Post New Hats Here!

[Randall Renshaw]

Absolutely fantastic, Steve. Congrats! Good to see it found a good home.

Very nice, Randall. Love the ribbon. So how much does a tissue weigh?

Thanks @Bill Hughes and Stefan
I love the ribbon, too!

4.0 ounces. For comparison, I have a Featherweight Champ at 3.2 ounces.

 

[Frunobulax]

From the links Doug posted it looks like the New Slant went front to back. And the other ones I’ve seen on eBay went front to back. Howbeit, according to the @Tukwila links, Stetson made a “Slant” that went side to side.
Either way, as I said earlier, this one came with a re-creased crown anyway, so it was no longer a New Slant before it got to me. Matter of fact, I had to do some cleaning and sanding to get the original creases, whatever they were, and the prior owner’s crease to disappear. Turned out looking real nice.
It’s a great looking fedora of which I am proud to own, slanted or not.

It was till a New Slant even re-creased, IMHO. But if you re-blocked it, changing the profile, it no longer is. I'm sure it's still a very nice hat, but eliminating the taper for a straighter crown changes the profile of the hat. I'm just not certain why you would buy a perfectly good vintage hat that you didn't like the look of.

 

[Randall Renshaw]

It was till a New Slant even re-creased, IMHO. But if you re-blocked it, changing the profile, it no longer is. I'm sure it's still a very nice hat, but eliminating the taper for a straighter crown changes the profile of the hat. I'm just not certain why you would buy a perfectly good vintage hat that you didn't like the look of.

Listen, the crown had no secret special slant in it, Jim. It simply had more taper than I like.
How ‘bout you do you.
If you find a New Slant that the crown has already been monkeyed with and looks in sad shape, you can leave it as is, but me, I’m going to improve it. Maybe not to your liking, but it’s my hat.

 

[Frunobulax]

Listen, the crown had no secret special slant in it, Jim. It simply had more taper than I like.
How ‘bout you do you.
If you find a New Slant that the crown has already been monkeyed with and looks in sad shape, you can leave it as is, but me, I’m going to improve it. Maybe not to your liking, but it’s my hat.

Don't get upset, Randall. Damn straight it's your hat, and you can do any thing you want with it. I'm just opining that there is a difference between recreasing and reblocking. The New Slant that hit your doorstep was a window into a certain style and model that can no longer be obtained new, and it now no longer represents it's history.

As a guy who believes in your right to do what you want with your own property, I agree with you. As a guy who has come to value the snapshots in time my vintage hats represent, I'm not particularly enthused about it.

 

[Randall Renshaw]

Don't get upset, Randall. Damn straight it's your hat, and you can do any thing you want with it. I'm just opining that there is a difference between recreasing and reblocking. The New Slant that hit your doorstep was a window into a certain style and model that can no longer be obtained new, and it now no longer represents it's history.

As a guy who believes in your right to do what you want with your own property, I agree with you. As a guy who has come to value the snapshots in time my vintage hats represent, I'm not particularly enthused about it.

I’ll state, once again, that it had no such preserved crown treatment when it arrived on my door step. It’s opened crown had no special distinctions, therefore, I did nothing to change its integrity other than subtract taper.
If that upsets your idea of snapshots of the past, so be it.
You’ve opined, I disagree.
Let’s let this “popcorn” situation die, okay, friend?

 

[Steve1857]

Thanks Brent. As soon as Mike posted it, I knew I had to have it.

Way to go, Steve! I’m glad this hat made it to you. You don’t get a chance at hats like that very often. Generous of Mike to let you be it’s caretaker.

 

[Steve1857]

Thanks, Stefan. I think this one is going to get quite a bit of head time.

Absolutely fantastic, Steve. Congrats! Good to see it found a good home.

 

[Frunobulax]

I’ll state, once again, that it had no such preserved crown treatment when it arrived on my door step. It’s opened crown had no special distinctions, therefore, I did nothing to change its integrity other than subtract taper.
If that upsets your idea of snapshots of the past, so be it.
You’ve opined, I disagree.
Let’s let this “popcorn” situation die, okay, friend?

To me, reblocking the hat changes it's "fundamental integrity." Recreasing, as I stated, is not the issue.

