The Resistol Roundup

[EggHead]

KC, that's a great hat.

 

[TipTop]

The HI 7, after a stretch. My cheap camera is really showing its limitations with the lack of appropriate proportions at a close distance... I hope!

Here's a better perspective:

Wow, Bowler, you've got yourself a dandy there. Eat your heart out Marge Simpson. You could store your submarine sandwich up there...FUN!

 

[KC Capellor]

+1 1/2 Bowlerman quite a crown!
thanks for the kudos, guys, really enjoy perking up these great old hats with a good brushing and a rebash of the crowns - I obviously like the teardrop pinch/diamond/C-crown type of shape and how the height and taper of the crown dictates how exactly the final form shapes up. I am also always interested in how stiff or soft the felt is and how it takes and holds a shape with or without moisture (steam or wet towels). Out of the few I own the stiffness/ softness of the felts are: '50's gray fedora 3X KF crown stiff, brim medium, wet shape; '60's brown New Era stingy 5X KF crown medium, brim medium, dry shape; '60's green Telstar stingy 3X KF crown soft, brim soft, wet shape; '60's black stingy 990 3X KF crown soft, brim medium, wet shape; '60's gray Eddie Bauer longhair finish crown and brim super soft, wet shape; '60's silverbelly Dalworth "O.R." 3X crown and brim stiff, wet shape.

Cheers! KC

 

[Landman]

KC, they all look great but that Dalworth really stands out to me. I love silverbellys.

 

[KC Capellor]

Landman, thanks, I really like the silverbelly Dalworth too, but may be selling it soon to get similar in higher X beaver, its a generous 7 or snug 7 1/8.



Here are a few famous wearers of silverbelly OR types, some likely Resistols:

Well, the good guys are in the silverbellys...

 

[Landman]

KC,

Unfortunately it is too small for me or I'd buy it from you. I wear a 3/8 to 1/2.

I guarantee you most of those hats the police and Texas Rangers are wearing in the Oswald picture are Resistols. Back then Stetsons weren't made in Texas but Resistols were. They were made in Garland just down the road from Dallas so it was the hat of choice for Texas Rangers and other law enforcement officers in Texas.

The hat LBJ is giving Truman would be Resistol too. He only wore Resistols because they were Texas made. He was also known to give away a lot of them as gifts.

I'm not sure what Eisenhower wore. I've never read anywhere about his hats. He looks good in it though.

 

[Landman]

"Well, the good guys are in the silverbellys..."

KC, you are right about that. Even today they still are. The Texas Department of Public Safety issues Silverbelly Resistols to the Highway Patrol and the Texas Rangers. However, the Texas Rangers are allowed to wear any western hat they want as long as it is not black. I always thought that was a pretty cool dress code.

 

[KC Capellor]

Landman, very cool indeed and practical. I think Ike was probably in a Resi too as he was born in Texas and raised in Kansas.

Questions for all resisteurs: when did mid to high grade felts on Resistol OR/San Antonio types go from "15" "25" "35" "50" "100" based on retail price to 5X 7X 10X 15X 20X etc. based on beaver content, or did this overlap for a number of years? How do they equate quality wise?
(The vintage hats in the "25" to "100" range are surely their finest. But is a vintage "35" finer felt than a newer 20X? I have seen this discussed in other threads on Stetsons and others but I would like to know what Resistol owners have found. I know at some point Resistol adopted Churchill as their luxury line and we see examples of Churchill OR type "35" "50" "100"s that are super fine. In my limited experience it seems that at some point Resistols went from a lighter fedora felt to a heavier, stiffer western hat felt.)
Are brown sweatbands definitely older than black ones or overlapping years? Any difference between ones with Byer-Rolnick dress hat liner and ones with Resistol Western liner, or just marketing?

 

[Landman]

KC,

You are probably right about Ike being in a Resistol. He was not only born in Texas but he spent a lot of time here in San Antonio at Fort Sam Houston. He was a member at the San Antonio Country Club where he played golf.

