The Resistol Roundup

[Mystic]

I was quoted from 2008 regarding this hat, a Resistol "Pacesetter", Self Conforming Melorol hat. It is price marked $10.95, and is NEW OLD STOCK (NOS).


As far as the "Melorol" label, I believe this refers to the fit of the leather sweatband, and not the felt edge. This hat certainly does not have any "mello" feeling to the "snap" of the brim. It is a very crisp
snap which I have noted on some of my "1950's" hats. I believe this particular hat is either very late 40's or early 50's. It is not anywhere near the chintzy sweatband and lesser quality felts which appeared as
the hat industry moved into the declining era of the 60's.

As the accompanying photo shows of the original "owners manual" inside the sweatband, the "Self Conforming" sweatband is touted to conform to any head shape, be it regular, or long oval, etc.
Having a "long oval" shape, I know the discomfort in wearing a properly sized , but ill shaped oval hat. This hat actually does "conform" and I believe the sweatband leather is cut in such a way that
it "conforms" to your head shape..and in fact "is mellow" in how it rolls about your head.

There is nothing to this hat (or in the varied pictures above in other posts) which lead me to believe the "Melorol" has anything to do with the edge or brim of the hat. It is neither mellow, nor does
it "roll". It is standard, very high quality, normal felt.

BUT as they say, who knows..I was not there back in the day so I can only speculate. I think this is my good guess however.

Very nice Pacesetter, Andy. And, very well said on the Melorol issue. I agree 100%. Wish I could have been that clear.

As an added thought but not to make it sound as though Resistol took the Melorol name from Borden's Mel0rol ice cream. However, in the ad shown by Alan Mel0rol ice cream was so name because of the ice cream being wrapped in a roll and packaged in a way as to ensure the best quality ice cream.

Sounds much like your description of Resistol's sweatband "wrapping" around the head and giving the best quality fit.

I'm with you on Melorol being a sweatband feature and not a brim or felt feature.

 

[Mystic]

Wow! Mystic and Andy! Two beautiful specimen!

Thank you.

 

[Andykev]

Thank you for the comments. I was extremely lucky to find this hat. Actually there were two. A gorgeous chocolate brown "Twin" to this one, which is a very nice Blue-grey. Both hats were "NOS", with all the paper tags, and "owners manual" inside. Each hat came from an old hat shop in San Francisco. The purchaser hit a treasure chest in old ribbons, tools, and equipment. There were also "leftover" unsold hats. These were two of the cream of the crop. The owner of the chocolate brown is none other than MK, the founder of this Fedora Lounge.

I have not worn this hat other than to try it on. This post caused me to dig into the "Hat Vault". I have some real "gems" which I had forgotten about. I open a hat box and "wow I forgot about this one" kind of thing.

Still, my BEST vintage hat is a McLaughlin Silver Beaver Fifty. I have two of these. A gray and a delightful creamy coffee brown. They are super duper, the densest felt I have ever, ever touched. Soft as any anywhere. The are tall crown and wide brim to boot, and are a bit "oversized" in appearance (the balance). These are also a wonderful 7 3/8 size.

 

[1mach1]

7 3/8? That's my size.

 

[buler]

Andykev, please document your Silver Beaver's in the MacLachlan thread. We'd all love to see them!

B

 

[DesertDan]

Wow! Mystic and Andy! Two beautiful specimen!

Agreed, beautiful hats gentlemen!

 

[RJR]

I'd like to see the Silver Beaver as well.

 

[Andykev]

I'd like to see the Silver Beaver as well.

I photographed that hat before, and it (they) look almost like every other hat here and there.... You MUST hold, touch, and FEEL the hat. You cannot photograph it, nor can you get the color right to show on a monitor.
The only striking feature is that it has a very "loud" scotch plaid design checked liner inside.

The gray has a bound edge, the chocolate brown has a felted (Cavanagh) edge.

