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Western, anyone?

Messages
18,165
Wearing my Churchill Dalworth "40" OR clone creased in the style of the Hemphill, TX OR. The color is Palomino, sort of a gray with a green undertone.

I've heard two stories how the Hemphill crease came to be: one story said it was just to recognize ranchers & cattleman from that part of the state; the other story was it was done in recognition of a long time legendary County Sheriff back in the 1940's. If anyone knows please post, if it's the latter I'd like to know the name of the Sheriff.

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Messages
11,641
Wearing my Churchill Dalworth "40" OR clone creased in the style of the Hemphill, TX OR. The color is Palomino, sort of a gray with a green undertone.

I've heard two stories how the Hemphill crease came to be: one story said it was just to recognize ranchers & cattleman from that part of the state; the other story was it was done in recognition of a long time legendary County Sheriff back in the 1940's. If anyone knows please post, if it's the latter I'd like to know the name of the Sheriff.

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Beautiful
 

GlamRockCowboy

New in Town
Messages
17
Location
Fairview, TN
Did that "build your own hat" thread go as far as how to create an actual hat body as such? I've been wanting to get a cowboy hat with a 7-inch brim AND a 7-in crown for years, only to be told that the oversized hat bodies that would be needed for such a hat are no longer being manufactured I would LOVE to be able to make my own oversized hat body, so that I could FINALLY create such an oversized hat for myself!
 
Messages
19,001
Location
Central California
Did that "build your own hat" thread go as far as how to create an actual hat body as such? I've been wanting to get a cowboy hat with a 7-inch brim AND a 7-in crown for years, only to be told that the oversized hat bodies that would be needed for such a hat are no longer being manufactured I would LOVE to be able to make my own oversized hat body, so that I could FINALLY create such an oversized hat for myself!


I get the 7” crown, but a 7” brim? That’s beyond huge! I’d think it would be difficult to wear too. Make sure you post photos if you ever get it.

There is a stingy 5” brim black Resistol Lil Big Un available in 7 1/4 on eBay.
 

Yahoody

One Too Many
Messages
1,112
Location
Great Basin
Likely worth your time to actually read the thread.

How the hat blank allows for a big brim and crown combo depends directly on your actual hat size. If you have a under size 7 hat size "big" brims and crowns are easy enough. Bigger heads required bigger hat blanks to get such a hat or simply use two hat blanks to get what you need. But two blanks drops the durability of a good beaver blank to just the stitching.

The best 100% beaver blanks in the US current come for Winchester. Their 2 string yellow blanks are the biggest they make. 7" crown and 5" brim is always gonna be a push in this blank even at 7 1/2 hat size. What you're asking for is not going to happen, even with a small 6 7/8 head size.

As a reference a 7" crown and 5" brim is a huge, "10 gallon", "Tom Mix" kind of hat not typically seen any where but a early 1900s Wild West Show with Cody and gang or rodeo clowns. Bigger and you have a sombrero not a "western" hat.

Bigger hats and bigger blanks are available in Mexico. But no clue as to the quality of the felt.

I like big hats. And no offense intended here. But I suspect you haven't worn a 7" crown, 7" brim hat. I have several straws that big and a 5.5" brim felt. All are BIG hats by any measure. My suggestion is go to Sunbody Straws and order yourself a 7x7 inch hat for around $100 and see what you think of a hat that size before looking into bigger felts.

I wear this one almost daily in the dog days of summer. It is a 6" brim and a 6.5" crown. It aint a "town" hat. Or even a truck hat :) I'm 6'1" and 200#, my horse is 17h. My truck is a Ford 350 Crew cab.

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same hat
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This RJ Preston felt sombrero is a 7" crown and a 6.5" brim

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RJ's sombreros. He'll make anything you want for brim size. And a hat you'll never wear out. https://www.facebook.com/groups/RJPrestonSombreros/


This one I built from a Winchester beaver blank in natural beaver, with a 6" crown and a 5.5" brim on my 7 1/2 head. It is the highest quality, big hat I own that is not a true sombrero. And again, from experience it is not a "town" hat. And you don't wear it in the wind :) I live in "western" hat country. I have never seen a decent felt hat with a brim bigger than 5.5" on anyone's head.

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GlamRockCowboy

New in Town
Messages
17
Location
Fairview, TN
As it happens, I have owned and worn straw and palm leaf hats with 6-1/2 inch and 7-inch brims--and I LOVE them! By the way, my current hat is a Rodeo King 7X with a 5-inch brim--in a size 7-7/8 (by their reckoning)! I should mention, though, that one reason I want such a big hat is that I have eye trouble, and I have found a really wide-brim hat to be extremely helpful in dealing with glare, especially when dealing with long distance viewing. A really high crown is a little easier for me to grip when putting a hat on and taking it off as well, even though a 7-inch crown, as you point out, might be stretching things a bit. I should also mention that I am a big fan of the Mexican style sombreros, particularly the really fancy ones work with charro or mariachi suits, so what might be an extreme style of cowboy hat to some would be just fine with me!
 
Messages
19,001
Location
Central California
As it happens, I have owned and worn straw and palm leaf hats with 6-1/2 inch and 7-inch brims--and I LOVE them! By the way, my current hat is a Rodeo King 7X with a 5-inch brim--in a size 7-7/8 (by their reckoning)! I should mention, though, that one reason I want such a big hat is that I have eye trouble, and I have found a really wide-brim hat to be extremely helpful in dealing with glare, especially when dealing with long distance viewing. A really high crown is a little easier for me to grip when putting a hat on and taking it off as well, even though a 7-inch crown, as you point out, might be stretching things a bit. I should also mention that I am a big fan of the Mexican style sombreros, particularly the really fancy ones work with charro or mariachi suits, so what might be an extreme style of cowboy hat to some would be just fine with me!


I know what it’s like to want a style that isn’t available. I guess the demand just doesn’t justify the the expense and effort for a felter to make a hat body that large. Maybe you could find a vintage hat to use as donor felt for a custom build? Good luck.
 

Yahoody

One Too Many
Messages
1,112
Location
Great Basin
One I haven't worn much but like a lot. I finally got around to re-blocking the size last night with a little jigger-pockery. Not the best felt so it is likely a hat that will not be around long. And the felt that is there was soaked with shellac. A light spray with some rubbing alcohol while blocking and I had a board and not a felt hat. But love the unusual 5"x 5", short open crown, flat brim with a 3/4 pencil curl and bound edge.

Good hat while it lasts I guess ;)

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Might be of Interest to some . The hat's tiny tuft of a feather is from a Great Horned owl. We live on the edge of the Bird's of Prey National National Conservation Area. Seems any and all birds of prey abound here from Golden Eagles to the smallest Falcons. Natural and road kills are common, feathers plentiful. So I have a good collection big and small. This owl a coyote or fox got in one of our pastures.

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