Ask a question, get an answer

[Fivesense]

I'm looking for artisan hatbands for cowboy hats. Probably a simple horsehair braid or something. Best suggestions? Are there any artisans here?!

 

[RJR]

I'm looking for artisan hatbands for cowboy hats. Probably a simple horsehair braid or something. Best suggestions? Are there any artisans here?!

I'm sure that several Loungers will have specific suggestions but a search on ebay will turn up quite a few options.

 

[Fivesense]

I'm sure that several Loungers will have specific suggestions but a search on ebay will turn up quite a few options.

I've done the eBay search but I'm hoping somebody here makes custom pieces.

 

[RJR]

I've done the eBay search but I'm hoping somebody here makes custom pieces.

I'm not aware of any Loungers who are doing hat bands;a person selling on ebay as Pony 675 has made several items that I've purchased.You don't say where you are in Arizona but she is in St.David so would be fairly close to you.

 

[John the Swede]

Gents,

I'm confused. On some sites (even here), I see that people report leather fedoras do shrink; on others, they claim the leather stretches. I have multiple leather cowboy boots, and in my experience, these stretch (unless you TRY to shrink them, which then is even hard). It would stand to reason the leather would stretch a bit as the hat was worn, even if you sweat, right? Leather, generally speaking, stretches with wear, right? (In some leather stores, they actually advise sometimes to go smaller in leather coats because of shrinkage.)

Granted, types of leather matter. I'm talking steer hide here.

So what do forumites think?

 

[John the Swede]

Gents,

I'm confused. On some sites (even here), I see that people report leather fedoras do shrink; on others, they claim the leather stretches. I have multiple leather cowboy boots, and in my experience, these stretch (unless you TRY to shrink them, which then is even hard). It would stand to reason the leather would stretch a bit as the hat was worn, even if you sweat, right? Leather, generally speaking, stretches with wear, right? (In some leather stores, they actually advise sometimes to go smaller in leather coats because of shrinkage.)

Granted, types of leather matter. I'm talking steer hide here.

So what do forumites think?

Is this the wrong place to post this question? Or is it a bad question? New member here, so forgive the forum ignorance....

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Is this the wrong place to post this question? Or is it a bad question? New member here, so forgive the forum ignorance....

John, I can't answer as I have never owned an all leather hat. But you might get a quicker response posting your question here:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/ask-a-question-get-an-answer.41576/page-740

A mod will move it there eventually.

 

[KarlCrow]

There's a thread called 'ask a question get an answer above' that many members prefer such questions to be asked in. I expect a mod will move this there.

I don't know the answer to your other question.

 

[KarlCrow]

Snap jack

 

[John the Swede]

Thanks for the responses--did not realize the questions went over there.

 

[John the Swede]

Hope it's kosher to put a question here. Here goes...

I'm confused. On some sites (even here), I see that people report leather fedoras do shrink; on others, they claim the leather stretches. I have multiple leather cowboy boots, and in my experience, these stretch (unless you TRY to shrink them, which then is even hard). It would stand to reason the leather would stretch a bit as the hat was worn, even if you sweat, right? Leather, generally speaking, stretches with wear, right? (In some leather stores, they actually advise sometimes to go smaller in leather coats because of shrinkage.)

Granted, types of leather matter. I'm talking steer hide here.

So what do forumites think?

 

[moontheloon]

Hope it's kosher to put a question here. Here goes...

I'm confused. On some sites (even here), I see that people report leather fedoras do shrink; on others, they claim the leather stretches. I have multiple leather cowboy boots, and in my experience, these stretch (unless you TRY to shrink them, which then is even hard). It would stand to reason the leather would stretch a bit as the hat was worn, even if you sweat, right? Leather, generally speaking, stretches with wear, right? (In some leather stores, they actually advise sometimes to go smaller in leather coats because of shrinkage.)

Granted, types of leather matter. I'm talking steer hide here.

So what do forumites think?

"leather fedora" is a bit of an oxymoron ... no?

 

[Zombie_61]

Hope it's kosher to put a question here. Here goes...

