The Resistol Roundup

[barrowjh]

KC Capellor, I would clean the exterior and visit a hatter to take the brim down to maybe 3 1/4 (no smaller than 3 inches!), but those are just my own preferences. Black is one tough color to deal with, every speck of dust that lands on it is a problem. I have yet to buy a black cowboy hat; don't want one, I believe the lighter colors are better for me and my gray hair, or what's left of it. You younger fellers can have the black hats, I leave 'em alone.

 

[KC Capellor]

barrowjh,
thanks, I agree soft black felt is mighty tough to keep clean in an outdoor working hat, and hot in warm weather! Here's how the hatband came out: I double-whipstiched some pieces of rattlesnake skin (left over from camo'ing a vintage hunting bow) onto a strip of soft calfskin with goatskin lace. I plan to sell it as it's a half size too small for me, otherwise I think I would cut the brim to about 3 1/4" as you suggest, because a few bad spots on brim edge and I really like the flat top/ smaller brim look in a western hat.

Uploaded with ImageShack.us


Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

[Landman]

Resistol San Antonio

I posted this a few days ago hoping to get an approximate age. Since nobody took a guess I thought I'd try again. Anybody have an idea of the date of the liner below? There are more pictures of the hat on the previous page. Thanks.

 

[KC Capellor]

Latest addition to my Resistol stingy brims: mid 1960's (from ads) Resistol 990 Kitten Finish 3X Beaver, charcoal/sable color, Cavanaugh type edge, brim 1 7/8", crown 5" open, front 4" as creased. Came to me like this - very dusty, original center dent crease, mangled feather:




Quickly gave her a brisk brushing, dampened the crown and gave it a teardrop pinch, made a new feather out of two old ones and voila:



Took reshaping nicely, (like the teardrop crown way better than the center dent) great looking and very comfortable stingy brim fedora, slightly heavier felt than my jade green 3X Beaver Kitten Finish Telstar (center background), same luxurious fine-suede-like finish. Ladyfriend likes it so all is swell - gotta love those resistol kittens! Now looking for vintage 707 jet pin to complete bow.

 

[KC Capellor]

Okay, one more before taxes go in: Arrived late this afternoon, 1950's? Resistol New Era 5X Beaver Kitten Finish dark brown, stock tag reads style New Era color Cinder price 20.00. Brim 1 7/8", Crown 5 1/2" open, 4" as creased, Ribbon 1 7/8" dark jade green grosgrain, very smoothly welted Cavanagh type edge.
Arrived very dusty with original single crease crown looking very tall and tapered. Vigorously brushed her off, gave a quick dry bash into teardrop and wore to dinner. Very comfortable on the noggin, super luxurious feel to Kitten Finish 5X felt, similar to my 3X KF's (background). Once again I find Resistol gives a very good run for the money in a fine vintage stingy-brim fedora. Before:






After:





Once again I feel the original tall center crease of these hats is out of proportion for their sub-2" brims, whereas a quick bash into a low teardrop or C crown gives a 40's flavored sharp pinched prow and swoopy gunboat side profile instead of a Homburg-like dome. And once again gotta love those Resistol kittens!

 

[Landman]

KC, another nice find. You have a great collection. I love the way your Dalworth turned out too.

 

[bowlerman]

nice ones, KC! I followed your lead and put a teardrop in mine.

not new, and i didn't wear it today, but new pic of new crease:

 

[KC Capellor]

Thank you guys, I am learning as I go, glad my Dad kept a few of his hats from around the time I was born and that got me started.
Now having hat fun with my son.

Cheers to all hat lovers!

 

[KC Capellor]

Landman, sorry no help on dating your SA. Looks nice! My Dalworth has the black sweatband and all white lining I assume is 1960's or early 70's. I would think your brown sweatband and beige liner are 1950's. "The Other Open Roads" thread has lots of good info and photos of Open Road clones.

 

[Landman]

Thanks KC. I was thinking mine was maybe 70's just because the size tag doesn't look like something you would expect in the 50's or 60's.

 

[MikePotts]

Resistol XXXXX Beaver

(Story in "Post New Hats Here - Barn finds" thread a couple of days ago)

MP

 

[barrowjh]

Oilskin tip 5X beaver - 1940s? unlikely any later than mid-1950s. Should be awesome felt, substantially beaver if not 100% beaver.

