The Stratoliner Association {Premiere}

[Jerry Probst]

With the soft felt of the vintage hats, reblocking and changing a cattleman crease on a 3X OR to a fedora teardrop is fairly easy. On modern westwern weight felts with pressed creases, the transition is, in my opinion, difficult and best left to the pro's.

Point taken.

I live close enough to both the Garland Plant and Peters Brothers that getting it professionally blocked is an option.

The question then is: is it a good choice?

I mean, a 7X OR is a very nice hat. I have a western weight Beaver Brand fedora that I love and I would love a nice silverbelly fedora if i could find one, but is it a good decision?


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[deadlyhandsome]

I don’t at all mind a wider brim. I have broad shoulders and wider brims suit me.

Regarding the stiffness of the felt, because I’m shopping estate sales, I don’t know what I’ll find.

Will I have trouble changing the Cattleman to a teardrop?

Thanks!


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I like the wider brims too.

This is my process of changing the crease on stiff western hats:
1. Remove the liner
2. Spray the inside and outside of the crown with distilled water. I use it liberally.
3. Let the water soak in for 15 minutes
4. Use my fingers to push the crown out.
5. Use a heated aluminum block (several sizes smaller than my hat size) and press the crown to its open shape. Must be careful to not cook the leather sweatband (you can alternately remove the sweatband and re-sew it when done)
6. Use an iron to press against the felt with the block inside. I work the crease out until it is completely gone.
7. Old hats often have stains where the old crease was and will require cleaning.
8. I apply lots of steam and reshape the crown as desired.

You’ll like it much better if you can find a 1950s or earlier OR to start with.

 

[Rmccamey]

Again, IMO, there are plenty of vintage fadoras available here in the classifieds, some via private sales, and on ebay and etsy that you should be able to find some nice hats at reasonable prices without having to go to the time, trouble and extra cost to have them converted.

 

[Rmccamey]

+1 on what Brent said. I think there are a couple of 50s ORs for sale in the Classified's right now.

 

[Jerry Probst]

I like the wider brims too.

This is my process of changing the crease on stiff western hats:
1. Remove the liner
2. Spray the inside and outside of the crown with distilled water. I use it liberally.
3. Let the water soak in for 15 minutes
4. Use my fingers to push the crown out.
5. Use a heated aluminum block (several sizes smaller than my hat size) and press the crown to its open shape. Must be careful to not cook the leather sweatband (you can alternately remove the sweatband and re-sew it when done)
6. Use an iron to press against the felt with the block inside. I work the crease out until it is completely gone.
7. Old hats often have stains where the old crease was and will require cleaning.
8. I apply lots of steam and reshape the crown as desired.

You’ll like it much better if you can find a 1950s or earlier OR to start with.

Is it permissible to say “tickled pink?”

Thanks for this procedure. I don’t have an aluminum block, but i have an old dome style stretcher. Would that work?

Honestly, i love learning clear techniques like this. I’m not a hatter and I appreciate you sharing your knowledge.

Thanks


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[Rmccamey]

What size do you wear?

 

[Jerry Probst]

Again, IMO, there are plenty of vintage fadoras available here in the classifieds, some via private sales, and on ebay and etsy that you should be able to find some nice hats at reasonable prices without having to go to the time, trouble and extra cost to have them converted.

Again, point taken.

I am new here and at times find the scope of TFL a bit overwhelming.

I will definitely take a look at the classifieds

I guess I have gotten used to searching estate sales. I’ve found some amazing vintage hats for pennies.

I posted because, i want a Vintage quality Stratoliner but I am much more likely to find an Open Road where I live.

It may sound frivolous to some of more experienced hatters, but I’m trying to work with what I can.

I do appreciate all your advice and will definitely hit the classifieds.


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[Jerry Probst]

What size do you wear?

7 1/4


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[deadlyhandsome]

Is it permissible to say “tickled pink?”

