The Conversion Corral

[1967Cougar390]

I finished with most the conversion of my navy blue Black Creek cowboy hat today. The brim and style was way wrong for me and what I wanted. I marked and cut the brim down from 3 1/4” to 2 1/2”. Then came a lot of steaming and letting it dry to get the brim to conform to my wishes. Here are a couple of before and after pictures.

Before:

My homemade steamer:

After:

Tomorrow I’m going to rework the crease and add a teardrop crease.

Steven

 

[Woodtroll]

I finished with most the conversion of my navy blue Black Creek cowboy hat today. The brim and style was way wrong for me and what I wanted. I marked and cut the brim down from 3 1/4” to 2 1/2”. Then came a lot of steaming and letting it dry to get the brim to conform to my wishes. Here are a couple of before and after pictures.

Before:
View attachment 143288
View attachment 143294
View attachment 143295
View attachment 143296
My homemade steamer:
View attachment 143297
After:
View attachment 143298

Tomorrow I’m going to rework the crease and add a teardrop crease.

Steven

Nice job! I would definitely like to see a frontal shot when you are done. And I like the creative steam "spout"!

 

[Winston Carter]

I finished with most the conversion of my navy blue Black Creek cowboy hat today. The brim and style was way wrong for me and what I wanted. I marked and cut the brim down from 3 1/4” to 2 1/2”. Then came a lot of steaming and letting it dry to get the brim to conform to my wishes. Here are a couple of before and after pictures.

Before:
View attachment 143288
View attachment 143294
View attachment 143295
View attachment 143296
My homemade steamer:
View attachment 143297
After:
View attachment 143298

Tomorrow I’m going to rework the crease and add a teardrop crease.

Steven

I like a shorter brim on my western hats also and i've been using a pot of water w/foil on the stove to steam for 35 yrs. Why change now. Steam is steam.

 

[DOGMAN]

I did make them, but just to assist me to return some hats back to open crowns.
The tall one was made to fit an old Cavanagh and some Strats.
Works beautifully.

Wow,very nice work.

 

[Rockwater]

Wow,very nice work.

Thanks, I’m really enjoying those liners BTW

 

[DOGMAN]

Thanks, I’m really enjoying those liners BTW

Happy you like them.

 

[1967Cougar390]

Nice job! I would definitely like to see a frontal shot when you are done. And I like the creative steam "spout"!

I finished my conversion today. It was a lot of work but now I have a hat that I’m very pleased with. I reworked the center crease and added a teardrop crease. Here is a front view picture.

Steven

 

[T Jones]

I'm reblocking this black Borsalino again for the second time. Only this time around I'm giving a prototype straight sided block a trial run that fellow Lounger, Rockwater, custom made and sent to me. I'm really impressed with the profile of this block and I have high hopes for it. Rockwater made it from quarter sawn Honduran Mahogany and the workmanship and detail he put into it is absolutely outstanding. It has a very attractive grain and the finish is smooth as silk in a low gloss satin like sheen. He also crafted a block stand and a band block of the same Honduran Mahogany. This particular block is 6 inches tall and is 23 1/4 inches in diameter to accommodate for a 7 1/4 hat size. I haven't seen anything as nice as this. This block is so straight that it looks like it would be a perfect candidate to make a "Raiders" style hat if one was so inclined. Words fail me on this one so it's better to show it in pics, and even words aren't enough to describe the fine workmanship that Rockwater put into this:

Check out the open crown profile this Borsa's going to have. Tall and straight.

Now for the Rockwater straight sided block. A real quality work of art. Check out the attractive grain pattern.

Side view:

Front:

All the handcrafted pieces:

A close up of the grain pattern:

Perfect fit:

I have to say that I'm honored to be the first to use a block that was crafted by Rockwater.

