Western, anyone?

[Joao Encarnado]

They go up to 8" brims. Use a chinstrap to go kitesurfing.

lol

 

[Landman]

Can anyone recommend a wide-brimmed straw Western? A brim over 4.25"? I'm thinking of it as a sun hat for hiking and UV protection. Hopefully it would have a brim that could lie relatively flat or down. I like the taco and George Straight brim shapes, but not so much for sun protection. Any ideas?

--Greg

I'd recommend Sunbody Hats. I like to buy the fine grade Guatemalan straw in open crown. Very easy to shape. Just dunk them in cold water, shape them the way you want and wear it until it dries and the fit will be perfect. Buy one size larger than you normally buy because they will shrink after getting them wet to shape. Here is a link to their open crown page. You can also buy them pre-shaped but that is no fun!

http://www.sunbody.com/index.cfm/category/17/open-crown-hats.cfm

Here are a couple of videos of people shaping them.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aKkyiaH_xMI

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SrGon_mOvto

 

[RJR]

In addition,SBs are tough as can be.

 

[Joao Encarnado]

A Stagecoach offered to me by a lounger, it's almost a late birthday gift.
More pictures of it in the "new hats" thread.

 

[1961MJS]

In addition,SBs are tough as can be.

Hi

This is both true and untrue.

if you wet the Sunbody every month or so over the summer, and let it dry on your head, they are very hardy.

If you let the Sunbody get dried out it will crumble like a dried leaf (which of course it is).

Don't ask how I know that... :cry:

 

[Joao Encarnado]

Nice advice! Thanks!

 

[ingineer]

Rei Joao
That one, the silverbelly,looks great on you!
Enjoy
Richard

 

[Joao Encarnado]

Rei Joao
That one, the silverbelly,looks great on you!
Enjoy
Richard

Thank you Richard

 

[1mach1]

Beautiful Stagecoach Joao!!

 

[Joao Encarnado]

Thank you Harv!

 

[Joao Encarnado]

Digging again through the lounge to get to this thread
My new latest addition, this chocolate brown Stetson Big Country.
More pictures of it in the new hats thread.

Don't ever think on trimming the brim on this one. I'm watching you

 

[1mach1]

Nice one! Great colors.

 

[ingineer]

Stagecoach Box but not hat, but bought it anyway.






PS The Big Country is great with that ribbon.
Richard

 

[Joao Encarnado]

Stagecoach Box but not hat, but bought it anyway.

Nice one. I have seen some hats on ebay with Stagecoach boxes that are not Stagecoaches. Maybe the stores used them on big hats because those boxes are big.

PS The Big Country is great with that ribbon.

Thank you!

 

[g.durand]

I just picked up this Stetson western. It has a square size tag. The embroidered "Last Drop" liner is spot-glued in place rather than sewn. The oil-skin lined sweatband is of a lower quality leather than '40s/'50s Stetsons. It's a bit too stiff and dry to risk folding it back for a photo, but there is a tag attached to the back side of the sweat that reads LOT/STYLE/PRICE and "Rawlins" "Silbelly" "$20"

Ca. '60s ?

 

[1mach1]

That's a nice Stetson, g.d.! Looks great on you!

 

[barrowjh]

Transition piece, G.D. Most of the embroidered last drop liners I have seen were in hats that had the older Stetson circular crest on the sweatband. Most, but not all, obviously. Looks to be in awesome condition!

 

[barrowjh]

Stetson 3XB Chisolm in Mohave color (olive)

I picked this from ebay to experiment with - trying to get the stiffener out or diluted to the point where the felt is soft. I accomplished that, but with some unintended consequences.



Notice the brim swoops down in all directions (all around the hat) from the brim break - I would prefer a crisp 90 degree brim break but with the shellac depleted the thickly-felted 3 1/4 brim is so heavy it sags down. I was able to shape it ok, the felt will hold a shape (aided by steam), but there are limitations.




Other problem is inconsistent color. Apparently, in those thickly-felted 70s - 80s westerns, the dye is as much 'in the shellac' as it is 'in the fur' and when I diluted the shellac I inadvertently liberated some of the dye. If I had immersed the felt and soaked it in a 50% ammonia mix overnight maybe the ending color would be more consistent, but in this case I am saving the sweatband and therefore the ammonia solution dripped through the felt (painfully slow!) and left me with some splotchy color. The hat is dark and it is relatively difficult to see, but I would rather not have the inconsistent color. Final clean-up with white gas did not clear up the inconsistency.

I think it may have been Tony B that generally cautioned against substantial make-overs of cowboy hats, and I have proved him correct. I do have a very soft Stetson now and maybe I will tolerate these minor problems.

I should share something else I learned wtih this one - the only stitching is the sweatband. The silk-screened last drop liner and the leather hat band were glued in place (the ammonia solution liberated that glue also!). I did use some mineral spirits also, but the mineral spirits appeared to have less impact than the ammonia solution.

 

[John Galt]

BJH,

Ironing the foot to get a crisp break and spraying the hat with sizing will fix the droop. I have no suggestion for the fading...

 

[Joao Encarnado]

I just picked up this Stetson western. It has a square size tag. The embroidered "Last Drop" liner is spot-glued in place rather than sewn. The oil-skin lined sweatband is of a lower quality leather than '40s/'50s Stetsons. It's a bit too stiff and dry to risk folding it back for a photo, but there is a tag attached to the back side of the sweat that reads LOT/STYLE/PRICE and "Rawlins" "Silbelly" "$20"

Nice one and you wear it well!

I picked this from ebay to experiment with - trying to get the stiffener out or diluted to the point where the felt is soft. I accomplished that, but with some unintended consequences.

I too have a western that become floppy after I washed it with water and soap. Never tried anything you described but now it's very very soft. Don't know who once told me steam would reactivate the shellac but I never tried it.