Yahoody
One Too Many
- Messages
- 1,112
- Location
- Great Basin
One of my favorite western stories is Larry McMurtry's of Woodrow and Augustus. Had a "Woodrow" hat since the series first aired, in one form or another. TLJones could get away with that big old open crown. Me? Not so much, so over the years I have toned my hats down some. Smaller crown, bigger brims. After screwing up a nice 100% beaver body last month I took the time to make an extra nice black 100% beaver hat for myself last couple of days.
I'm a 7 3/8 with a long, long oval head. Anyone with something similar knows how our head shape distorts a proper fitting hat eventually. Some times getting "simple" right, is tough. I love these big old plain jane, "farmer's hat" styles. Likely the easiest way to get a good hat to that shape is spend a full day out in a driving rain. They sure aren't Nevada Flat Tops or Montana Peaks. True period cowboy hats were 4"x 4" at best. Even in the real cowboy world open crown hats aren't often seen any more. Once they were the most common hat shape. When everyone was punchy a man wanted others to know he still had a "new" hat and some jingle in his pocket.
Always a real treat for me to build myself a new hat.
This one is a beaver, 5" open crown, 5 3/8" unbound brim, mild flip, latigo hat band with a sterling Horlacher hat concho. It is a tight one and needs some more steam to get it to mold to my head better. Or better yet, for how I like them to fit, just a day in the sun, shovel in hand.
I even have my own version of Call's "Hell Bitch". She's put me through the fence and on the dirt several times early on. Bites like a snake when she isn't it the mood. Just turned 4 but a lot in common with Call's horse But she liked the new hat this morning so we're good today!
Anyone else sporting a hat inspired by Call or McCrae? Let's see them!