about Hat Bands

[Dash Riprock]

Hi all, I was interested in knowing if anybody knows of a supplier that sells hat bands like the one Donnie Van Zant wears. (See pic posted down below)

He's a founding member of southern rock band 38 Special and younger brother to Ronnie Van Zant lead singer of Lynyrd Skynyrd.. Nuthin like a little southern rock!

I always liked that hat band and have not had any success in finding where I can buy one. I thought about trying to find some conchos like his hat has and seeing if a leather guy can recreate this hat band.

Before trying to do that I thought I'd get on here and ask to see if anybody knew where a Donnie Van Zant hat band could be purchased.

And, I already tried buying one from the many websites that show this hat for cheap... what I got was nothing like the picture at all and was like a kids hat, cheaply made.

If anybody knows... Please reply and let me know. Thanks!

 

[RickP]

Hi all, I was interested in knowing if anybody knows of a supplier that sells hat bands like the one Donnie Van Zant wears. (See pic posted down below)

He's a founding member of southern rock band 38 Special and younger brother to Ronnie Van Zant lead singer of Lynyrd Skynyrd.. Nuthin like a little southern rock! View attachment 676219

I always liked that hat band and have not had any success in finding where I can buy one. I thought about trying to find some conchos like his hat has and seeing if a leather guy can recreate this hat band.

Before trying to do that I thought I'd get on here and ask to see if anybody knew where a Donnie Van Zant hat band could be purchased.

And, I already tried buying one from the many websites that show this hat for cheap... what I got was nothing like the picture at all and was like a kids hat, cheaply made.

If anybody knows... Please reply and let me know. Thanks!

View attachment 676218

Any good leathercrafter should be able to fabricate one up for ya pretty easily. Decent slot conchos are about $2 each ( you just need to figure out what size those are... 3/4" or 1"). The rest is just a matter of fitting the band to the hat crown, spacing things out to figure out where to cut the slots , cutting a couple slots for each concho, and then weaving a thin strap from the back up through the slot, in and out of the slots in the concho and then back down through the band ( repeat till finished). Most of those use leather lacing to snug up the ends with a "tail" tied off and hanging out on the rear

Depending on where you are, If you cant find a leather crafter nearby... look for a saddle repair shop, they use those slot conchos all the time. they will know how to get things snug and in place.

Quality conchos always looked nice to me. Cheap conchos just look... well cheap

 

[belfastboy]

Any good leathercrafter should be able to fabricate one up for ya pretty easily. Decent slot conchos are about $2 each ( you just need to figure out what size those are... 3/4" or 1"). The rest is just a matter of fitting the band to the hat crown, spacing things out to figure out where to cut the slots , cutting a couple slots for each concho, and then weaving a thin strap from the back up through the slot, in and out of the slots in the concho and then back down through the band ( repeat till finished). Most of those use leather lacing to snug up the ends with a "tail" tied off and hanging out on the rear

Depending on where you are, If you cant find a leather crafter nearby... look for a saddle repair shop, they use those slot conchos all the time. they will know how to get things snug and in place.

Quality conchos always looked nice to me. Cheap conchos just look... well cheap

View attachment 676223 View attachment 676225

Looks to me the leather is 1 1/2" with slightly smaller conchos.

 

[RickP]

Looks to me the leather is 1 1/2" with slightly smaller conchos.

im guessing its a typical gambler style with about a 4-1/2" crown. whatever size conchos are used it needs at least 1/4" leather showing on top and bottom... (one inchers would look good for this application. )to me conchos can look funny when they go all the way to the edge of the band... need a bit of spare edges

AND THE EDGES OF THE LEATHER NEED TO BE CHAMFERRED, BURNSHED AND DYED. RAW CUT LEATHER EDGES JUST SCREAM " MY CUB SCOUT MADE THIS FOR ME" LOL

 

[belfastboy]

im guessing its a typical gambler style with about a 4-1/2" crown. whatever size conchos are used it needs at least 1/4" leather showing on top and bottom... (one inchers would look good for this application. )to me conchos can look funny when they go all the way to the edge of the band... need a bit of spare edges

I make a few leather bands but usually with just one concho to hide the join in the leather so the concho width needs to match the leather width. But then my standard is 3/4", 7/8, or 1". My go to concho is a buffalo nickel punched to a dome shape with a Chicago screw added.

 

[RickP]

I make a few leather bands but usually with just one concho to hide the join in the leather so the concho width needs to match the leather width. But then my standard is 3/4", 7/8, or 1". My go to concho is a buffalo nickel punched to a dome shape with a Chicago screw added.

FYI this is on ebay right now if you need a lifetime supply of Buffalo conchos.... I restocked my supplies with a bunch of nickles, dimes quarters, and dollars a couple months ago so I wont be bidding... Tandy gets $2-2.50 each for these

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3357797211...oENqeOQ5hMY1UHy/d0BuO6ClEg==|tkp:BFBMyMfnqZNl

 

[Dash Riprock]

Thank you for all the great feed back!
I figured you guys would know all about this stuff.