 

[TPD166]

If anyone is looking for a Resistol OR style, I just listed my Westerner in 7-1/2 LO in the classifieds:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...-quot-Westerner-quot-Open-Road-style-7-1-2-LO

 

[KC Capellor]

I have also just listed my size 7 1/8 Dalworth 3X in the classifieds only because it is a bit snug for me:
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...t-3X-Beaver-Open-Road-style-7-1-8-silverbelly
( and have invested in a replacement, hope to post photos by the end of the week... )

 

[Mark B.]

I have to agree great looking hat. I have a few resistol hats will have to post up some pictures of them. From what I think ( I could be wrong so correct me if I need it here) the term, resistol, in the name of the hat, is to point out it will take weather elements and not have too many issues to it in the long run. I always thought that a resistol hat would be stiff or a hassle to change the crease or bash in, until....I finally obtained one for myself. Now I am thinking they are so fantastic of a hat. The ones I own I can with ease push out to open crown, bash them any way I want, and they do not fight me doing it, the felt feels fairly good and I like the hat, the color and how they look! I am thinking resistol hats can give other hats a run for the money for sure!

I agree..... recently acquired a chocolate brown, unworn, open crown Resistol with original box. 3x beaver, kitten finish, 1950's era....the felt is dense, soft and molds like clay...I am soooo impressed.....truly a beautiful hat........4 1/2 inch crown with diamond bash and 2 1/2 inch brim with a cav edge.............imho......perfect!!

 

[Mark B.]

Will post some pics as soon as I figure out how to do things here.. As you can see I am new in town and still learning my way around. Hello to all!!

 

[barrowjh]

KC Capellor - "Any difference between ones with Byer-Rolnick dress hat liner and ones with Resistol Western liner," yes, but not like night and day. I think the Byer-Rolnick crest liners were older vintage (say, 1950s and before), and the western liners were relatively newer (late 60s through early 80s). However, that is only my best guess. I think inflation was gradually eroding quality throughout this time, such that an early 'Beaver 15' might have been superior to a 'Beaver 50' made a decade or more later. I believe that quality erosion in the Resistol line was more gradual than in any other manufacturer, as the Resistol factory home 'base' eventually became 'home' to numerous other brands as they were bought out; Resistol itself never had to go through the relocation trauma that other brands experienced. Somebody correct me if I am wrong, please.

 

[Mystic]

Dress hat liner ?

Western liner ?

does anyone have photos comparing these liners? :confused2:

 

[KC Capellor]

Here are a couple each examples of Byer -Rolnick dress fedora type liner and Resistol Western type liner both in Open Road style hats San Antonio 3X, "35", 7X Beaver, and "15":

 

[Mystic]

Here are a couple each examples of Byer -Rolnick dress fedora type liner and Resistol Western type liner both in Open Road style hats San Antonio 3X, "35", 7X Beaver, and "15":

ok, thanks.

When you say 'Western' are you're talking about all western style Resistol hats or a model named The Western?

 

[KC Capellor]

Mark, welcome to the lounge and especially to the Resistol Roundup, sounds like you scored a really nice 3X KF! My personal favorite is my 5X KF in Cinder Brown

but I've never met a Kitten I didn't like!



BTW, Imageshack is fairly easy for uploads if you need an image host site.

 

[KC Capellor]

I am refering to the fact that some Open Road style Resistols - San Antonio, Dalworth, "25" "35" Beaver etc. came with the Resistol Byer-Rolnick logo on white satin type liner which was the same as in Resistol dress fedoras. Some came with the Resistol Western logo with the cowboy on horseback, the same as most Resistol cowboy hats to this day. I tried to show examples of each from OR style Resistols. Sorry, not to do with a model called the western.

 

[Mystic]

I am refering to the fact that some Open Road style Resistols - San Antonio, Dalworth, "25" "35" Beaver etc. came with the Resistol Byer-Rolnick logo on white satin type liner which was the same as in Resistol dress fedoras. Some came with the Resistol Western logo with the cowboy on horseback, the same as most Resistol cowboy hats to this day. I tried to show examples of each from OR style Resistols. Sorry, not to do with a model called the western.

I see.

I have a Resistol with...The Westerner by Resistol X Double X on a brown sweatband with a gold stripe. And, The Westerner by Resistol on a beige liner with the horse and rider.

I'm sure it's a newer hat. Not sure how new.