Thanks for this procedure. I don’t have an aluminum block, but i have an old dome style stretcher. Would that work?

Honestly, i love learning clear techniques like this. I’m not a hatter and I appreciate you sharing your knowledge.

Thanks


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If you have any sort of block it should work. My aluminum block has a heat element which helps, but also means you risk cooking the felt and/or sweatband.

If your not going to reblock the hat then your “block” will need to be a few sizes smaller than your hat size.

I’m a 7 5/8 to 7 3/4 so I don’t have the options other with smaller hat sizes do. If I was your size I’d focus of vintage hats

Good luck.


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[Jerry Probst]

If you have any sort of block it should work. My aluminum block has a heat element which helps, but also means you risk cooking the felt and/or sweatband.

If your not going to reblock the hat then your “block” will need to be a few sizes smaller than your hat size.

I’m a 7 5/8 to 7 3/4 so I don’t have the options other with smaller hat sizes do. If I was your size I’d focus of vintage hats

Good luck.

Thanks for the advice.

I found this Open Road fedora in the classifieds.

This is exactly what i have in mind.

It’s darn near as handsome a hat as I’ve ever seen.

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[deadlyhandsome]

Thanks for the advice.

I found this Open Road fedora in the classifieds.

This is exactly what i have in mind.

It’s darn near as handsome a hat as I’ve ever seen.

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Pretty, but over half of it (for me) is the feel of the hat on my head and the compliance and luxuriousness of the felt, and that doesn’t always come across in photos.

Just a housekeeping item: This thread is intended for the Premier Stratoliners (modern open crown Royal De Luxe hats). We often go off on tangents, but maybe we should take our non-Premier conversation to a more appropriate thread?

I have a couple of the Premier Strats and they are very nice hats. They are not in the same league as say a 1940s hat, but nice for a modern hat. Keep an eye out for them.


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[Jerry Probst]

Pretty, but over half of it (for me) is the feel of the hat on my head and the compliance and luxuriousness of the felt, and that doesn’t always come across in photos.

Just a housekeeping item: This thread is intended for the Premier Stratoliners (modern open crown Royal De Luxe hats). We often go off on tangents, but maybe we should take our non-Premier conversation to a more appropriate thread?

I have a couple of the Premier Strats and they are very nice hats. They are not in the same league as say a 1940s hat, but nice for a modern hat. Keep an eye out for them.


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Of course, my question was answered and i thank you for all your advice.

A couple final questions. I have a stratoliner. Forgive my ignorance, but makes a Premier Stratoliner.

And lastly, how can I straighten a curled ribbon it was originally slightly folded and I made it worse trying to fix it.

Regards ...

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[deadlyhandsome]

For the ribbon, get it damp and shape it as you want then let it dry. Ironing can work, but you have to be careful. Mostly, I just live with the “imperfections.”

Stetson makes several grades of hat. The Royal De Luxe is the grade above the Royal and below the Excellent (the grades and orders don’t hold when talking about vintage hats). The Premier is the Royal De Luxe made with an open crown and with fewer stiffeners. They really are quite nice and, of course, being open crown you can crease them in any style you want without having to go through all the steps required when reshaping a machine pressed crown. As a bonus, with fewer stiffeners the felt also has a nicer hand.

Check out page 13:

http://www.hat-co.com/perch//resources/f19stetsondressdigital-2.pdf


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[Rmccamey]

See there, a great hat already!

You said you were near Garland. You should check the Hatco outlet regularly as they will, from time to time, have modern Royal Deluxe ORs and Premier Strats at half price.

Thanks for the advice.

I found this Open Road fedora in the classifieds.

This is exactly what i have in mind.

It’s darn near as handsome a hat as I’ve ever seen.

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[tsores]

For the ribbon, get it damp and shape it as you want then let it dry. Ironing can work, but you have to be careful. Mostly, I just live with the “imperfections.”

