CHURCHILL HATS

[steur]

I like your pinch front crease better than the cattlemen's crease and the felt is wonderful, very reminiscent of my Stetson 100s. I know you will enjoy the Churchill, Stefan. Wear it in good health.

Thanks, Randy. A cattleman's crease is a bit too "western" for our surroundings here. I will get the "cowboy" comment no matter what on occasion though. I will convince the Churchill to adapt to it's European environment soon enough I think
Thanks again for your generosity and I'm sure I'll come up with something suitable to be sent across the pond.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Our esteemed member Randy @Rmccamey found this Churchill hat, which wasn't in his size and he thought of me (bless him). A Churchill hat was lacking in my collection, so we were set up for an exchange.
Here's the Churchill beaver 50. Silverbelly I guess, which seems to vary between light grey and beige with some green (yikes!) tones in there, depending on the light. Quite stiff but easily moldable. I don't own an Open Road, but this is what I would imagine they'd be.
The hand of the felt is what really makes this hat; it's exceptionally smooth and lovely to the touch. Not a thick felt, but certainly not a lightweight hat at 131 grams. The brim binding is well done and very thin (the way I like it) and the sweatband is sturdy but supple. The liner is a glorious wine red. I'm guessing 1950's, but that's just a stab in the dark really.
Thanks, Randy!
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That’s a great hat. I owned a Churchill Beaver 50 for a short time (not my size) and it had some of the best felt I’ve handled. It was my epiphany moment when I understood the “molds like clay” description for felt. It’s definitely western, but it’s among the best of the western felts. It was heads and shoulder above my vintage 3X and Royal Deluxe Open Roads. I think it compares favorably with Stetsons 7X CB, and that’s some real praise. Congratulations on such a rare find.

 

[Just Daniel]

SWEET! And a great Lounge story.

Our esteemed member Randy @Rmccamey found this Churchill hat, which wasn't in his size and he thought of me (bless him). A Churchill hat was lacking in my collection, so we were set up for an exchange.
Here's the Churchill beaver 50. Silverbelly I guess, which seems to vary between light grey and beige with some green (yikes!) tones in there, depending on the light. Quite stiff but easily moldable. I don't own an Open Road, but this is what I would imagine they'd be.
The hand of the felt is what really makes this hat; it's exceptionally smooth and lovely to the touch. Not a thick felt, but certainly not a lightweight hat at 131 grams. The brim binding is well done and very thin (the way I like it) and the sweatband is sturdy but supple. The liner is a glorious wine red. I'm guessing 1950's, but that's just a stab in the dark really.
Thanks, Randy!
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[Just Daniel]

I think you can put a wide ribbon on it without offending anyone (or at least not offending a lot of people if you save the original. The change is impressive. Hopefully that’s not too much preservation heresy.

Thanks, Randy. A cattleman's crease is a bit too "western" for our surroundings here. I will get the "cowboy" comment no matter what on occasion though. I will convince the Churchill to adapt to it's European environment soon enough I think
Thanks again for your generosity and I'm sure I'll come up with something suitable to be sent across the pond.

 

[steur]

That’s a great hat. I owned a Churchill Beaver 50 for a short time (not my size) and it had some of the best felt I’ve handled. It was my epiphany moment when I understood the “molds like clay” description for felt. It’s definitely western, but it’s among the best of the western felts. It was heads and shoulder above my vintage 3X and Royal Deluxe Open Roads. I think it compares favorably with Stetsons 7X CB, and that’s some real praise. Congratulations on such a rare find.

Thanks, Brent. I was thinking the exact same about the claylike felt I've been reading about. It does indeed take some molding for it to take shape, but it will stay that way obediently. It is a very fine hat but designed and produced to withstand all conditions.

SWEET! And a great Lounge story.

I think you can put a wide ribbon on it without offending anyone (or at least not offending a lot of people if you save the original. The change is impressive. Hopefully that’s not too much preservation heresy.

