Seven days without a western makes one weak.
My latest refurb project. A fellow Lounger sent me this '50s era size 6 5/8 No.1 Quality Stetson Western. I had to block this up five sizes to fit me. I wasn't for sure if I was going to be able to keep it Western with that big of a size up considering that I thought I'd lose a good deal of brim in the process. I did a little blocking experiment that I was thinking of and I was able to maintain an even 3 1/8 inch brim all around, down from a 3 1/2 inch brim. In the process I gained an 1/8 inch in crown height, which was a pleasant surprise. Anyway, I was able to keep it Western. The hat is styled in my preferred crown crease and brim curl for a Western, similar to some hats that I remember seeing on television in 1950s T.V. Western serials. I'll have more later in the 'Conversion Corral', and also in the 'Western Anyone' threads....
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Thanks Stefan. My three piece suit and overcoat collection haven't been getting their usual workout this winter. It's been so cold I've been stuck in work wear/hunting/ex-military stuff to stay warm. Hopefully they will get a month or so of wear now.
Another great 'burg. It does look grey there.
Ha! Thank you buddy!
Oh my, how easy it would be to break two of the commandments for the hat & the radio. Tho shalt not covet, thou shalt not steal. But no, I can resist anything. (Except temptation.)
Wonderful in every respect, Steve. Love it.J. Hückel´s Söhne "Standard" "Loden", NOS and from my May 2016 Czech find.
Alden 403 Moc Toe Boot - Brown Chromexcel - $680 The classic "Indy" style Alden Boot in the classic Horween brown Chromexcel. 
Grant Stone Diesel Boot Dark Olive Chromexcel - #395 Goodyear welted, Horween Chromexcel, classic good looks. 
Himel Bros. - The Ross Mk. 1 Leather Jacket Classic D-pocket motorcycle/aviator style jacket. 
My latest refurb project. A fellow Lounger sent me this '50s era size 6 5/8 No.1 Quality Stetson Western. I had to block this up five sizes to fit me. I wasn't for sure if I was going to be able to keep it Western with that big of a size up considering that I thought I'd lose a good deal of brim in the process. I did a little blocking experiment that I was thinking of and I was able to maintain an even 3 1/8 inch brim all around, down from a 3 1/2 inch brim. In the process I gained an 1/8 inch in crown height, which was a pleasant surprise. Anyway, I was able to keep it Western. The hat is styled in my preferred crown crease and brim curl for a Western, similar to some hats that I remember seeing on television in 1950s T.V. Western serials. I'll have more later in the 'Conversion Corral', and also in the 'Western Anyone' threads....
Before:
After:
My latest refurb project. A fellow Lounger sent me this '50s era size 6 5/8 No.1 Quality Stetson Western. I had to block this up five sizes to fit me. I wasn't for sure if I was going to be able to keep it Western with that big of a size up considering that I thought I'd lose a good deal of brim in the process. I did a little blocking experiment that I was thinking of and I was able to maintain an even 3 1/8 inch brim all around, down from a 3 1/2 inch brim. In the process I gained an 1/8 inch in crown height, which was a pleasant surprise. Anyway, I was able to keep it Western. The hat is styled in my preferred crown crease and brim curl for a Western, similar to some hats that I remember seeing on television in 1950s T.V. Western serials. I'll have more later in the 'Conversion Corral', and also in the 'Western Anyone' threads....
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After:
Thank you buddy! It was a pleasure to work with. You can't beat these old vintage hats. This No.1 is one heck of a lid. It's just too bad that felting and hat making has become a long lost art. The felt quality on this hat is amazing. Much better than the stuff that's on the market today.
Thank you Scotty! My wife and grandkids got a chuckle out of that before pic too!
Ha! Same with me! Some background on that old Zennith radio. My Great Grandmother bought that radio brand new at a long gone furniture store in Columbus, Ohio back in the early 1940s, (Nelson Furniture). I remember going to her house and listening to it when I was a kid. It would make a humming noise right after you turned it on until it warmed up. I can still remember going to a corner drug store where they had a tube tester. People would bring in tubes from their TVs and radios and plug them into the tester to see if they were bad. If a bad one was found the drug store sold you a new one. I remember going with my grandmother and buying tubes for that radio. Those days are long gone, sadly.
My 1922 Furguson wireless, in the UK before WW2, radios were known as a wireless, is still in good working order, like your's it's valve driven and takes four or five minutes to warm up.
That's some good stuff there buddy. I love that Furguson radio. That's a nice one. I also like the tall straight crown on that guy's hat in the picture. That's the way like them. Tall and straight. Here's a Biltmore Western that I converted to a fedora with a tall straight crown. I found a wide vintage black ribbon and put on it. This one started out as a size 6 3/4 and I blocked it up to the 7 1/4 on a 6 inch straight sided block that a fellow Lounger, (Rockwater), made for me. I would say that my favorite era for fedoras would be the 1940s and very early '50s
Doug, Thank you! Fantastic VS Silvermist from you today!
We're supposed to meet my sister in law's family in Ft. Lauderdale this month. Their first trip to the US from Ecuador. They're all looking forward to it. Me, LOL, I'd rather have the cool weather....Recently spent some time in beeee-u-teee-ful SUNNY Florida.Needed my wide brim Dobbs San Juan Plantation. Way better than this icebox we're living in today!
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