Stetson makes several grades of hat. The Royal De Luxe is the grade above the Royal and below the Excellent (the grades and orders don’t hold when talking about vintage hats). The Premier is the Royal De Luxe made with an open crown and with fewer stiffeners. They really are quite nice and, of course, being open crown you can crease them in any style you want without having to go through all the steps required when reshaping a machine pressed crown. As a bonus, with fewer stiffeners the felt also has a nicer hand.

Check out page 13:

http://www.hat-co.com/perch//resources/f19stetsondressdigital-2.pdf


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I was looking at the catalog and noticed on page 19 the silverbelly vs. natural colors. I have had my eye on a silverbelly but now I wonder. Has anyone got a side by side photo of the actual hats to compare the colors?

Thanks.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I was looking at the catalog and noticed on page 19 the silverbelly vs. natural colors. I have had my eye on a silverbelly but now I wonder. Has anyone got a side by side photo of the actual hats to compare the colors?

Thanks.

I don’t think the natural is offered in the Premier (what this thread is about). I’ll also say that the Royal De Luxe Premier hats are heads and shoulders better than the other grades (since the Excellent has been discontinued). The Premier Strats are among the last of the open crown fedoras Stetson is making, and I wonder how much longer they will survive. Stetson was convinced to make some hats that we affectionados wanted, but I think the sales numbers were disappointing.


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[Rmccamey]

While I agree that low sales might make the company reconsider certain models, eliminating a step in the process (machine creasing) has to have some cost savings. If Stetson would market it just a little bit, I'm certain some of the local hat shops and boutiques that can't afford to make their own hats or hat bodies would buy the open crown hats and put in their own unique creases/feathers/ribbons to set themselves apart from the next boutique down the road.

 

[tsores]

I don’t think the natural is offered in the Premier (what this thread is about). I’ll also say that the Royal De Luxe Premier hats are heads and shoulders better than the other grades (since the Excellent has been discontinued). The Premier Strats are among the last of the open crown fedoras Stetson is making, and I wonder how much longer they will survive. Stetson was convinced to make some hats that we affectionados wanted, but I think the sales numbers were disappointing.


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Whoops. Sorry about straying from the Premier line. I will post in a general question thread.

 

[Frunobulax]

While I agree that low sales might make the company reconsider certain models, eliminating a step in the process (machine creasing) has to have some cost savings. If Stetson would market it just a little bit, I'm certain some of the local hat shops and boutiques that can't afford to make their own hats or hat bodies would buy the open crown hats and put in their own unique creases/feathers/ribbons to set themselves apart from the next boutique down the road.

Matt Deckard re-introduced open crown models sometime around 2013-2014. The line began with the Strat, and expanded to include a few others, including the Stetsonian and the NYLE. He also upped their felt quality game and the hats were marketed. Unfortunately, the line must not have been successful enough to continue, as both Mr. Deckard and most of his open crown models are now discontinued.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

While I agree that low sales might make the company reconsider certain models, eliminating a step in the process (machine creasing) has to have some cost savings. If Stetson would market it just a little bit, I'm certain some of the local hat shops and boutiques that can't afford to make their own hats or hat bodies would buy the open crown hats and put in their own unique creases/feathers/ribbons to set themselves apart from the next boutique down the road.

I know that Matt pushed Stetson, and I’m sure that Stetson wanted to sell hats and make money. I also don’t think there are that many dedicated hat stores left, and many of those remaining don’t sell much of the more expensive lines.

We live in a world of convenience and it’s clear from the De Luxe line that more people want their hats pre-creased. It makes me sad that their experiment didn’t work out, but I understand that they are in business to make money. It can be easy to think that the Lounge, with out preferences, represents a significant number of hat buyers, but in reality we are a tiny slice of the pie. I was really hoping for an Excellent Stetsonian, but even at the top end of their market, where presumably more of us “hat people” shop, the pre-creased hats far outsell the open crown versions.

And now I’m a bit depressed.


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