We have these types of discussions on here on occasion, and I don't view them as "popcorn." In fact, they are the very reason some of us come here, and lament that the nature of the history of the hats isn't as valued on the site as before, and why some of the Members who value that history have made themselves scarce. The site is dedicated to the preservation of the history of the Golden Era; keepers of the history of the Greatest Generation.

Is it an Open Road if it has the same block, dimensions, and flange, but doesn't say "Open Road?" Yep, we've had that discussion, and I seem to be in the minority in my opinion. Is a Plymouth Super Bee still a Super Bee if you change the paint scheme from neon green to black? What if you take off the oversize spoiler in the back?

In a more extreme case, I would expect to be taken to the woodshed if I purchased a vintage Stratoliner and reblocked it to look like a Trachten, and I would deserve it!

 

[deadlyhandsome]

To me, reblocking the hat changes it's "fundamental integrity." Recreasing, as I stated, is not the issue.

We have these types of discussions on here on occasion, and I don't view them as "popcorn." In fact, they are the very reason some of us come here, and lament that the nature of the history of the hats isn't as valued on the site as before, and why some of the Members who value that history have made themselves scarce. The site is dedicated to the preservation of the history of the Golden Era; keepers of the history of the Greatest Generation.

Is it an Open Road if it has the same block, dimensions, and flange, but doesn't say "Open Road?" Yep, we've had that discussion, and I seem to be in the minority in my opinion. Is a Plymouth Super Bee still a Super Bee if you change the paint scheme from neon green to black? What if you take off the oversize spoiler in the back?

In a more extreme case, I would expect to be taken to the woodshed if I purchased a vintage Stratoliner and reblocked it to look like a Trachten, and I would deserve it!

I can see the temptation. Once I figured out my favorite shape/blocking I didn’t like some of the hats I had as much. I saw the taper as a flaw that kept them from reaching their full potential. As I’ve seen and owned more hats I’ve learned to appreciate the varied styles and differences. Rather than trying to make them all into my “ideal” shape I accept and appreciate them as they are.

However, we are a people of tinkerers and have a long history of making our possessions are own. We lower/raise our cars, soup them up, bolt things on, and modify them in a myriad of ways. Sometimes those tinkerers are seen as innovator and pioneers, and sometimes they’re seen as vandals lacking respect for tradition and history. I can see it both ways. I don’t think The Lounge has ever been homogeneous in its thinking, but there’s no denying that there has been a change. It’s sort of a constant in life: change is.

I don’t modify vintages hats much (anymore) myself, but that’s just me. I don’t think we will all ever see things the same way, but that’s okay too.

How about this as food for thought: in the golden era cleaners and hat shops who could reblock hats were common. Those shops and cleaners didn’t have every profile of block in ever size. Many a hat that we now swoon over has been reblock, some more than once, with non-original profile blocks. I’ll still take that Stetson Flagship even if in 1952 the corner hat store reblocked it with the “wrong” block.

And if it doesn’t say Open Road then it isn’t one!

 

[Frunobulax]

I can see the temptation. Once I figured out my favorite shape/blocking I didn’t like some of the hats I had as much. I saw the taper as a flaw that kept them from reaching their full potential. As I’ve seen and owned more hats I’ve learned to appreciate the varied styles and differences. Rather than trying to make them all into my “ideal” shape I accept and appreciate them as they are.

However, we are a people of tinkerers and have a long history of making our possessions are own. We lower/raise our cars, soup them up, bolt things on, and modify them in a myriad of ways. Sometimes those tinkerers are seen as innovator and pioneers, and sometimes they’re seen as vandals lacking respect for tradition and history. I can see it both ways. I don’t think The Lounge has ever been homogeneous in its thinking, but there’s no denying that there has been a change. It’s sort of a constant in life: change is.

I don’t modify vintages hats much (anymore) myself, but that’s just me. I don’t think we will all ever see things the same way, but that’s okay too.

How about this as food for thought: in the golden era cleaners and hat shops who could reblock hats were common. Those shops and cleaners didn’t have every profile of block in ever size. Many a hat that we now swoon over has been reblock, some more than once, with non-original profile blocks. I’ll still take that Stetson Flagship even if in 1952 the corner hat store reblocked it with the “wrong” block.