I'm confused. On some sites (even here), I see that people report leather fedoras do shrink; on others, they claim the leather stretches. I have multiple leather cowboy boots, and in my experience, these stretch (unless you TRY to shrink them, which then is even hard). It would stand to reason the leather would stretch a bit as the hat was worn, even if you sweat, right? Leather, generally speaking, stretches with wear, right? (In some leather stores, they actually advise sometimes to go smaller in leather coats because of shrinkage.)

Granted, types of leather matter. I'm talking steer hide here.

So what do forumites think?

When we mention "leather" here, we're almost always referring to a hat's sweatband, not the material the hat itself is made from (which is usually some type of fur felt or straw). Different hat manufacturers use different types of leathers for their sweatbands, but one thing they have in common is that they're all relatively thin. We wear our hats, and on warm/hot days we sweat in them. The chemicals in our perspiration dehydrate the leather, which causes it to shrink; some leathers shrink more than others. With proper care, i.e. regularly treating the leather sweatbands with a product that protects and rehydrates them, you can minimize this shrinkage and even stretch a properly hydrated sweatband out a little. But many members here own vintage hats that were stored in a closet or attic and forgotten about for decades, and without that care the sweatbands on those hats have in all probability become so dehydrated that they have shrunk or deteriorated beyond the point of being useful and would need to be replaced.

 

[jlee562]

I think don't buy any hat that's actually made of leather, but, you know, different strokes.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Hmm, I've seen all leather hats in the shape of fedoras and I assume this is what you are taking about? I don't think they are all that common and most (based solely on price) are not high quality hats. I don't think many people here at the Lounge own such hats, but maybe I'm wrong? Maybe there are also high quality leather fedoras I'm not familiar with.

With that said, leather should not behave differently just because it's made into a hat. Feet also perspire and leather footwear needs periodic conditioning. However, unlike with your boots there isn't a tremendous amount of pressure and "working" of the materials in hats. Hats mostly just sit on the head. Boots are constantly flexing and are subject
To forces that hats will never see. I'm afraid all I can do is offer conjecture and that's of no use to anyone. If you find out please let us know.

 

[moontheloon]

Hmm, I've seen all leather hats in the shape of fedoras and I assume this is what you are taking about? I don't think they are all that common and most (based solely on price) are not high quality hats. I don't think many people here at the Lounge own such hats, but maybe I'm wrong? Maybe there are also high quality leather fedoras I'm not familiar with.

With that said, leather should not behave differently just because it's made into a hat. Feet also perspire and leather footwear needs periodic conditioning. However, unlike with your boots there isn't a tremendous amount of pressure and "working" of the materials in hats. Hats mostly just sit on the head. Boots are constantly flexing and are subject
To forces that hats will never see. I'm afraid all I can do is offer conjecture and that's of no use to anyone. If you find out please let us know.

There is no such thing as a leather fedora

A fedora by definition is a soft felt hat

 

[deadlyhandsome]

There is no such thing as a leather fedora

A fedora by definition is a soft felt hat

I get that, but such definitions are by their nature arbitrary. Since the original post was not asking about proper nomenclature I think we can make an exception. Language is all about communicating and unless your writing a legal documents precision isn't always needed. Just my two cents.

 

[moontheloon]

I get that, but such definitions are by their nature arbitrary. Since the original post was not asking about proper nomenclature I think we can make an exception. Language is all about communicating and unless your writing a legal documents precision isn't always needed. Just my two cents.

There is no such thing as a leather fedora

That's like saying beef pork chop ... it doesn't exists

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I c

There is no such thing as a leather fedora

That's like saying beef pork chop ... it doesn't exists

I concede the point. I'm agreeing with you. I'm also saying that the purpose of language is to communicate and the poster communicated what he was meaning. Is there anyone who read it who didn't understand what was meant despite the technical error?

Now I'm done. I'm not interested in beating this dead horse anymore. Goodnight.

 

[moontheloon]

I c

I concede the point. I'm agreeing with you. I'm also saying that the purpose of language is to communicate and the poster communicated what he was meaning. Is there anyone who read it who didn't understand what was meant despite the technical error?

Now I'm done. I'm not interested in beating this dead horse anymore. Goodnight.

Thanks for the communication lesson ...

Where's that horse ?