Stetson 25 - Refurb

[trailrunner]

I won this Stetson 25 last week on Ebay. I was hoping there would be a restore able hat under the filth, but figured if not I would have a good beater to wear backpacking.

Here it is as I received it last Saturday -filthy, smelly, and with the liner falling out:

Here it is during the intermediary steps. In this shot I have opened the crown back out, and I am reshaping the brim. At this point it has been cleaned up, disinfected, and deodorized:

Here is the largely finished product. I have completely reshaped the crown and brim to look less cowboy and more Sinatra, and I have installed a new hat band.

It still needs a good brushing, there are some scuffs in the edge of the brim to smooth out, and I have not yet put the liner back in it, but I am very happy with the results of my first hat restore.



I have not been able to find much info on the Stetson Twenty Fives, so if anyone would like to share some history and knowledge on them - this hat newbie would appreciate it.

Paul

 

[gtdean48]

Nice recovery effort Paul. Good job! :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[Dundee]

Very nice ribbon and bow work! :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[Michaelshane]

Nice save:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[BobC]

Nice job, TR! I have a Stetson 25 that I won for a good price on the bay. It came to me looking pretty ratty, but not as bad as yours, and it's several sizes smaller than the seller listed it. I'm going to try to clean it up for my wife to wear. We think it'll fit her pretty well, but she will hardly touch it now, let alone try it on.

 

[trailrunner]

Thanks to everyone for the kind words. The really great information I found here made it much less frustrating than I am sure it would have been otherwise, and I had a lot of fun doing it.

 

[CRH]

...The really great information I found here made it much less frustrating than I am sure it would have been otherwise, and I had a lot of fun doing it.

I concur wholeheartedly with the great info here on the lounge.

Did you leave the crown tapered or did you make it straighter? Your last shots look like you removed the taper.

Frumpy old hats rock! Excellent work!

 

[St.Ignatz]

Thanks TR a real inspiration. I'll be a lot less intimidated while hitting the spring yard sales.

 

[MattJH]

I have not been able to find much info on the Stetson Twenty Fives, so if anyone would like to share some history and knowledge on them - this hat newbie would appreciate it.Paul

There isn't too much to know. When you find a vintage hat with a number embossed on the sweatband, it's the price it was originally sold for. The lowest I've seen is 15 and the highest I've seen is 100 (only in Stetson and Cavanagh for 100, at least as far as I know). I've seen Stetson, Cavanagh, Dobbs, Knox, and Resistol use the number designations, and I'm sure there's more out there. I own a Dobbs 20 and used to own a Knox 25. Considering the differing economies, your hat comparatively cost a pretty penny when it was first sold. I'm guessing yours is from the mid-60's considering the brim width which is, I'm guessing, 2 to 2 1/8 inches? What you can be sure of is that the felt is of high quality.

 

[CRH]

... I'll be a lot less intimidated while hitting the spring yard sales.

There is no reason for educated hat men to be intimidated by governments, wars, poets, musicians, philosophers or spring yard sales .

 

[trailrunner]

I concur wholeheartedly with the great info here on the lounge.

Did you leave the crown tapered or did you make it straighter? Your last shots look like you removed the taper.

Frumpy old hats rock! Excellent work!

No re-blocking or anything CRH, I just went with a tear-drop crease which lowers the profile a bit and makes the top look broader - visually reducing the taper somewhat.

 

[trailrunner]

There isn't too much to know. When you find a vintage hat with a number embossed on the sweatband, it's the price it was originally sold for. The lowest I've seen is 15 and the highest I've seen is 100 (only in Stetson and Cavanagh for 100, at least as far as I know). I've seen Stetson, Cavanagh, Dobbs, Knox, and Resistol use the number designations, and I'm sure there's more out there. I own a Dobbs 20 and used to own a Knox 25. Considering the differing economies, your hat comparatively cost a pretty penny when it was first sold. I'm guessing yours is from the mid-60's considering the brim width which is, I'm guessing, 2 to 2 1/8 inches? What you can be sure of is that the felt is of high quality.

You nailed it, 2 inch brim. Thanks for the info. I love to know the background on things. The history of the style of the hat - what years the style was in production, major changes in the style, etc. For me, that is part of the interest in finding the vintage hats.

The interesting feature of this hat is the Cavanagh-style brim edge. I knew that Stetson had produced that type of edge, but I wasn't expecting it when I pulled the hat out of the box.

 

[Wil Tam]

beautifully executed!

I dig it!! .. :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

where did you score the blue ribbon & what did you use as a disinfectant?

now we just need pics of it on yer noggin!

----------------
Now playing: Foo Fighters - Erase/Replace
via FoxyTunes