="Image Hosted by ImageShack.us" /></a>

It by no means looks like a store bought bash, but it serves me well. I wear it around town, working in the garden ect.
All I did was fill the crown up with hot water and let it soak till the straw was softer [the O R straw is really stiff] then I put the shape to it. I also wore the hat till most of the water had dried out. I did not want it to shrink up on me.

 

[RBH]

Hey Maintcoder

Great hat and great pic!
Thanks for posting..

 

[Kaleponi Craig]

Here is a picture from yesterday evening enjoying a cigar with my tan Open Road fedora...

It was a wonderfully warm evening for early April in Seattle!

So that's where all of your rain has gone, here in San Francisco!

Great looking OR!!...KC

 

[Rick Blaine]

Thanks RBH

Hey RB here is a pic of my rebashed straw O R....

It by no means looks like a store bought bash, but it serves me well. I wear it around town, working in the garden ect.
All I did was fill the crown up with hot water and let it soak till the straw was softer [the O R straw is really stiff] then I put the shape to it. I also wore the hat till most of the water had dried out. I did not want it to shrink up on me.

Lookin' good!

 

[maintcoder]

Thanks gentlemen! The rain is supposed to return Sunday, so I plan on enjoying the evenings while I can.

 

[TomMason]

Straw Open Road

Looks good. Will any of the professionals take a crack at it?

BTW just scored this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8273843239

It doesn't have a lining, but I think I can take care of it. My fourth OR - probably small potatoes but fun. I love the history and the look.

 

[jamespowers]

Looks good. Will any of the professionals take a crack at it?

BTW just scored this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8273843239

It doesn't have a lining, but I think I can take care of it. My fourth OR - probably small potatoes but fun. I love the history and the look.

You have an interesting hat there if it is in good condition. A 7X was not a cheap hat. The felt and trimings were very nice. I can see it in the sweatband. That hat cost $50 in the early fifties so you did well. I think Kat in Hat mentioned that would cost $364 in today's dollars. So you got a real bargain there.

Regards,

J

 

[thefedorastore]

Open Road Available

Hat is gone. Don't need it dated. Thanks.

 

[thefedorastore]

Open Road Available

Hat is gone. Don't need it dated. Thanks.

 

[Rick Blaine]

1962 CAVANAGH 7 3/8,Paltan Derringer O.R. style

Just obtained this number

also found here;http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8273911349&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1 and was Hoping someone might know if '62 is a correct date & is this an uncommon find? and of course, I hope now to be eligible for guild membership...
Seriously tho' I am going to do my best to rebash this into a tasty fedora... any suggestions as to band/ ribbon replacement & so on gratefully accepted...


Here's looking at you,

Rick

 

[GentlemanFarmer]

Crown crease

Whoever owned it last changed the crease from an Alpine/Dress Alpine (Cattleman's) crease to a Cutter's crease by adding that little push-out in the middle of the side dent on each side as seen in the second eBay photo. There are more cowboy shapes than you can shake a stick at. For more go to:

www.thehatstore.com/thehatstore/shapesp1.html

I could be wrong, but is the brim edge bound with a ribbon? It looks so thick and the same color too, like it's felt-bound. Looks like you get to put whatever hatband you want on it though. Should make a dandy lid.