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Just to pile on a bit... I have had both Stetson Beaver 100 & Stetson One-Hundred. They are very close & think the One-Hundred pre-dates the Beaver 100. From what I've learned the One-Hundred was a 7XCB that was taken by a Master Hatter at Stetson factory & done completely by hand. The regular 7XCB were done thru the production line. The hat bodies are undyed, hence "clear", beaver fur felt. The difference is the pouncing & other finishing touches done by the Master Hatter. Your research may vary... I kept a One-Hundred along with the case, & 2 7XCBs.Mickey, I somehow missed this post and only saw it today when I posted a new hat here.
I’ve never had one of the Stetson Beaver 100 hats, but I have had a few of the Stetson One-Hundred hats. I think the One-Hundred is great, but I don’t think it’s better than the 7X Clear Beaver (7XCB). My sample sizes are too small to draw any meaningful conclusions. Of course, the 7XCB predates the One-Hundred. As for being the best Stetson, I think that depends on what kind of hat you like. I personally think the mid-1950s and earlier 7XCB to be the pinnacle of Stetson’s western line, and the pricing of the day supports that, but then I’ve never handled a Clear Nutria hat or many of the other grades made in the past. I do know that many, and maybe most, of the current western/cowboy hat customers want their felt to be harder than the vintage stuff. I’d bet a lot of men in the market for the “best” cowboy hat would turn up their noses at felt that I’d drool over.
I too like Resistols, and it’s an added bonus that they can often be had at lower prices than their Stetson counterparts. The Resistol Beaver “140” I posted up thread needs to go out for refurbishment. It’s too nice of a hat to be stuck in a corner getting dusty.