The Conversion Corral

[DOGMAN]

Dundee,I like your conversions.Chepstow,that's one way to get a wider brim.Your straw-felts are so cool.Bond,I always enjoy seeing your Hburg coversions.

 

[Chepstow]

Dogman, bond, Justin, Richard and John, thank you so much guys for the kind word!
John, it's not so spectacular as you think. Only two pieces sewn together! I cut the felt body along the sweatband and the straw at the deepest point under the sweatband. Then I stuck tthe straw body onto the felt stripe and stitched it together. That's all.

Photos of my first straw conversion!


Bond, that's a nice documentation, how you do it. Great work my friend!

 

[bond]

Finally put a liner into the blue Borso
a warm Copper color backed with interface to give a little more body to bash.

 

[Geldoc]

Looking good. Is the color most like that of the final photo of the inside?

 

[bond]

Thanks David , yes color is pretty accurate in pic.

 

[humanshoes]

Beautiful homburg conversion. Gives me hope for more, less expensive hats in my collection.

 

[Rogera]

I am proud to present my new Straw / Felt conversion! I thought it's time for a nice Summer hat. This is a projekt that was in my mind a long time, now I made it!
A old Wegener Homburg with a Mayser Country Straw hat. The Strawburg!!

I know this is a little late Manfred but the straw/ felt conversions you have been doing are mindblowing! Excellent job!!

 

[Chepstow]

Roger, thanks so much for your kind words! I really appreciate your comment!

 

[bond]

Mallory homburg conversion. Price tag attached to original sweat is 7.95. Thin light weight felt is very nice quality . Put a lot of work into this one as it was dirty and faded so I flipped the felt to inside out after gas bath. Color is real nice warm cocoa. Added thin ribbon , new sweat, and gave the brim a slight curl. I I Have to find the original before pic.

 

[ManofKent]

First attempt at adding a ribbon (please don't laugh too hard ) - yes I need more practice...

Lincoln Bennett.

Before:



After:





Any advice welcome!

 

[Phineas Lamour]

This is my latest. It is wool felt. Bailey Down Under. I am looking for a chocolate brown vintage ribbon for it.

Before:

During:

 

[Phineas Lamour]

Couple of noggin shots:

 

[Phineas Lamour]

Manofkent, I am no expert. I have only done one ribbon replacement but it looks like you need to tack down the corners of your bow and along the bottom of the whole ribbon. Also vintage ribbons swirl better than modern ones and conform better to the hat's shape.

 

[bond]

I have this ribbon fits a 7 1/4 and I have a brown wind cord button too if you need it. It's just under 1 3/4 wide. Just needs a gentle iron or steam.

 

[ManofKent]

Hi Bond - Thanks, but sadly I have a 7 1/2 - 7 5/8 bonce. I shall try tacking down the corners and see what my efforts look like. It's clearly something that needs practice

 

[ManofKent]

Bowlerman - nice trim.

 

[Chepstow]

I want to show you a newer project of me. A old fuzzy felt, unknown hatter, fedora + a newer Mayser fuzzy felt hat in cream white.
That cream white was a relatively short brimmed hat that I have never worn before.

The two hats, before!

 

[Geldoc]

Wow, Manfred!

 

[bowlerman]

Yes, what he said! That's incredible, Manfred.

Phineas, nice job with the Bailey, too. Looks good on you. I wish I hadn't cut down my black Resistol western awhile back-- it didn't come out nearly as nice as yours.

I mutilated my fingers with needle and thread for the past 6 hours, as the mood struck me to try and convert this wide brimmed and too big montecristi to something that a) wouldn't blow off my head and b) I might enjoy wearing a little more. I removed the sweatband, wet and reblocked this, and gave it a bit more crown height and removed some brim width.

I tried to hide stitches at first, but that proved impossible so I just figured a way that worked for me, and so far I'm happy with the result-- certainly far from perfect, and the brim still has waves in it-- but I think it's better for me. I may or may not keep the cattleman crease, and I may or may not still eventually send this out to be done by a pro!

Here's a quick before and after.

Before:

Now:

 

[Phineas Lamour]

Thanks, bowlerman. I have always been afraid of cutting a brim because I didn't want to ruin a hat that I paid money for. I saw that one at my neighbor's yard sale for 50 cents so I figured it would be a good practice project. Should be getting a ribbon for it today or tomorrow in the mail. I will post more pics when I get the ribbon on it. Here in Tennessee there are a lot more western style hats than fedoras and now that I am comfortable cutting them I might start picking up more at yard sales and thrift stores.