Thanks, Daniel. I'll admit I have thought about that to be honest. I have quite a few hats now in this colour scheme and ribbon width. I might pick one of the others though for a ribbon change. Seems sacriligious to tamper with this one

 

[Louis Mountbatten]

I was lucky enough to stumble across a Churchill 100 in my size still in its hard-sided case a few years ago.

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

I was lucky enough to stumble across a Churchill 100 in my size still in its hard-sided case a few years ago.

Let’s see it!!
Always like to be s lucky looker!
B

 

[DaveProc]

Churchill Neiman Marcus Open Road Clone.
I have ready in multiple threads that the felt on these tends to be thick, stiff and not easily shaped. I am finding the opposite, the felt is relatively thin, soft and very malleable. The test will be changing the catteman's crease to something that suites me a bit more.

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

I was lucky enough to stumble across a Churchill 100 in my size still in its hard-sided case a few years ago.

Pics??

 

[Hurricane Jack]

I have ready in multiple threads that the felt on these tends to be thick, stiff and not easily shaped.

My Churchill Dalworth 40 is none of the above either.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

My latest Churchill just came back for VS where David put in a new sweatband. It’s an interesting color. The raw edge brim is 3 1/4” wide and the crown is just over 5” at the dip and just shy of 5 1/2” at the tallest. I’d bet it would be 6” open. The felt is on the better end of the spectrum of modern western...not sure how to describe it. It’s of medium density, has a decent hand, and the felt flexes easily and doesn’t sound like plywood when you thump it. You know, the standardized felt thump test.

 

[drmaxtejeda]

View attachment 279366 View attachment 279367 View attachment 279368 View attachment 279369 View attachment 279370 My latest Churchill just came back for VS where David put in a new sweatband. It’s an interesting color. The raw edge brim is 3 1/4” wide and the crown is just over 5” at the dip and just shy of 5 1/2” at the tallest. I’d bet it would be 6” open. The felt is on the better end of the spectrum of modern western...not sure how to describe it. It’s of medium density, has a decent hand, and the felt flexes easily and doesn’t sound like plywood when you thump it. You know, the standardized felt thump test.

LOL!

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

I was lucky enough to stumble across a Churchill 100 in my size still in its hard-sided case a few years ago.

@Louis Mountbatten
No responses? Hope all is well.
Trying again to see if you still have this hat. If so pics of this rare and hardly seen hat would be a great addition to this thread.
Thanks
B

 

[Neiru]

I bought my first Churchill not sure what decade it's from but the felt is very soft and I love it. It's so soft and not floppy at all that I don't need to steam it to mold it. It's beautiful.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I bought my first Churchill not sure what decade it's from but the felt is very soft and I love it. It's so soft and not floppy at all that I don't need to steam it to mold it. It's beautiful.

Please post photos when you can. Churchill made some average hats and some exceptional hats. Most of what I see are 1960s or later stingy brims, but they offered several styles including some that are just to my liking.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Churchill Caliente in canyon. The hat band reminds me of the backside if cheap outdoor carpet…I think it’s destined to be replaced.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Been looking for one of these for a few years: Churchill Beaver “50”
This is. 7 1/2 long oval, but the sweatband has seriously deteriorated and needs replacement so it will get nudged up a size when it gets re-blocked and a new sweatband.

Great felt with a fantastic hand. It’s very dense and molds wonderfully.

 

[Blare]

Been looking for one of these for a few years: Churchill Beaver “50”
This is. 7 1/2 long oval, but the sweatband has seriously deteriorated and needs replacement so it will get nudged up a size when it gets re-blocked and a new sweatband.

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Great felt with a fantastic hand. It’s very dense and molds wonderfully.

Sweet!

 

[StoryPNW]

Here is my newly acquired Churchill Woodside. I cleaned it up and steamed it a little. Felt is fairly soft and pretty lightweight.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Dark charcoal with a 2” wide brim.