 

[MikePotts]

Oilskin tip 5X beaver - 1940s? unlikely any later than mid-1950s. Should be awesome felt, substantially beaver if not 100% beaver.

Yeah, it needs a cleaning really badly, I'm psyching myself up to dunk it in the naptha bucket this week-end. The felt is definitely the best I have, supple, buttery.........

MP

 

[bond]

Here is my newest and only 50-60s vintage 3x Resistol thin ribbon with brim binding. Color is a nice lt grey silverbelly. I love the felt quality of this hat. I put on a grey / green hook on ribbon just to change the look of it.

 

[KC Capellor]

Landman, see looks like your hat falls after the 50's brown sweatband/oilskin liner and before my late 60's black/white.
Bond, nice 3X!
MikePotts, Very nice 5X! When you soak these hats in naptha to clean or denatured alcohol to remove shellac to soften, how does it affect or how do you protect the leather sweatband?

Here is how my 990 3X KF and New Era 5X KF came out in profile with teardrop creases and vintage 707 and Connie pins:


Really liking the fit of the Cinder Brown 5X.

 

[bond]

You wear that stingy brim well KC.

 

[KC Capellor]

Thanks bond, steppin' out to dinner tonight on a beautiful but blustery afternoon in the 5X, then drying out after the sudden spring showers! Really liking the felt of this hat, holds a shape really well damp or dry.

 

[MikePotts]

Landman, see looks like your hat falls after the 50's brown sweatband/oilskin liner and before my late 60's black/white.
Bond, nice 3X!
MikePotts, Very nice 5X! When you soak these hats in naptha to clean or denatured alcohol to remove shellac to soften, how does it affect or how do you protect the leather sweatband?
is how my 990 3X KF and New Era 5X KF came out in profile with teardrop creases and vintage 707 and Connie pins:


Really liking the fit of the Cinder Brown 5X.

My apologies for the tardy reply KC. The naptha bath seems not to affect the sweat at all, certainly not in the short term. I DO make a point of treating the leather with some type of conditioner within a couple of days though.


MP

 

[bowlerman]

Here is my newest and only 50-60s vintage 3x Resistol thin ribbon with brim binding. Color is a nice lt grey silverbelly. I love the felt quality of this hat. I put on a grey / green hook on ribbon just to change the look of it.

Very nice, bond! I really like the new ribbon.

 

[Annixter]

I stopped by my local AMVETS thrift store today and couldn't believe what I found: my first Resitol. It's a brown "Kitten Finish" Beaver Fifteen in what was pretty rough shape. The pictures don't do it's filthy condition justice because the thing was so dirty--especially the liner--that I didn't even try it on for fit at the store. To add insult to the injury already done this fine hat, AMVETS rammed a price tag straight through the brim. The sweat-mud was so heavy, the liner so greasy, the sweatband so cracked, the ribbon so dirty and faded, and the general appearance so rough that I was doubtful I could bring it back to life as a daily beater, but at $5 I couldn't pass it up.

So after reading this thread I realized that a bath would destroy the gold in the liner label, but I had no other choice. I peeled off the only paper tag left under the sweatband, filled the wash bucket with cool water, and dunked away. I used shampoo liberally and a brush to go over everything. The liner cleaned up nicely, and in general the felt came back to life quite well, and I was able to smooth it out by hand. It's still drying, so I won't know until tomorrow, but I think the ribbon will show signs of fading. Other than two small moth nibbles and the AMVETS tag hole, the felt appears to be in excellent condition, and the Cavanagh edge is intact aside from one moth hole. The gold on the liner label detached and is now floating around in the cavity. The sweatband leather separated even more and has decent flaking at the back's edge. I think I should be able to stop the flaking with some glue to bypass having my local haberdasher replace the sweatband which I think would probably cost more than the hat is worth to me or anyone. I shaped it into a teardrop with a strong point in the front, and it looks great as it sits drying. I'll post the after pictures once it's cured. The good news is that it fits, although it's a bit snug (it's a 6-7/8 and I'm a 7-1/8) but works fine with the amount of slant I like.