The Stratoliner Appreciation Club {MODERN}

[VetPsychWars]

So I was unhappy with the cattleman crease in my 50s Open Road and thought I would try to reshape it myself. I think it worked. I took a picture with it next to the modern Stratoliner, which doesn't totally suck, though I might see about lowering the band. In the sunlight I note that they're actually less the same color than they are under artificial light. The cattleman crease with the brim up just looked so wrong on me so I'm glad this worked.

Tom

ps maybe sometime I'll get a vintage Stratoliner or the custom Stetson being run up.

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Tom; The side by side pic does show how similar the 2 hats are. To my eye, they are much more similar than different. While the informed Strat fans might notice the ribbon set and how the blocked shape differs from a vintage - the modern Strat is a VERY nice hat. It looks just plain sharp. I point these differences out to my wife and friends and they just nod their heads. " Ah yes. " When I pry, they say the differences, when pointed out, while they can see close up, do not matter. Mostly they just enjoy the hat. I hope you family and friends just enjoy the hats.

Wear the Strat and it's big cousin confidently, Eric -

BTW: Nice job on the OR teardrop shaped crease. If it was anything but difficult and took some work, I am envious.

 

[VetPsychWars]

BTW: Nice job on the OR teardrop shaped crease. If it was anything but difficult and took some work, I am envious.

I'm afraid it wasn't difficult at all. Used the spray bottle, and once it was wet, I started shaping. The dome at the top is the difficult part, but I find something to set it on, in this case an oil lamp over the chimney, and let it dry. I brush it while it's still damp and it does nice things to the nap.

Thank you for the kind words.

Tom

 

[monbla256]

Both hats look GREAT ! The re-crease you did on the OR looks really good !! Wear 'em both proudly

 

[LoveMyHats2]

A not so good picture of my new Strat that came today. It is caribou color but it has some green hue to it, and as the brim is trimmed in green as well as the thin hat band, I like it very much. Many seem to complain about this hat and all, but I find it light, soft, pliable, and very comfy compared to many other hats I own. In fact, I like this hat so much, I am ordering one in silverbelly tomorrow.

 

[gtdean48]

A not so good picture of my new Strat that came today. It is caribou color but it has some green hue to it, and as the brim is trimmed in green as well as the thin hat band, I like it very much. Many seem to complain about this hat and all, but I find it light, soft, pliable, and very comfy compared to many other hats I own. In fact, I like this hat so much, I am ordering one in silverbelly tomorrow.

Nice hat. BTW the "Society" is more about the Stetson Stratoliners. Another thread is here for the new HatCo version = http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?57256-HatCo-Stetson-Stratoliner&highlight=hatco

 

[RBH]

Maybe this will work.

 

[LoveMyHats2]

Caribou is a nice mid-gray. The Hat Shaper is a Straight-sided Dome version so it takes the taper out = http://www.hatshapers.com/Product Pages/Straight_Sided_Dome.htm

Wow and Yeow! That hat shaper gizmo is really nice, and I can see how it works for the most part. Have a question however, so you smooth the hat with your hands after you spray the hat while it is sitting on that gizmo? And not to veer off road with a comment, have you seen the way Roy Rogers would shape a hat? Yeah I said Roy Rogers, he is no longer with us, but check him out on you tube shaping a large (enormous) white fur felt hat blank, he is one talented cowboy for sure. It was all using water in the shower and getting busy pushing, molding, pinching, rolling, and he makes it look so easy...no link for you but just you tube search it and you can watch a master at work. I am no cowboy hat fan, but had to love what that man can do with a hat.

 

[LoveMyHats2]

Maybe this will work.

It really was merely a free bus ride from over there, to over here....

 

[gtdean48]

Wow and Yeow! That hat shaper gizmo is really nice, and I can see how it works for the most part. Have a question however, so you smooth the hat with your hands after you spray the hat while it is sitting on that gizmo? And not to veer off road with a comment, have you seen the way Roy Rogers would shape a hat? Yeah I said Roy Rogers, he is no longer with us, but check him out on you tube shaping a large (enormous) white fur felt hat blank, he is one talented cowboy for sure. It was all using water in the shower and getting busy pushing, molding, pinching, rolling, and he makes it look so easy...no link for you but just you tube search it and you can watch a master at work. I am no cowboy hat fan, but had to love what that man can do with a hat.