Pics below - - Here's the inexpensive hat I've been wearing I got from that Jeff Bezo guy's site for $60.00. It's a crushable wool hat and surprisingly it holds it's shape pretty good.

The hat band I'd like to create from the Donnie Vant Zant picture is supposed to have 2 inch conchos so maybe I need parts from a belt for this.

 

[Dash Riprock]

Depending on where you are, If you cant find a leather crafter nearby... look for a saddle repair shop, they use those slot conchos all the time. they will know how to get things snug and in place.

Quality conchos always looked nice to me. Cheap conchos just look... well cheap

Yessir, thanks for the idea. Hopefully I can find a leather guy locally. I'll do some searching.

Yeah when I was a kid watching 38 Special on Mtv, I always thought Donnie Van Zant's hat looked cool with those big conchos all around

His hat was custom made at Texas Hatter so I wouldn't want to pay $2k for them to make me one.

But, if I can re-create this hat band where I can use it on different hats, things would be looking up in my hat world!

 

[RickP]

Yessir, thanks for the idea. Hopefully I can find a leather guy locally. I'll do some searching.

Yeah when I was a kid watching 38 Special on Mtv, I always thought Donnie Van Zant's hat looked cool with those big conchos all around

His hat was custom made at Texas Hatter so I wouldn't want to pay $2k for them to make me one.

But, if I can re-create this hat band where I can use it on different hats, things would be looking up in my hat world!

Again most of the bands like that Ive seen used a lace up arrangement in the back. so theres a little wiggle room to snug things up on different hats... Of course the correct answer is... if there are two hats, make two hatbands lol

Keep on "holding on loosely!"

 

[Dash Riprock]

Yep, I'll definitely want some back ups!

 

[BobHufford]

His hat was custom made at Texas Hatter so I wouldn't want to pay $2k for them to make me one.

If you’re patient and shop around you can get the real deal pretty inexpensively. Maybe not the custom fit though.

Hi-Roller in black.

Hi-Roller in dark blue as arrived.

Added a band.

 

[belfastboy]

FYI this is on ebay right now if you need a lifetime supply of Buffalo conchos.... I restocked my supplies with a bunch of nickles, dimes quarters, and dollars a couple months ago so I wont be bidding... Tandy gets $2-2.50 each for these

https://www.ebay.com/itm/335779721162?_skw=buffalo+nickel+conchos&itmmeta=01JJD9SWEPEZXRWT094Y3DKDR9&hash=item4e2e07efca:g:F3kAAOSwqcdnkFbR&itmprp=enc:AQAJAAAA8HoV3kP08IDx+KZ9MfhVJKlIQLDDbwnD1jU5iwUFB3F6JjcX0k1AjERT8yrucybx0+27oGBuu7neajhYFGcfMcIZKZrIuKEECe1akSXvMEo+4xsrcND0ZHYvgAmMA3Z6hbwOU5fHHAvt6Lb3zhI+0ItcHQ0YU0r7BmTmeum9MXWWS4wWjrUwLuCErls90eusncb7lsxoTJ7bQgB/4QCRV0krEd1a1TJAzDIryOwS/TNDiF4+w7tSBQrR5hm1q3TcX5betfjwkT/6uE6PY/Do4VL7uf8O57mLDtFA/ZPdoENqeOQ5hMY1UHy/d0BuO6ClEg==|tkp:BFBMyMfnqZNl

I buy off Etsy from a guy that makes them out of real buffalo nickels. They are pricey at about $20 each but they are legit nickels that he presses into a domed shape.

 

[quikrick]

If you like Donnie Van Zant stile hats, check out Stevie Ray Vaughan’s hats. SRV wore wider brims though.
Killer.

 

[Rmccamey]

Mike at Northwest Hats builds a respectable RVZ/SRV gambler clone.

 

[belfastboy]

Yessir, thanks for the idea. Hopefully I can find a leather guy locally. I'll do some searching.

Yeah when I was a kid watching 38 Special on Mtv, I always thought Donnie Van Zant's hat looked cool with those big conchos all around

His hat was custom made at Texas Hatter so I wouldn't want to pay $2k for them to make me one.

But, if I can re-create this hat band where I can use it on different hats, things would be looking up in my hat world!

I never attach any leather hat band I make. I cut it to fit the hat so there is some tension putting it on....but not too much. When I get it right the hat band holds firm to the hat.

 

[Dash Riprock]

I never attach any leather hat band I make. I cut it to fit the hat so there is some tension putting it on....but not too much. When I get it right the hat band holds firm to the hat.

That's what I'm thinking, have it fit snug but be adjustable so I can wear it on different hats would be my goal.

 

[belfastboy]

That's what I'm thinking, have it fit snug but be adjustable so I can wear it on different hats would be my goal.

Theoretically, all your hats are the same size so the hat band should fit all of them without the need to be adjustable. I hate the adjustable ones with the leather strips that tie up. I prefer a clean line. I do have some braided horsehair ones that have the double slip knot....that is acceptable but you can't do that with a flat ,wide, leather band.