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Panama Hat Thread

jporgeck

Familiar Face
Messages
71
Location
Fort Lauderdale
Bluesman61, very, very nice hat. Too bad about the wave. You could hang ten on that rascal. Art, will no doubt, remedy the situation.

Mr E Train, wise choice on the pug v ribbon swap. Really makes it happen.

150719541, that hat looks cool in more ways than one.
 

dnjan

One Too Many
Messages
1,690
Location
Seattle
hat protection

CRH said:
I got caught in a soaking thunderstorm the first time I ever wore my first Panama from Panama Bob. The brim snap became quite wonky and hilarious looking.
Having recently spent more money (significantly more money) on a PanamaBob-Art masterpiece than I have spent on any other hat, I was wondering about some kind of thin plastic hat-protector.
I was thinking of something that could easily be kept in a jacket pocket, or possibly even folded and stuck under the hat band.

I assume such things exist. What are they called, and who sells them?
(I would like something a bit more hat-shaped than a garbage-can liner bag)

Thanks!
 

danofarlington

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,122
Location
Arlington, Virginia
dnjan said:
Having recently spent more money (significantly more money) on a PanamaBob-Art masterpiece than I have spent on any other hat, I was wondering about some kind of thin plastic hat-protector.
I was thinking of something that could easily be kept in a jacket pocket, or possibly even folded and stuck under the hat band.

I assume such things exist. What are they called, and who sells them?
(I would like something a bit more hat-shaped than a garbage-can liner bag)

Thanks!
I've been caught out in rainstorms with hats. Generally speaking, the thinner the hat material, the more likely it is to be affected by water. So when it rains and I'm wearing a good hat, Panama or otherwise, but especially a thin and expensive Panama hat, I take it off and put it into one of those grocery store plastic bags and carry it by hand. I would not mess around with a thin plastic bag over the hat and keep wearing it in a shower, like a policeman would wear a plastic top on his hat in the pouring rain. I just wouldn't take the chance, and would remove the hat completely.

I know such plastic hat-type bags exist because my local hat man has them. Before I can ask him though I'm sure someone else will come back to you with a source. I want to know myself, because I could put my best hats in them between wearings to keep the dust off, which is a real concern.
 

swaviator

New in Town
Messages
43
Location
Oklahoma City
CRH said:
New band for an old hat. Stetson Medalist brisa c. 1942.

hpim2352.jpg


hpim2356.jpg

Hi...I have a Stetson Medalist of probably the same vintage. What is the range of years of the Medaliste? Love the band! Who is a good source of bands?
Thanks!
 

Markp

New in Town
Messages
8
Location
Fremont, CA
Small smudge on new hat

Hi,

New to this forum a a fairly new "good" Panama hat owner. I've had an O.K. Panama for a few years (the one in my avatar) but in the past couple of months I purchased a Christy's Panama that I've been wearing about town on most late spring days.

Just noticed a very small spot on the crown, not wanting to do anything that might be destructive I just wet my finger with a bit of water and rubbed it a bit, reduced the spot a bit and now I'm ready to move on to the next step. My thought is to just take a bit of dish washing liquid soap and water and do the same thing with my finger.

Am I on the right track or is there a better way? Don't have the hat with me as I'm in a hotel away from home for the next few days.

Thanks...
 

CRH

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,272
Location
West Branch, IA
Markp said:
...

Just noticed a very small spot on the crown, not wanting to do anything that might be destructive I just wet my finger with a bit of water and rubbed it a bit, reduced the spot a bit and now I'm ready to move on to the next step. My thought is to just take a bit of dish washing liquid soap and water and do the same thing with my finger.

Am I on the right track or is there a better way? ...

Most straws need a little moisture now and then so just give the whole hat a sponge bath. Fill a sink with a small squirt of liquid dish soap just like washing dishes, well not exactly. I use a big squirt for dishes. ;)

Take a rung out wash rag and wash the whole hat followed by wiping with a clean, dry cotton dish towel. Repeat.

Now check for stains and concentrate on them one by one in the same manner except get your cleaning rag wetter if the stains are stubborn. Repeat until the stains are gone or you are board or tired or whatever.

You should find that your Panama has a little more pep than it did before. :D
 

cookie

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,927
Location
Sydney Australia
Bluesman61 said:
Didn't know where else to post this so mods, move if needed.

I just received my first "real" panama hat from Art Fawcett and could not be happier with how it turned out. However, I just can't get the brim to cooperate with me! I wore it tonight to a baseball game and it looked fine when I left the house as you can see below...
Photo61.jpg
,
But I guess after sitting in the Alabama humidity for two hours the brim must have taken in some moisture. When I got home, this is how it looked...
Photo67.jpg


I've already sent it back to Art and had it re-flanged for a long oval. Any ideas on what caused this or how I can remedy it? Sorry for the long post but I really want to be able to wear this hat!

Thanks,

Jay


Torquing and LOs go together in Panamas.
 

CRH

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,272
Location
West Branch, IA
Bluesman61 said:
That's what I'm finding out. I've got it on a stretcher with a few heavy books on the brim to see if I can fix it. It is slowly starting to work itself out.

You could always wear it under a thunderstorm an let God have a run at it if all else fails.

lol

:p

:cool2:
 

CRH

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,272
Location
West Branch, IA
swaviator said:
Hi...I have a Stetson Medalist of probably the same vintage. What is the range of years of the Medaliste? Love the band! Who is a good source of bands?
...

So far it looks like 1940's or later on the Medalist business.

Medalist was also a felt model, BTW.

I picked up a few bands from Shushan's. Here's another one.

hpim2403.jpg


hpim2404.jpg


The ones I purchased are poplin so they shrink to fit as you can see. Silk will also shrink to fit.
 

Hexenmeister

One of the Regulars
Messages
106
Location
South Ogden, Utah
Valetmag.com linked to this trailer for what is no less than a feature length documentary about the panama hat. I had no idea so much went into the crafting of a hat. 0_o

Made in Equador: The Panama Hat Story
[YOUTUBE]FRia8pZTorw[/YOUTUBE]

Higher res version is here at Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/406351
 

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