I have seen the Roy Rogers' hat creasing video. Doing a double teardrop like he wears does take lots of shaping & water to get the felt pliable.
I do spray the crown really well with distilled water to get it smoothed out on the hat shaper. I don't use tap water on my hats because of what they put in it at the treatment plants & copper pipes.
I also use a steam iron with a handkerchief between it & the felt to further smooth out the felt on the shaper. HTH...

Thanks Rusty!

 

[jimmy the lid]

I have seen the Roy Rogers' hat creasing video. Doing a double teardrop like he wears does take lots of shaping & water to get the felt pliable.

Not to quibble, but I tend to consider Roy's crease a double telescope with a pinch -- not a true double teardrop.

OK, maybe I am quibbling. What's your point???


JtL
President, Society for the Preservation of the One True Double Teardrop

 

[gtdean48]

Not to quibble, but I tend to consider Roy's crease a double telescope with a pinch -- not a true double teardrop.
...

I humbly concur with your quibbit....quibbux...??? I stand corrected....

 

[LoveMyHats2]

Not to quibble, but I tend to consider Roy's crease a double telescope with a pinch -- not a true double teardrop.

OK, maybe I am quibbling. What's your point???

JtL
President, Society for the Preservation of the One True Double Teardrop

I can see that Roy is talented no matter what his end results are, and yes I would not desire to have a hat like his crease. To learn and know how to crease things differently is what I am interested in. I am sure it is a matter or just doing it and finding out for myself.

I am ordering a hat shape gizmo like what you have, gtdean48, as I can see in the long term how useful that can be in getting a hat to the open crown for bashing it and putting creases in. I am also looking into professional grade hat stretchers as I am seeing far too many great hats being sold that are a far cry too small. I thank everyone for what I am learning from for sure!

 

[T Rick]

Okay, Labor day is coming up. With that, HTH (local Hatter) is going to stock this hat (at least in Black and Silver Belly). I plan to buy one, would like to get it there to support them (unless the outlet has it for say $50 less!). Anyway, deciding on a color. I could probably have them order the Caribou or the Cordovan if I chose. Will probably get the Silver Belley FFIII Strat if/when it comes to pass, so I will probably pass on that color for this hat (then again, maybe not? So far I have an 80's Open Road, a Heritage Campdraft in Silver Belly, that's it for the color, and both of these are more tan than this one would be).

I also have only a couple of black hats, actually one brimmed hat that is a Champ Porkpie in Velour, and then a Capas 8/4 Newsboy- But maybe there's a reason I have so few black hats?. Brown, I have a ton of, in different shades, and this includes my one vintage Strat.

I also have a few grays, including my Caribou Nostalgia, 80's and 50's Open Roads and a '50's Dobbs.

So what color to buy?

 

[Terry "The Hat"]

Okay, Labor day is coming up. With that, HTH (local Hatter) is going to stock this hat (at least in Black and Silver Belly). I plan to buy one, would like to get it there to support them (unless the outlet has it for say $50 less!). Anyway, deciding on a color. I could probably have them order the Caribou or the Cordovan if I chose. Will probably get the Silver Belley FFIII Strat if/when it comes to pass, so I will probably pass on that color for this hat (then again, maybe not? So far I have an 80's Open Road, a Heritage Campdraft in Silver Belly, that's it for the color, and both of these are more tan than this one would be).

I also have only a couple of black hats, actually one brimmed hat that is a Champ Porkpie in Velour, and then a Capas 8/4 Newsboy- But maybe there's a reason I have so few black hats?. Brown, I have a ton of, in different shades, and this includes my one vintage Strat.

I also have a few grays, including my Caribou Nostalgia, 80's and 50's Open Roads and a '50's Dobbs.

So what color to buy?

I like the Caribou. I tried on a Stetson Temple at Basakes in Cincy last week and loved it. It's a great color and goes with a lot. Of course, the Silver Belly is a great color and goes with a lot too. I also have a Camp Draft and Open Road in Silver Belly. It was a popular color back in the day and is still is now.

 

[Benzadmiral]

After reading about the light weight and other qualities of this modern Strat, I'm intrigued. Anybody have pics of a black one?

 

[HatsEnough]

Well, here's mine...

 

[T Rick]

Well, here's mine...

Well, I like it. Henry The Hatter is going to be carrying these in stock (Black and Silver Belly) after Labor Day, my intention is to try one on there and pick it up (unless the Outlets get them in stock before HTH). I may go for the black.

 

[HatsEnough]

The crown does have some taper to it, though. Not as straight sided as the original Strats I have.

 

[monbla256]

Well, here's mine...

Put a wider ribbon on it and remove the pin and you would fit in up on Crown Hieghts Brooklyn ! I like it