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[Rmccamey]

No rush on my end, Robert. I'm sure you will do an excellent job, as usual.

Do you think a different straw will work better for your next attempt?

The raffia hat is progressing, slowly. It is a different animal again from the Panama straws.....even more of a mind of its own. Slowly, slowly, slowly.

 

[belfastboy]

No rush on my end, Robert. I'm sure you will do an excellent job, as usual.

Do you think a different straw will work better for your next attempt?

This is the very first (maybe last!!) raffia straw I have worked with. It is different again from Panama straws. It is a very loose weave and it resists holding the shape. I may try just a touch of stiffener to get it to behave.

 

[DJ-Delta]

Hello Gents - I’ve recently found an older Royal Deluxe Stetson. No model name on the sweat band. It has a keyhole size tag with Stetson 7 1/8 inscribed. Cattleman crown, large grosgrain ribbon and bound edge brim. In the style of a western fedora? Any chance you experts would be able to give a date range or potential model types?

 

[ElJimenez74]

Hemp vs Cuenca Straw

Hello Gents:

I was hoping some of you could help me out. I am looking to buy a good summer straw hat (I know I’m a late to the show, lol). I am debating between hemp and a Cuenca straw. My biggest concern is durability. I’ll probably be using this hat to the pool, so it may get wet. As well as out and about the house and in town. Any recommendations as far as one over the other? Or on specific hats? Price range is about $200. All info is greatly appreciated! Thanks

 

[hatsRme]

Hemp vs Cuenca Straw

Hello Gents:

I was hoping some of you could help me out. I am looking to buy a good summer straw hat (I know I’m a late to the show, lol). I am debating between hemp and a Cuenca straw. My biggest concern is durability. I’ll probably be using this hat to the pool, so it may get wet. As well as out and about the house and in town. Any recommendations as far as one over the other? Or on specific hats? Price range is about $200. All info is greatly appreciated! Thanks

Hemp gets my vote, especially if it may see some moisture.

 

[RickP]

If water exposure is a possibility, my suggestion is hemp all he way. I have several Hemp Stratoliners and open roads and they have all held up really well. Hemp is definately heavier than most straws, buy way more durable

 

[Rmccamey]

Calling all historians: According to Google;

"The "Grand Prize 1900 Paris" refers to the prestigious top honor awarded to the John B. Stetson Company at the 1900 Exposition Universelle (World's Fair) in Paris. Stetson earned this gold-medal equivalent for the exceptional quality, design, and manufacturing of their fur-felt hats."

My question is, does anyone know or or have the list of criteria used by the judges to determine "exceptional quality, design and manufacturing" between the various hats/manufacturers?

 

[Hurricane Jack]

My question is, does anyone know or or have the list of criteria used by the judges to determine "exceptional quality, design and manufacturing" between the various hats/manufacturers?

Interesting question Randy. I look forward to the answer & discussions it could generate.

 

[jlee562]

Hemp vs Cuenca Straw

Hello Gents:

I was hoping some of you could help me out. I am looking to buy a good summer straw hat (I know I’m a late to the show, lol). I am debating between hemp and a Cuenca straw. My biggest concern is durability. I’ll probably be using this hat to the pool, so it may get wet. As well as out and about the house and in town. Any recommendations as far as one over the other? Or on specific hats? Price range is about $200. All info is greatly appreciated! Thanks

If you know it might get a little more than incidentally splashed, I would also consider a shantung straw. This is the actual utilitarian reason why one might want a shellac coated paper 'straw.' It's less elegant than a natural Panama, but honestly the general public wouldn't know anyway because so many cheaper 'straw' hats are also shantung.

 

[shopkin]

Hemp vs Cuenca Straw

Hello Gents:

I was hoping some of you could help me out. I am looking to buy a good summer straw hat (I know I’m a late to the show, lol). I am debating between hemp and a Cuenca straw. My biggest concern is durability. I’ll probably be using this hat to the pool, so it may get wet. As well as out and about the house and in town. Any recommendations as far as one over the other? Or on specific hats? Price range is about $200. All info is greatly appreciated! Thanks

I'm not an expert or connoisseur of Panama hats, but the modern inexpensive ($50 to $150) straw hats advertised as genuine hand-made Ecudorian toquilla are very fragile, even if you can keep it dry.. Just picking it up by the pinch every day for a month will make the straw start to break.

I doubt that "hand made" means hand woven. They must be machine woven with some hand work to finish a blank.

 

[ElJimenez74]

Thanks everyone! Pulled the trigger on a hemp Stratoliner today!

 

[jba972]

Thanks everyone! Pulled the trigger on a hemp Stratoliner today!

I did too! It was just delivered. Haven't had a chance to play with it yet.

 

[belfastboy]

Hemp vs Cuenca Straw

Hello Gents:

I was hoping some of you could help me out. I am looking to buy a good summer straw hat (I know I’m a late to the show, lol). I am debating between hemp and a Cuenca straw. My biggest concern is durability. I’ll probably be using this hat to the pool, so it may get wet. As well as out and about the house and in town. Any recommendations as far as one over the other? Or on specific hats? Price range is about $200. All info is greatly appreciated! Thanks

Depending on your size but if you are 7 1/4 or smaller then look for a vintage milan straw on Ebay. They come up regularly. They look great and are far more robust than a Panama straw. Panamas are by far the lightest and coolest hot weather head wear. But the milan straw is still good. Caution makes sure it is vintage milan and not a modern version that still uses the milan terminology but it is the coated rice paper Toyo or Shantung.

 

[belfastboy]

I'm not an expert or connoisseur of Panama hats, but the modern inexpensive ($50 to $150) straw hats advertised as genuine hand-made Ecudorian toquilla are very fragile, even if you can keep it dry.. Just picking it up by the pinch every day for a month will make the straw start to break.

I doubt that "hand made" means hand woven. They must be machine woven with some hand work to finish a blank.

I picked up a hand woven Panama a few years back from a local shop that sells all Ecuadorean products. It was hand woven, coarsely and poorly but hand woven. Set me back $50.

 

[ElJimenez74]

Depending on your size but if you are 7 1/4 or smaller then look for a vintage milan straw on Ebay. They come up regularly. They look great and are far more robust than a Panama straw. Panamas are by far the lightest and coolest hot weather head wear. But the milan straw is still good. Caution makes sure it is vintage milan and not a modern version that still uses the milan terminology but it is the coated rice paper Toyo or Shantung.

Any specific things to look for to ID it as a vintage Milan? Thanks for the rec!

 

[belfastboy]

Any specific things to look for to ID it as a vintage Milan? Thanks for the rec!

It should say in the description or the ask the seller to verify. If the seller does not know then walk away. The legit ones are not that expensive.