And if it doesn’t say Open Road then it isn’t one!

Yeah, and most of us like to work on hats and experimenting - me included. And it needs to be said Randall does great work.

The only issue I have with your food for thought is I think it's apples and oranges. Back in "the day" a guy who owned a hat was a guy who owned a hat. There were several places in town to go buy a brand new hat to your liking. The "history" part of the equation didn't exist. I could do whatever the heck I wanted with my Dobbs Cross Country and there were still some on the shelf to represent the style. There aren't any new Cross Countries being produced, so if one is re-blocked, altered, etc., it represents a march toward extinction of the species.

And you're wrong about the Open Road!

 

[Tukwila]

I try to keep my vintage hats as original as possible... but if it needs a refurb, like a new sweat and/or a new liner then I'll make changes if I want.

In the end, though, it's my property and I'll do what I want.

I run into the same thing with custom conversions of firearms, some of which are getting more rare as time goes on. Taking a 1956 Ruger "old model" 357 flattop and turning it into a 41 Special or 41 Magnum (or 44 Spl or 45 Colt, etc.) is getting more and more pushback from the collector/historical crowd.

It's tough.... because I'd really like an Andy Horvath "Lil Gun" conversion in 41 Special on an old flattop....

We can go around and around on this, but in the end the caretaker/owner decides what to do with their piece.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Yeah, and most of us like to work on hats and experimenting - me included. And it needs to be said Randall does great work.

The only issue I have with your food for thought is I think it's apples and oranges. Back in "the day" a guy who owned a hat was a guy who owned a hat. There were several places in town to go buy a brand new hat to your liking. The "history" part of the equation didn't exist. I could do whatever the heck I wanted with my Dobbs Cross Country and there were still some on the shelf to represent the style. There aren't any new Cross Countries being produced, so if one is re-blocked, altered, etc., it represents a march toward extinction of the species.

And you're wrong about the Open Road!

I must not have expressed my “food for thought” correctly. I was saying that the block number on the factory label isn’t always the current block profile that the hat is in due to some historical re-blocking, but we don’t tend to devalue those hats due to that. What difference does it make if the re-blocking to a non-factory profile happened 70 years ago or 7 hours ago if the end result is the same? I’m not endorsing these permanent mods to vintage hats, but I try to keep it in perspective.


Next you’ll try to tell me that there’s such a thing as a raw edge thin ribbon Whippet.

 

[Rmccamey]

Whippet.

Next you’ll try to tell me that there’s such a thing as a raw edge thin ribbon Whippet.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Whippet.

View attachment 264146

Well I’ll be! That there is a gen-u-ine ear flap Whippet! Thems rare they are.

 

[Blare]

Yeah, and most of us like to work on hats and experimenting - me included. And it needs to be said Randall does great work.

The only issue I have with your food for thought is I think it's apples and oranges. Back in "the day" a guy who owned a hat was a guy who owned a hat. There were several places in town to go buy a brand new hat to your liking. The "history" part of the equation didn't exist. I could do whatever the heck I wanted with my Dobbs Cross Country and there were still some on the shelf to represent the style. There aren't any new Cross Countries being produced, so if one is re-blocked, altered, etc., it represents a march toward extinction of the species.

And you're wrong about the Open Road!

My Dobbs cross country came to me as a short 3 inch telescope crown that I’m sure suited the woman who wore it for 60 or so years...

Whippet.

View attachment 264146

LOL

 

[Rmccamey]

Either that or a MacLachlan 100, I can't quite make out the writing on the sweatband.

Well I’ll be! That there is a gen-u-ine ear flap Whippet! Thems rare they are.

 

[Frunobulax]

I try to keep my vintage hats as original as possible... but if it needs a refurb, like a new sweat and/or a new liner then I'll make changes if I want.

In the end, though, it's my property and I'll do what I want.

I run into the same thing with custom conversions of firearms, some of which are getting more rare as time goes on. Taking a 1956 Ruger "old model" 357 flattop and turning it into a 41 Special or 41 Magnum (or 44 Spl or 45 Colt, etc.) is getting more and more pushback from the collector/historical crowd.

It's tough.... because I'd really like an Andy Horvath "Lil Gun" conversion in 41 Special on an old flattop....

