Western, anyone?

[Hurricane Jack]

Churchill Dalworth 40 in Palomino. A Byer-Rolnick product.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

This morning a Resistol Waco in DoubleX.

 

[Mm25]

Pendleton vest and reshaped Akubra Territory today for trail walking.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Pendleton vest and reshaped Akubra Territory today for trail walking.
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I like the entire ensemble. Chambray shirt, vest, hat: very nice.

 

[T Jones]

Here's another of my experiment hats, one that 'Suited Cowboy' gifted to me. This is a 20X Beaver Western from Capitol Hatters that I took apart and reworked. It was a too small 7 1/8 and had some fading with stains. Since I like a worn and lived in look, I did some light cleaning on it and left some of the staining. I reblocked it a size larger to a 7 1/4. But, all I have are regular oval blocks in that size and I'm a 7 1/4 LO. So I got with my my ol' buddy Rick Walker @ Phoenix Hat Co. and he gave me some helpful tips that I tried out. Well, it's now a 7 1/4 LO and it fits perfect. Thanks Rick! So my second thing I wanted to try out for an ongoing M1883-1902 campaign hat project that I was working on, was to put a period correct vent pattern in this hat, there were a few various vent patterns for these hats back in the day. I saw a picture of an old campaign hat that had a pattern I liked. I copied the pattern onto some draft paper and made a template and got the pattern I wanted. My experiment hat worked out. I cut the brim down to 3 inches and curled it and popped a quick Cattleman in the crown, and now I've got work hat...

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Here's another of my experiment hats, one that 'Suited Cowboy' gifted to me. This is a 20X Beaver Western from Capitol Hatters that I took apart and reworked. It was a too small 7 1/8 and had some fading with stains. Since I like a worn and lived in look, I did some light cleaning on it and left some of the staining. I reblocked it a size larger to a 7 1/4. But, all I have are regular oval blocks in that size and I'm a 7 1/4 LO. So I got with my my ol' buddy Rick Walker @ Phoenix Hat Co. and he gave me some helpful tips that I tried out. Well, it's now a 7 1/4 LO and it fits perfect. Thanks Rick! So my second thing I wanted to try out for an ongoing M1883-1902 campaign hat project that I was working on, was to put a period correct vent pattern in this hat, there were a few various vent patterns for these hats back in the day. I saw a picture of an old campaign hat that had a pattern I liked. I copied the pattern onto some draft paper and made a template and got the pattern I wanted. My experiment hat worked out. I cut the brim down to 3 inches and curled it and popped a quick Cattleman in the crown, and now I've got work hat...

Fantastic, Terry. The holes look to be the perfect size to be functional without looking like Swiss cheese.

 

[T Jones]

Fantastic, Terry. The holes look to be the perfect size to be functional without looking like Swiss cheese.

Thank you, Brent! You're correct. I purposely chose those size holes to be functional, and they work perfect for the spacing.

 

[dh66]

These vent holes look killer, TJ!! Way better than the standard three in a row with metal eyelets. Great brim curl on it, too! Nice work all around, man.

 

[T Jones]

These vent holes look killer, TJ!! Way better than the standard three in a row with metal eyelets. Great brim curl on it, too! Nice work all around, man.

Thank you Dale! I have a couple more things I'm going to try out on this hat. It's an experiment project in process.

 

[Mm25]

Here's another of my experiment hats, one that 'Suited Cowboy' gifted to me. This is a 20X Beaver Western from Capitol Hatters that I took apart and reworked. It was a too small 7 1/8 and had some fading with stains. Since I like a worn and lived in look, I did some light cleaning on it and left some of the staining. I reblocked it a size larger to a 7 1/4. But, all I have are regular oval blocks in that size and I'm a 7 1/4 LO. So I got with my my ol' buddy Rick Walker @ Phoenix Hat Co. and he gave me some helpful tips that I tried out. Well, it's now a 7 1/4 LO and it fits perfect. Thanks Rick! So my second thing I wanted to try out for an ongoing M1883-1902 campaign hat project that I was working on, was to put a period correct vent pattern in this hat, there were a few various vent patterns for these hats back in the day. I saw a picture of an old campaign hat that had a pattern I liked. I copied the pattern onto some draft paper and made a template and got the pattern I wanted. My experiment hat worked out. I cut the brim down to 3 inches and curled it and popped a quick Cattleman in the crown, and now I've got work hat...

Looks great. Have you tried it out yet. Do the vent holes make a noticeable difference.

 

[Blare]

Back in the fall I received a real dirty prob late 60s/70s Stetson western that was way too big for me at 7 3/8... I think it’s a 4X but the sweat impression is worn off. I had some success cleaning it up and planned to move it along...

Until I decided I wanted to try my hand putting on a kettle curl. Then I kinda got cold feet... and so it sat for the last few months. The other day I dug it out to post it for sale... but instead I veered into the kitchen and set a pot of water boiling. I figured what the heck go for it.

I started dipping the edges of the brim into the boiling water and then kinda rolled it on the countertop. Then rolled by hand. Kept working all the way around till it had pretty much the shape I was going for. And then set it out in the sun to dry. After it dried. It held the shape well... but the felt was very discolored where I had wet it.

So the next day I ran it under hot water from the sink and soaked the whole felt evenly and rubbed the felt with my hands. I hung it back on the fence post to dry and I noticed a the drips that would come off the brim were a dark amber color. I imagine it maybe the stiffener coming out from the core of the felt but not sure. This time it dried much more even in color. Still some dark areas on the brim... but looked much nicer.

So this is where I’m at now. The kettle curl is obviously hand done and not perfect... but I’m thinking I want it to have a hand rolled look. I would appreciate any feedback

 

[T Jones]

Looks great. Have you tried it out yet. Do the vent holes make a noticeable difference.

I was out some this morning wearing it and I could feel a bit of a cool breeze coming through. It's working.

 

[1961MJS]

Hi
I do some leatherwork and I always use distilled water for that because I've gotten some white calcium deposits from our hard water I guess. Usually you want to steam the hat not dip it.
Just my $0.02 and worth every penny.
Later

 

[Blare]

Hi
I do some leatherwork and I always use distilled water for that because I've gotten some white calcium deposits from our hard water I guess. Usually you want to steam the hat not dip it.
Just my $0.02 and worth every penny.
Later

Thanks Mike. Usually I do use steam for reshaping (when needed). On these thicker stiffer western felts I had seen where some suggested getting throughly wet. Prob should have started with steam first though.

This discoloration though seems to come come from inside the felt itself either a dye or shellac it seems to me. I was getting some of that even when I was just attempting to clean it with water and vinegar before the boiling water. Weird though that dark color come from inside an almost bone colored felt.

 

[glider]

Maybe you're just getting it real clean. It may have been exposed to a lot of dirt and dust and now you're getting it all out.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

1992 Worth - Walden
Light sprinkles with heavier rain inbound.

 

[RossRYoung]

No. 1 Laloo has been getting a ton of use as of late.

 

[Mm25]

No. 1 Laloo has been getting a ton of use as of late.

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Very nice hat band!

 

[Hurricane Jack]

No. 1 Laloo has been getting a ton of use as of late.

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A true Western gentleman, Ross.

 

[Bamaboots]

No. 1 Laloo has been getting a ton of use as of late.

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Great look, Ross.