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The Lost Cowboy

One Too Many
Messages
1,696
Location
Southeast Asia
Good recommendation on the Akubra Balmoral.
I wasn't sure what to expect.
That is a REALLY nice hat!
Glad to hear that!

I hope it provides you the protection you need, but if it doesn’t then you might consider a full felt Akubra. They might be hot but they damn sure work to block the sun.

I usually wear this Akubra Slouch hat on my daily walks. One like it can be had at a fair price also at David Morgan.

There are also usually a number of these available on eBay for much cheaper.

It is a surprisingly cool felt with vent holes and I truly think it’s the best protection from the sun.

But I hope the Balmoral does everything you need it to do.

Got a photo in the Balmoral?
571187BA-4134-4EA7-9DC3-4C6B2115469F.jpeg

D45B7BB2-D774-4E3E-996A-52E0EEBB0881.jpeg
 

SteveFord

A-List Customer
Messages
481
Luckily for you, no photo of me wearing the Akubra.
Even better, I did find what I needed, a Stetson Panama with UV blocking material in the top and brim. It's not nearly as nice as the Akubra but it's lighter, not as hot and does what I need it to do.
Not bad looking, either.
The first Stetston straw I got must have been shot with shellac, it felt like a plastic milk jug.
ScONyTj.jpg

blPx7EK.jpg
 

Woodtroll

One Too Many
Messages
1,263
Location
Mtns. of SW Virginia
Luckily for you, no photo of me wearing the Akubra.
Even better, I did find what I needed, a Stetson Panama with UV blocking material in the top and brim. It's not nearly as nice as the Akubra but it's lighter, not as hot and does what I need it to do.
Not bad looking, either.
The first Stetston straw I got must have been shot with shellac, it felt like a plastic milk jug.
ScONyTj.jpg

blPx7EK.jpg


That looks like a good lawn mowing hat! What model is it, please?
 

fuzzyowl

New in Town
Messages
10
Hi folks... Curious if it's possible to tell what kind of fur felt this is based on the visible hair! Looks like a guard hair almost?? Hat is pre-1934
 

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Zoukatron

One of the Regulars
Messages
143
Location
London, UK
Hi all. Been a long time since I posted here. Hoping for a recommendation. Like many of you, I really enjoy shaping my own crowns, so always try to buy hats with open crowns. When it comes to felt, these are easy to come by, I love my Akubra Campdrafts. But I really struggle to find straw open crowns (other than Western hats). Does anybody know of a company that sells off-the-rack open crown straw trilbies/fedoras, ideally with wider snap brims (like the Campdraft) and (more importantly) ideally in the UK (I live in London)? Thanks.
 
Messages
19,001
Location
Central California
Hi all. Been a long time since I posted here. Hoping for a recommendation. Like many of you, I really enjoy shaping my own crowns, so always try to buy hats with open crowns. When it comes to felt, these are easy to come by, I love my Akubra Campdrafts. But I really struggle to find straw open crowns (other than Western hats). Does anybody know of a company that sells off-the-rack open crown straw trilbies/fedoras, ideally with wider snap brims (like the Campdraft) and (more importantly) ideally in the UK (I live in London)? Thanks.


Most straw, including Panama (toquilla straw), Milan (wheat, hemp etc.), and other commonly available “dress hat” “straw” materials really need to have a positive and negative block to be shaped. I’ve never seen any of these materials look good when shaped by hand…and they are rarely seen as it’s agreed on that you need to use the block set to do it right. Modern Westerns straws are different as you are softening the shellac or similar agent and then shaping the material hot.

I’ve shaped one Panama hat and that was with a Hat Shapers block with the desired crown shape molded in. It took me several attempts before I was satisfied. I couldn’t imaging working an open crown straw hat with just my hands. There is a reason that “straw” hats weren’t offered open crown even in the golden era. Sorry.
 

Zoukatron

One of the Regulars
Messages
143
Location
London, UK
Most straw, including Panama (toquilla straw), Milan (wheat, hemp etc.), and other commonly available “dress hat” “straw” materials really need to have a positive and negative block to be shaped. I’ve never seen any of these materials look good when shaped by hand…and they are rarely seen as it’s agreed on that you need to use the block set to do it right. Modern Westerns straws are different as you are softening the shellac or similar agent and then shaping the material hot.

I’ve shaped one Panama hat and that was with a Hat Shapers block with the desired crown shape molded in. It took me several attempts before I was satisfied. I couldn’t imaging working an open crown straw hat with just my hands. There is a reason that “straw” hats weren’t offered open crown even in the golden era. Sorry.
I would explain why I have never seen the option. Thanks.
 

milandro

A-List Customer
Messages
420
Location
The Netherlands
I've searched with many terms and apparently this hasn't been covered before.


Does anyone know more bout which hats they wear?

Hats and caps are a main feature in this TV show, certainly with the older Raney , Marty, who wears this western silver belly hat ( must have gone through many in the show because the has has to get a lot of punishment with dirt and sweat) and his daughter Misty who is always in the show wears hats too ( she has changed several hats during the run of the show and sometimes wear different hats in the same show), while Matt, the son in the show, uses predominately a Cap or a Beanie.

It is very likely that Marty Raney wears a hat which may be a Stetson but I don't know for sure that that is the case and apparently, despite the fact that Stetson could certainly use him as a " Testimonial", the hat isn't clearly Identified as such, nor are the hats used by Misty.

By looking at the pictures on line, Marty has had at least one major hat change when he went from a Sand Color western with different crease to the present one, he was obviously a lot younger in this picture

click to expand the pictures


anyway these reality shows in the " wilderness" seem to thrive on hats , the formerly popular Alaska the last frontier featured the hosts always in multiple hats

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milandro

A-List Customer
Messages
420
Location
The Netherlands
So apparently he is sponsored by Stetson, got the answer on a YouTube interview

He wasn't always but at some point, given the popularity he became sponsored ( shirts are sponsored too but those were also different in the beginning then that are now)
 
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yestahh

New in Town
Messages
6
Where does everyone get their grosgrain and Petersham from? I have a couple of nice hats I'd like to change out the ribbon on but not sure where to start. Also any good tutorials on the art of bow making? TIA
 

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