The Conversion Corral

[Scooterz]

"I'll either do something with it, or I'll pitch it." T Jones if you do decide to pitch it can we line up behind you like... you know at wedding when the bride tosses the bouquet?

 

[Scooterz]

Statesman after a brim trim to 2 5/8. Paracord band or with a thin silver ribbon band. I will probably try some other color and width of ribbon.

 

[RJR]

Statesman after a brim trim to 2 5/8. Paracord band or with a thin silver ribbon band. I will probably try some other color and width of ribbon.

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I kinda like the thin ribbon.

 

[bond]

Here's a Borsalino that was mis advertised as a 3/8 hat but turned out to be a 3/4 . I liked the hat but wanted to down size it and still maintain the proportions and this is what I came up with. Op crown is 5 3/4 brim is at about 2 5/8. Now fits 59 cm. Lovely blue grey colored felt. Not sure of the vintage but felt has nice hand to it. Original pic is in the mix the rest are after I down sized it.

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[RJR]

Here's a Borsalino that was mis advertised as a 3/8 hat but turned out to be a 3/4 . I liked the hat but wanted to down size it and still maintain the proportions and this is what I came up with. Op crown is 5 3/4 brim is at about 2 5/8. Now fits 59 cm. Lovely blue grey colored felt. Not sure of the vintage but felt has nice hand to it. Original pic is in the mix the rest are after I down sized it. View attachment 66187 View attachment 66188 View attachment 66189
View attachment 66186


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Nice job.

 

[Scooterz]

Here is the mink colored Norton I picked up a while back. Not a conversion just switched out the leather band for a ribbon. Kinda liked the original band but it was a bit hippy looking. This will be my archery fedora. I need to see if I can find some 1/2" ribbon in a matte finish. Never noticed how shiny some ribbon is, it is poly. I have some rayon cotton rust colored I may try to see it would look better. The feather was laying around from the strat in my avatar and I normally am not much on feathers unless they are from a turkey or duck I have taken, but I this one goes nicely with the mink color of the hat. First pic is orginal band. The ribbon is dark brown almost exact color of hat (when its not too busy reflecting light).

 

[bond]

Nice looking hat scooterz.
Here's a simple homburg conversion I just finished for a lounger. It's a older Schoble in a ivory colored felt. Original binding and one I added are pretty close to same color.

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[Scooterz]

Really looks great!

 

[RJR]

Nice looking hat scooterz.
Here's a simple homburg conversion I just finished for a lounger. It's a older Schoble in a ivory colored felt. Original binding and one I added are pretty close to same color. View attachment 67340 View attachment 67341 View attachment 67342 View attachment 67343 View attachment 67344


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Nice.

 

[T Jones]

I could use some input. I just did a conversion on this Resistol Stagecoach and I'm torn on whether to keep it Western or to trim the brim to 2 3/4 and reflange it to a fedora. I don't have an impressive amount of fedoras in my collection and I'd like to have a few more. On the other hand, I kind of like some of the old 1950s TV Western hats, James Garner's "Maverick" hats in particular.

After getting frustrated with this hat through several blockings I 'bashed' it to a Harry Potter 'Sorting' hat.

After giving it another shot I reblocked it a couple of more times on two different blocks to bring down the crown height from 6 1/4 inches to 5 3/4 inches. I was finally able to get the crown where I wanted and then I 'creased' it to a C Crown, maybe more of a Tear Drop crease

For perspective on a 2 3/4 fedora brim width, the hat on the left is the Resistol I converted and the one right is one that Mike Miller of NW hats made for me. My Resistol brim width is just under 4 inches but a hair wider than 3 3/4 inches. The one that Mike Miller made is 2 /34, (ribbon on the Resistol is not attached. I need to find one).

and here's the Maverick western hat style I like. I think I have the proportions to get a similar look

I'm torn between making it a fedora and making it a Maverick style western.

 

[BobHufford]

I'd try the Maverick first before you decide to trim. I like the wide brim on it now.

 

[T Jones]

I'd try the Maverick first before you decide to trim. I like the wide brim on it now.

That's certainly an idea. I've been standing in front of a mirror and curling up the front of the brim in fashion of the Maverick hat. I do like the look of it.

 

[RJR]

I'd try the Maverick first before you decide to trim. I like the wide brim on it now.

+1,you can always trim it later.

 

[makitright]

A 3" or 3 1/4" perfectly flat brim would be cool with that crown.
Converting it to a fedora would give you something very close to what you already have.

 

[Redfokker]

A 3" or 3 1/4" perfectly flat brim would be cool with that crown.
Converting it to a fedora would give you something very close to what you already have.

+1 Yes this is true, but the world needs more fedoras. Equilibrium kind of thing...

 

[belfastboy]

Here's a Borsalino that was mis advertised as a 3/8 hat but turned out to be a 3/4 . I liked the hat but wanted to down size it and still maintain the proportions and this is what I came up with. Op crown is 5 3/4 brim is at about 2 5/8. Now fits 59 cm. Lovely blue grey colored felt. Not sure of the vintage but felt has nice hand to it. Original pic is in the mix the rest are after I down sized it. View attachment 66187 View attachment 66188 View attachment 66189
View attachment 66186


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I bought this hat from Scott. He did a great job and if fits perfectly. My 4th hat from Scott (3 Borsas) and they are all keepers.

 

[RJR]

I bought this hat from Scott. He did a great job and if fits perfectly. My 4th hat from Scott (3 Borsas) and they are all keepers.

Good to hear.

 

[bond]

I've been wanting for a wide brim Stetson and found this 7 1/8 LO so I sized up to fit 7 1/2 and managed to keep a full 3 1/4 brim while still maintaining a respectable 5 3/4 op crown ht. God I love these old Stetsons . Felt is smooth and dense.
Kept it simple with a dbl ply ribbon as the original was too small now and only a single ply too narrow to cover sweat stitches.

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[hatsRme]

Here's a Borsalino that was mis advertised as a 3/8 hat but turned out to be a 3/4 . I liked the hat but wanted to down size it and still maintain the proportions and this is what I came up with. Op crown is 5 3/4 brim is at about 2 5/8. Now fits 59 cm. Lovely blue grey colored felt. Not sure of the vintage but felt has nice hand to it. Original pic is in the mix the rest are after I down sized it. View attachment 66187 View attachment 66188 View attachment 66189
View attachment 66186

Nice job, Scott. Did you sell this hat?

 

[T Jones]

I thought I would have some good news on the final result of my recent hat conversion. I decided to go with a fedora conversion since I don't have very many. Unfortunately my rounding jack literally fell apart and I can't use it. I took the hat to a western shop near me and let them trim up the brim. All they had were the small cutters that only takes off a 1/4 inch at a time. I ended up with 3 inches on the sides and 2 7/8 front and back. I still have enough brim to get the 2 3/4 inches, though. But, I'll send it to a hatter and have it done. I'm not attempting to work on hats anymore. I have very limited tools to work with and very limited $$$ resources. I'm done with it.

That doesn't mean I'm actually giving up on the damn thing, though. I just ramble on when I get pi$$ed and frustrated. I'll get it figured out. I just don't like hold ups for lack of stuff to work with.