Would you look at that! A SMILE in one of those pictures! Nice looking hats. I wish I was able to "sew" ribbons but I send my items to BOND...let him work his magic! You are doing some nice work as well.Here's a few Stagecoaches that I left Western and reworked. They've been reblocked and I also changed out the ribbons. You may also want to hang on to your Stagecoach pins as well....they started out looking like yours in the picture...
Here's an unknown Western that I converted. It was pretty beat up when I got it...
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The Conversion Corral
- Thread starter Davidson
- Start date
bond
My Mail is Forwarded Here
- Messages
- 3,535
- Location
- Third coast
Thanks for comments . Color of felt is pale green and crown ribbon is a grey tone . The binding is a more cream tone.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Wow that does sound like a great color combination! Super!
Pantera
New in Town
- Messages
- 10
Is this the place to show off my first conversion attempt on a nine dollar cowboy hat?
Before:
http://i.imgur.com/VzinOUe.jpg
After:
http://i.imgur.com/YzW0d8Z.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Kp8B59B.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/T4hKxEx.jpg
Before:
http://i.imgur.com/VzinOUe.jpg
After:
http://i.imgur.com/YzW0d8Z.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Kp8B59B.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/T4hKxEx.jpg
Michael R.
Call Me a Cab
- Messages
- 2,889
- Location
- West Tennessee USA
minus one more stagecoach , but it looks good , it's your Hat . Somebody did a good job .
Joao Encarnado
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 7,776
- Location
- Portugal
Why can't I find $9 Stagecoach hats
DOGMAN
One Too Many
- Messages
- 1,625
- Location
- Northeast Ohio
Looks pretty good.Becarefull you'll find out converting hats can be addictive.Can't wait to see your next one.
bond
My Mail is Forwarded Here
- Messages
- 3,535
- Location
- Third coast
Here's a nice older Adam in the open road style that I recently restored. Sweatband was shrunk and brittle , and felt was soiled. Put in new sweat and cleaned up the liner and felt and added a new crown ribbon with wind cord .
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
DOGMAN
One Too Many
- Messages
- 1,625
- Location
- Northeast Ohio
Nice work bond.Hat looks great.
- Messages
- 12,384
- Location
- Albany Oregon
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+1,that R&R looks great,Scott.
Joao Encarnado
I'll Lock Up
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As usual a great restoration work. Looks great Scott!
I've posted this in other places; didn't realize there was a special thread for conversions.
My Stratton western was advertised as "lightly used." Upon arrival, I thought "yeah right. lightly used in a cement mixer." I brushed the hat for an hour. When I stood up I was covered in dirt, dust and minute particles of felt. What a mess. I tried to bash it more to my liking but the previous owner(s) had already changed the bash a couple times and there were sharp creases that wouldn't go away. It looked like an old weather beaten bucket hat, IMO.
It was advertised as a size 7-3/8 but it fit so tight on my head that it gave me headaches if I wore it more than 10-15 minutes.
So, I took it to Mike at NW Hat Co. and asked him to clean, reblock to my head shape/size, get rid of the ribbon and fashion a makeshift hatband from the attached rodeo strings. The only thing to keep was the felt itself and the liner (because Stratton is an old family name). Mike pointed out that someone had already hacked on the brim so he took measurements and suggested we go with a uniform 3" brim. I agreed with that and also his recommendation to go with an outback brim treatment.
Well, I didn't recognize my own hat. It looked like a new hat, right off the shelf, but it was a custom fit and it is perfect. The rodeo strings didn't work out so we went with a buffalo hide that has great patterns and bumps in the leather. I picked it up this past Friday afternoon and I still can't get over how great this hat looks now. I told my wife I should get a block for my head size and try to restore some old hats, too. We shall see. With the new hatband, this was only $65 out the door. For that little money, finances don't play a part in the decision, it would have to be purely for the passion and fun of bringing old hats back to life. Which is a noble work, to be sure.
Before and after shots:
Take note that any spots are from the rain we had this weekend and the hat was still wet in those spots. The wrinkle in the sweatband is from the placement of a "Like Hell It's Yours" card, which has since been removed.
My Stratton western was advertised as "lightly used." Upon arrival, I thought "yeah right. lightly used in a cement mixer." I brushed the hat for an hour. When I stood up I was covered in dirt, dust and minute particles of felt. What a mess. I tried to bash it more to my liking but the previous owner(s) had already changed the bash a couple times and there were sharp creases that wouldn't go away. It looked like an old weather beaten bucket hat, IMO.