 

[LuvMyMan]

Thank you for the comments. I was extremely lucky to find this hat. Actually there were two. A gorgeous chocolate brown "Twin" to this one, which is a very nice Blue-grey. Both hats were "NOS", with all the paper tags, and "owners manual" inside. Each hat came from an old hat shop in San Francisco. The purchaser hit a treasure chest in old ribbons, tools, and equipment. There were also "leftover" unsold hats. These were two of the cream of the crop. The owner of the chocolate brown is none other than MK, the founder of this Fedora Lounge.

I have not worn this hat other than to try it on. This post caused me to dig into the "Hat Vault". I have some real "gems" which I had forgotten about. I open a hat box and "wow I forgot about this one" kind of thing.

Still, my BEST vintage hat is a McLaughlin Silver Beaver Fifty. I have two of these. A gray and a delightful creamy coffee brown. They are super duper, the densest felt I have ever, ever touched. Soft as any anywhere. The are tall crown and wide brim to boot, and are a bit "oversized" in appearance (the balance). These are also a wonderful 7 3/8 size.

Wow....great hat! Have to wonder, as some hats have some "anti rain" treatment, perhaps the meaning of MelOrol has something to do with it? I ask this due to a few vintage hats that we have owned along the way, have had some "process" to the felt to help it be more rain or foul weather resistant, and the way the felt was not extra stiff or sticky, being as light and "peppy" as any other fine vintage felt would be. Also, unless there is some sort of noticeable barrier between the leather sweatband and the liner, the Resistol hats all have the "self conforming" feature for the leather sweatband itself. I just find it odd that the term "melOrol" would have much to do with the leather and not the felt process, something for the felt protection/process. No matter what, the hat is very super looking. You are a lucky person to own it.

 

[Strapped-4-Cache]

Cross-posting from the "What hat are you wearing today?" thread. My resistol 707 is keeping my head warm on this cool Georgia morning.

 

[Pa Fig]

Maybe its just a play on words Mellow Roll - refering to the flange. Like Resist All - refering to the felt.

 

[John Galt]

I believe you are correct Pa Fig, and it is good to see you here again.

 

[Andykev]

It was largely "advertising". The hats are being touted as having unique features...smoothness, resistance to rain, comfort in wear...the newest season brought on some Madison Avenue snake oil salesman out to try to trump the competition. With most hats being the same, as some may argue "most" automobiles, cigarettes, and the list goes on. The manufacturer needed a "slogan" or a claim of being special in some way to "one up" the competition. Stetson was a big, big name recognition to compete with..so all the others had claims of uniqueness, value, durability, or style. They mostly were all just felt hats. Most of which we today all treasure, as they have become rare, vintage specimens. But back in the heyday...you needed to edge the other guy. So your hat could "Resist All", or was "Melllo", or a hundred other "features" the other didn't (did) have. That is what makes it so much fun today...in trying to guess why and how and what. Perhaps all means nothing except some guy selling the brand.

 

[Strapped-4-Cache]

Great insight, Andykev. Thanks for offering your thoughts on the matter.

 

[kingrat]

Andykev hit it on the nose.

 

[RJR]

I too suspect the marketing faction for the various names.

 

[moehawk]

Hey folks

I was out treasure hunting again today and found this Top Rail for 10 dollars at a thrift store. It still needs a good cleaning and shaping but looks nice.








This is the shape that the crown was in when I found it. I was wondering if anyone happened to have photos of the Top Rail model so I can re-shape it properly. I can't seem to find much about it anywhere else.

Thanks, John

 

[1mach1]

Fellow lounger Joao may know. He has a lot of Resistol westerns, and has talked with the factory on many occasions.

 

[Mystic]

View attachment 19949

This is the shape that the crown was in when I found it. I was wondering if anyone happened to have photos of the Top Rail model so I can re-shape it properly. I can't seem to find much about it anywhere else.

Thanks, John

It would be my guess that this is the original crease.

 

[Joao Encarnado]

I was out treasure hunting again today and found this Top Rail for 10 dollars at a thrift store. It still needs a good cleaning and shaping but looks nice.

Nice find. Looks to have a tall crown.

Fellow lounger Joao may know. He has a lot of Resistol westerns, and has talked with the factory on many occasions.

Resistol Hats does not know many things from the past. Sadly it seems there is no one there to help in their models history.