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The Conversion Corral

TheDane

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,670
Location
Copenhagen, Denmark
I put it in the flange and then put a size 7 stretcher in it - I don't have the proper tool. I left the stretcher a little up over the edge of the flange and ironed the brim right up to the edge of the stretcher. This was under a dampened flange cloth, btw - I try to never hot iron directly on a hat.

As I understand it, the trick with the stretcher is quite used - especially when using a flange on a body without sweatband sewn in. Don't feel sorry about that ;)

When ironing felt with a modern iron with a coated sole, you rarely have to use a cloth. As long as you don't get beyond 200°F, you won't harm the felt. Beware of Rayon in bindings, though. It won't survive that high temperatures - cloth or no cloth. With plant-fibres it's a very different ballgame. There I would always use a cloth :)
 

John Galt

Vendor
Messages
2,080
Location
Chico
Olė:

ebu5ureh.jpg


eqany5ah.jpg


e4y5ene6.jpg
 

John Galt

Vendor
Messages
2,080
Location
Chico
As I understand it, the trick with the stretcher is quite used - especially when using a flange on a body without sweatband sewn in. Don't feel sorry about that ;)

When ironing felt with a modern iron with a coated sole, you rarely have to use a cloth. As long as you don't get beyond 200°F, you won't harm the felt. Beware of Rayon in bindings, though. It won't survive that high temperatures - cloth or no cloth. With plant-fibres it's a very different ballgame. There I would always use a cloth :)

Olė,

I have sad irons (as you know) and I use an electric iron primarily for ribbon work, but for ironing flat, crown ironing, and frankly a lot of foot ironing, it's the (1940's, not early 20th century) Eureka electric cordless sad iron that I like the best. It's cordless, electric, temperature controlled, and heavy. It's got everything I want but a Teflon coating ;-)
 

TheDane

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,670
Location
Copenhagen, Denmark
I have seen some teflon "galoshes" for irons. It's kind of a sole, that you strap on to the bottom of the iron. I haven't tried them, though :)

Just a thought: For a brim-plater (plating-machine) or a crown iron you never use a cloth between metal sole and felt. Doran's crown ironing machine was patented long before Teflon - and the brim-plater is just a heated aluminum plate, pressed directly against the felt.
 

bond

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,535
Location
Third coast
Finished the Montecristi by hand stitching the binding on and added a silk pinch protector in burgundy topped it all off with a Pure silk remove able liner in a similar color to ribbons. Also vented the sweat .


 

bond

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,535
Location
Third coast
Thanks for comments .
No the brim is un even as is most straws are and another reason to cover this one in a binding.
 

bond

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,535
Location
Third coast
Here's one I just finished today. Its a western wt beaver that's been distressed by washing it several times to soften it up and afterwards burning the nap down .
I like this silver belly a lot as it seems to be a different shade than the dress beaver from Winchester . Last one I paired with a charcoal ribbon this time I went with a black 1 1/8.
Silk liner in grey and vented the sweat too.



 

John Galt

Vendor
Messages
2,080
Location
Chico
New ribbon & bow on this navy blue early 1950's Beaver Brand (Langenberg) 100% beaver fur stingy brim. I didn't take before photos, but mocked them up with the old ribbon & bow. I like it a lot better now. I will be selling it though, to help pay off my recent purchase...

Before:

ujade5ut.jpg


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enyhy5um.jpg


This actually looks better in natural light than it presented, generally. The burgundy ribbon is quite faded, to almost brown. I had bought another burgundy ribbon, but it turned out too wide. I decided I liked the narrower profile and contrast of this horizon blue vintage ribbon:

After:

a8emybed.jpg


a8yha3a9.jpg


ajy9u4en.jpg


7upunava.jpg


See classified for more details...
 

John Galt

Vendor
Messages
2,080
Location
Chico
Teaser:

A vintage Resistol Beaver 100 western that I'm converting to a Whippet style hat. This is blocked at 7 1/2. It has very soft felt - not nearly as lacquered or pressed as the Stetson 100's I've worked with.

This is a true rescue hat. It was a small sized western with a couple of deep moth bites in the outside of the crown just above the medium width hatband ribbon. I stripped it of all trim except for the brim binding, turned it inside out and re-blocked it. Unfortunately, that was just just the start.

It has taken a lot of work, including pouncing with very fine (1500 grit at the last step) sandpaper to get the unfinished inside of the crown (now the outside) to match the finished brim, and more work to get the bound brim well-flanged with a proper foot put in, but I'm considering it a qualified success at this point.

I say "qualified" because I might (God forbid) still goof this hat up before it's finished. If this hat comes out as I hope it will, however, I'll be putting it up for sale soon in the Classifieds thread.

The top side of the brim is still a little wet, incidentally...

a6ytusas.jpg
 
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T Jones

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,788
Location
Central Ohio
Teaser:

A vintage Resistol Beaver 100 western that I'm converting to a Whippet style hat. This is blocked at 7 1/2. It has very soft felt - not nearly as lacquered or pressed as the Stetson 100's I've worked with.

This is a true rescue hat. It was a small sized western with a couple of deep moth bites in the outside of the crown just above the medium width hatband ribbon. I stripped it of all trim except for the brim binding, turned it inside out and re-blocked it. Unfortunately, that was just just the start.

It has taken a lot of work, including pouncing with very fine (1500 grit at the last step) sandpaper to get the unfinished inside of the crown (now the outside) to match the finished brim, and more work to get the bound brim well-flanged with a proper foot put in, but I'm considering it a qualified success at this point.

I say "qualified" because I might (God forbid) still goof this hat up before it's finished. If this hat comes out as I hope it will, however, I'll be putting it up for sale soon in the Classifieds thread.

The top side of the brim is still a little wet, incidentally...

That looks like it's going to turn out nice John. Too bad it's not a 7 1/8 LO though. ;) Whippets are one of those hats I've been wanting for long while, but are always out of reach for me. I think you'll pull that one off really well. Your talent is really advancing, fast!
 
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bond

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,535
Location
Third coast
Thanks for the comments guys. These western bodies are a lot of work as others here know but the results can be good sometimes , they also inadvertently teach much patience about sanding .
 

John Galt

Vendor
Messages
2,080
Location
Chico
Thanks for the comments guys. These western bodies are a lot of work as others here know but the results can be good sometimes , they also inadvertently teach much patience about sanding .

Amen to that Bond! I recently had a misadventure in hatting that I'll share as a cautionary tale about western conversions - but not until after I finish taking care of the fallout later today...
 

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