We can go around and around on this, but in the end the caretaker/owner decides what to do with their piece.

Ever watch a show called Overhaulin' that was on several years ago? A fellow named Chip Foos would "rescue" a car and rebuild it in seven days, usually as a surprise to the owner. Man, the guy and his team did masterful work, but he never built back to stock. He would redesign and reimagine the cars and build to that.

In the end, you would have a beautiful restomod of a Charger or Mustang, and I loved seeing the result. But that still didn't help the little pang in my gut knowing a classic car bit the dust.

(shrug) Like Sly said, different strokes.

 

[Blare]

Ever watch a show called Overhaulin' that was on several years ago? A fellow named Chip Foos would "rescue" a car and rebuild it in seven days, usually as a surprise to the owner. Man, the guy and his team did masterful work, but he never built back to stock. He would redesign and reimagine the cars and build to that.

In the end, you would have a beautiful restomod of a Charger or Mustang, and I loved seeing the result. But that still didn't help the little pang in my gut knowing a classic car bit the dust.

(shrug) Like Sly said, different strokes.

I was always waiting for the day that they do the reveal and the guy freaks out....WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY CAR!?!?! AAAGGHHHHHH!!!!

 

[Randall Renshaw]

First off: according to Bowen’s definition, a “Popcorn” scene is when two, or more people disagree on an issue and spend time throwing opinions back and forth here on the Lounge—while others sit back and enjoy the show...eating popcorn.
I was not dissing the discussion, But do take offense at the accusation that I ignorantly ruined a vintage hat...in my opinion, the hat is still safe and saved. I guess I could’ve let some other eBay buyer get the rare hat who ends up wearing it while swimming, or gives it to his kids who uses it for a dog dish.


My opinion about vintage hat preservation is only a little different than Jim’s and probably others here.
I am a very traditional, conservative person on most issues, but I come by my own way of thinking.
If this site doesn’t allow differences of opinion, even in rather insignificant issues, then that’s probably why I’ve been hearing from so many ex-FL members who have decided this place is too exhausting to enjoy.
I like this place and everyone here. I respect those who mind the strictest interpretation of vintage hat preservation. However, just as some wish no one should ever clean or steam shape a hat, or replace the sweatband no matter how shredded it is, there are others who deserve the right to their interpretation of hat etiquette. [as long as it doesn’t include burning a 40s Whippet with a blow torch] There’s always a line one shouldn’t cross with any vintage item.
I respect Jim’s opinion, but he, and this site should allow others the freedom to mildly modify a hat...without hints of OPEN condescension.
It’s come to my attention that I’d be better off simply not stating any mods that I’ve done to a hat, so I won’t have to face the inevitable firing squad that shoots down deviant hat lovers.
Well, too bad. I’m not going to change and I hope the firing squad doesn’t, either.
However, we can either make room for others having little differences of opinion, or we can continue to run good folks off.

Thanks for the compliment, Jim.
I am getting pretty good at this vintage hat restoration, but I’ve been doing it for quite a while, AND I’ve learned a lot in the last year from the good folks here at the Lounge. You included.
We all can learn something from today’s conversation—or not.

No surprise that when it comes to cars I’m a resto-mod guy, and glad there are those who think vintage cars should be left ALL original. Though, we should all be able to cruise together.
Else wise, the “Open Road” debate will die when the 2 members who believe exactly alike are all that’s left here.
Cheers, everyone.

 

[Blare]

Ever watch a show called Overhaulin' that was on several years ago? A fellow named Chip Foos would "rescue" a car and rebuild it in seven days, usually as a surprise to the owner. Man, the guy and his team did masterful work, but he never built back to stock. He would redesign and reimagine the cars and build to that.

In the end, you would have a beautiful restomod of a Charger or Mustang, and I loved seeing the result. But that still didn't help the little pang in my gut knowing a classic car bit the dust.

(shrug) Like Sly said, different strokes.

And on a side note... my favorite of these shows... if I could have a favorite... was Rock My RV with Bret Michaels. Where ever time Bret would tell the rebuild guys... I want to get this guy like 3 slide outs! And the experts would be like... no way.. only one will work on this rig. And he’d be like. I know you guys will surprise us and get it done.... and then on the reveal... 1 pop out. Like every time!