It was advertised as a size 7-3/8 but it fit so tight on my head that it gave me headaches if I wore it more than 10-15 minutes.
So, I took it to Mike at NW Hat Co. and asked him to clean, reblock to my head shape/size, get rid of the ribbon and fashion a makeshift hatband from the attached rodeo strings. The only thing to keep was the felt itself and the liner (because Stratton is an old family name). Mike pointed out that someone had already hacked on the brim so he took measurements and suggested we go with a uniform 3" brim. I agreed with that and also his recommendation to go with an outback brim treatment.
Well, I didn't recognize my own hat. It looked like a new hat, right off the shelf, but it was a custom fit and it is perfect. The rodeo strings didn't work out so we went with a buffalo hide that has great patterns and bumps in the leather. I picked it up this past Friday afternoon and I still can't get over how great this hat looks now. I told my wife I should get a block for my head size and try to restore some old hats, too. We shall see. With the new hatband, this was only $65 out the door. For that little money, finances don't play a part in the decision, it would have to be purely for the passion and fun of bringing old hats back to life. Which is a noble work, to be sure.
Before and after shots:
Take note that any spots are from the rain we had this weekend and the hat was still wet in those spots. The wrinkle in the sweatband is from the placement of a "Like Hell It's Yours" card, which has since been removed.
I'll bet this conversion becomes a favorite!I've posted this in other places; didn't realize there was a special thread for conversions.
My Stratton western was advertised as "lightly used." Upon arrival, I thought "yeah right. lightly used in a cement mixer." I brushed the hat for an hour. When I stood up I was covered in dirt, dust and minute particles of felt. What a mess. I tried to bash it more to my liking but the previous owner(s) had already changed the bash a couple times and there were sharp creases that wouldn't go away. It looked like an old weather beaten bucket hat, IMO.
It was advertised as a size 7-3/8 but it fit so tight on my head that it gave me headaches if I wore it more than 10-15 minutes.
So, I took it to Mike at NW Hat Co. and asked him to clean, reblock to my head shape/size, get rid of the ribbon and fashion a makeshift hatband from the attached rodeo strings. The only thing to keep was the felt itself and the liner (because Stratton is an old family name). Mike pointed out that someone had already hacked on the brim so he took measurements and suggested we go with a uniform 3" brim. I agreed with that and also his recommendation to go with an outback brim treatment.
Well, I didn't recognize my own hat. It looked like a new hat, right off the shelf, but it was a custom fit and it is perfect. The rodeo strings didn't work out so we went with a buffalo hide that has great patterns and bumps in the leather. I picked it up this past Friday afternoon and I still can't get over how great this hat looks now. I told my wife I should get a block for my head size and try to restore some old hats, too. We shall see. With the new hatband, this was only $65 out the door. For that little money, finances don't play a part in the decision, it would have to be purely for the passion and fun of bringing old hats back to life. Which is a noble work, to be sure.
Before and after shots:
Take note that any spots are from the rain we had this weekend and the hat was still wet in those spots. The wrinkle in the sweatband is from the placement of a "Like Hell It's Yours" card, which has since been removed.
You know, I said the same thing to my wife this morning. For me, it was as if I picked up two new custom hats from Mike last Friday. In fact, it sits on my head as I type this out...
ETA: I'm afraid my Akubra Coober Pedy will get less use now, though...
ETA: I'm afraid my Akubra Coober Pedy will get less use now, though...
Last edited:
You have to follow a $9 stagecoach!Why can't I find $9 Stagecoach hats
bond
My Mail is Forwarded Here
- Messages
- 3,535
- Location
- Third coast
Thanks for comments
Just finished converting this nice vintage hat for a fellow lounger . This one had a glued down overwelt brim edge and he wanted it replaced with a wide ribbon for a whippet look. Felt color is a pale blue grey I choose a silvery blue binding for the hat.
Brim had to be re trimmed and glue removed carefully along with a gas bath to clean up staining on the brim.
Just finished converting this nice vintage hat for a fellow lounger . This one had a glued down overwelt brim edge and he wanted it replaced with a wide ribbon for a whippet look. Felt color is a pale blue grey I choose a silvery blue binding for the hat.
Brim had to be re trimmed and glue removed carefully along with a gas bath to clean up staining on the brim.
Attachments
Last edited:
Agree,very nice job.
