The Conversion Corral

[bolthead]

1) if I open up the crown and put it in a c-crown, how can you tell how much taper will be there? if I soak it, what's the odds of it becoming discolored because it's so light?
2) it has 3 eyelets on each side, the metal part of the eyelet is a royal blue (matches the braided band) would you paint them black and how to do this without getting paint on the felt
3) it a off white / bone color, what ribbon would look best on it?
4) I was thinking a brim width of 2 1/2 inches.

1. Unless you have a block to put it on it's hard to tell how the taper will end up.
2. I wouldn't even attempt trying to paint those eyelets, leave them be.
3. Just about any color ribbon would look good with that color, but if you keep the eyelets, why not a dark blue/navy ribbon.
3. I'd say at least 2 1/2" on the brim for you.

 

[hatophile]

Rob,

With the eyelets, I think that hat could make a nice Safari/Outback type hat, with a moderate
C-crown, mid-width dark blue ribbon, and down turn brim. I agree with Bolt, at least 2 1/2, but you could definitely handle a 2 3/4 brim.

Good luck, potentially a killer conversion there.

 

[RobFedoraField]

1. Unless you have a block to put it on it's hard to tell how the taper will end up.
2. I wouldn't even attempt trying to paint those eyelets, leave them be.
3. Just about any color ribbon would look good with that color, but if you keep the eyelets, why not a dark blue/navy ribbon.
3. I'd say at least 2 1/2" on the brim for you.

Rob,

With the eyelets, I think that hat could make a nice Safari/Outback type hat, with a moderate
C-crown, mid-width dark blue ribbon, and down turn brim. I agree with Bolt, at least 2 1/2, but you could definitely handle a 2 3/4 brim.

Good luck, potentially a killer conversion there.

good advice on the outlets... I like the 2 3/4" brim on my campdraft, I can start there and go down to 2 1/2 later, but you can never "add it back" I'll see what I can find for a navy ribbon. it will be a couple of weeks before I can work on it, so I'll leave it for sale until then.

 

[Mario]

Here's something I started working on yesterday. I hadn't worn my mysterious old Atlanta in a long time as it had developed a pretty nasty taper. Last night I took the hat, disassembled and completely reblocked it, taking a bit from the brim and adding it to the crown along the way. At the moment I'm pondering several ideas for the ribbon and the binding. I certainly don't want to use the original brown stuff again. I want more contrast - and color. Right now I'm considering to go with actually two different ribbons, one overlapping the other. Both are basically of a gray color, but while one (the lower, narrower) ribbon is of a dark, charcoal gray, the other has a distinctly blueish tint to it. And you know what? I think those two colors together go actually pretty well with the brown felt. I still haven't made up my mind about the color of the binding, though...

Here's a before and after so far. The photos on the left were taken with my old camera so the colors are slightly off. The new photos show the colors pretty well.

 

[scottyrocks]

Beautiful job, Mario. I love the new lines and the double ribbon treatment.

 

[Mario]

Thanks!

I'm actually pretty excited about the way this project is coming along so far, but after I removed the old ribbon and the sweat I discovered a small hole and a tear almost exactly at the brim break. It was of course a risky enterprise to go on but after carefully reblocking the hat those spots have wandered up a little into the crown, away from the brim. They are now nicely covered by the ribbon(s). And no, they haven't grown in the process.

What's also nice: I was even able to reuse the original sweatband.

 

[Raider]

Dropped a black Resistol off at Peters Bros yesterday.....should pick up a black Raiders in a few weeks!!

 

[Mario]

Wish me luck that the four yards of gray vintage ribbon I ordered will arrive today - I want to continue work on the Atlanta...

 

[hatophile]

Mario,
You have the makings of a future hatter, there. Looks great!

 

[Mario]

Darn...the project's been stalled for the moment. The ribbon has arrived - but I can't really use it as it has a sawtooth edge...

Learning the proper techinques of the craft is one thing. The other is to find the sources for proper supplies. Good grosgrain ribbon is pretty damn hard to come by.

 

[bolthead]

Darn...the project's been stalled for the moment. The ribbon has arrived - but I can't really use it as it has a sawtooth edge...

Learning the proper techinques of the craft is one thing. The other is to find the sources for proper supplies. Good grosgrain ribbon is pretty damn hard to come by.

Looks great Mario, I was messing with this technique awhile back and have even done it with a pug before as well.

As far as the edge o0n your ribbon goes, is it petersham?

 

[randooch]

Mario,
You have the makings of a future hatter, there. Looks great!

+1
Very creative undertaking.

 

[Mario]

Looks great Mario, I was messing with this technique awhile back and have even done it with a pug before as well.

As far as the edge o0n your ribbon goes, is it petersham?

Thank. And yes, it's a scalloped edge petersham. Trouble is that the other, lighter colored ribbon is regular, finished edge grosgrain. The two colors go really well together - the edges don't.

How did you go about joining the ribbons?

 

[bolthead]

how wide is the other one? I might have some.

 

[Mario]

The lighter, blueish-gray ribbon with the finished edge (the one I want to keep) is 7/8" wide. The darker one with the scalloped edge (the one I don't want to use) is 5/8".

 

[bolthead]

I'll take a look to see if I have anything in 5/8 to match.....but if you want to go with petersham on both, I may be able to help you out there too.

 

[Mario]

Thanks Bolt, that's great. Basically I'd prefer to go with a finished edge grosgrain. No hassle!

 

[Mario]

For the time being I came up with a much simpler makeshift solution. It's quite the conventional design but I think it will do for now (that is until I get my hands on some dark charcoal gray ribbon that goes with the blueish gray).

 

[RBH]

Very nice Mario, I like that ribbon width!

 

[Mario]

Thank you Rusty!
The future double ribbon treatment will be of roughly the same width.