 

[RJR]

I'm reblocking this black Borsalino again for the second time. Only this time around I'm giving a prototype straight sided block a trial run that fellow Lounger, Rockwater, custom made and sent to me. I'm really impressed with the profile of this block and I have high hopes for it. Rockwater made it from quarter sawn Honduran Mahogany and the workmanship and detail he put into it is absolutely outstanding. It has a very attractive grain and the finish is smooth as silk in a low gloss satin like sheen. He also crafted a block stand and a band block of the same Honduran Mahogany. This particular block is 6 inches tall and is 23 1/4 inches in diameter to accommodate for a 7 1/4 hat size. I haven't seen anything as nice as this. This block is so straight that it looks like it would be a perfect candidate to make a "Raiders" style hat if one was so inclined. Words fail me on this one so it's better to show it in pics, and even words aren't enough to describe the fine workmanship that Rockwater put into this:

Check out the open crown profile this Borsa's going to have. Tall and straight.

Now for the Rockwater straight sided block. A real quality work of art. Check out the attractive grain pattern.

Side view:

Front:

All the handcrafted pieces:

A close up of the grain pattern:

Perfect fit:

I have to say that I'm honored to be the first to use a block that was crafted by Rockwater.

The friendships that are made here are one of the major reasons to belong.

 

[T Jones]

The friendships that are made here are one of the major reasons to belong.

Yes, indeed. I'm thankful for everyone of them.

 

[belfastboy]

I'm reblocking this black Borsalino again for the second time. Only this time around I'm giving a prototype straight sided block a trial run that fellow Lounger, Rockwater, custom made and sent to me. I'm really impressed with the profile of this block and I have high hopes for it. Rockwater made it from quarter sawn Honduran Mahogany and the workmanship and detail he put into it is absolutely outstanding. It has a very attractive grain and the finish is smooth as silk in a low gloss satin like sheen. He also crafted a block stand and a band block of the same Honduran Mahogany. This particular block is 6 inches tall and is 23 1/4 inches in diameter to accommodate for a 7 1/4 hat size. I haven't seen anything as nice as this. This block is so straight that it looks like it would be a perfect candidate to make a "Raiders" style hat if one was so inclined. Words fail me on this one so it's better to show it in pics, and even words aren't enough to describe the fine workmanship that Rockwater put into this:

Check out the open crown profile this Borsa's going to have. Tall and straight.

Now for the Rockwater straight sided block. A real quality work of art. Check out the attractive grain pattern.

Side view:

Front:

All the handcrafted pieces:

A close up of the grain pattern:

Perfect fit:

I have to say that I'm honored to be the first to use a block that was crafted by Rockwater.

That block is so straight sided that in the pics it almost looks like a reverse taper. Beautiful craftsmanship.

 

[1967Cougar390]

I'm reblocking this black Borsalino again for the second time. Only this time around I'm giving a prototype straight sided block a trial run that fellow Lounger, Rockwater, custom made and sent to me. I'm really impressed with the profile of this block and I have high hopes for it. Rockwater made it from quarter sawn Honduran Mahogany and the workmanship and detail he put into it is absolutely outstanding. It has a very attractive grain and the finish is smooth as silk in a low gloss satin like sheen. He also crafted a block stand and a band block of the same Honduran Mahogany. This particular block is 6 inches tall and is 23 1/4 inches in diameter to accommodate for a 7 1/4 hat size. I haven't seen anything as nice as this. This block is so straight that it looks like it would be a perfect candidate to make a "Raiders" style hat if one was so inclined. Words fail me on this one so it's better to show it in pics, and even words aren't enough to describe the fine workmanship that Rockwater put into this:

Check out the open crown profile this Borsa's going to have. Tall and straight.

Now for the Rockwater straight sided block. A real quality work of art. Check out the attractive grain pattern.

Side view:

Front:

All the handcrafted pieces:

A close up of the grain pattern:

Perfect fit:

I have to say that I'm honored to be the first to use a block that was crafted by Rockwater.

That block is a thing of beauty. Craftsmanship like that is a lost art. If you can’t get it at Lowes or the Home Depot very few people have mastered the craft and talent to build something like this.
Steven

 

[T Jones]

That block is a thing of beauty. Craftsmanship like that is a lost art. If you can’t get it at Lowes or the Home Depot very few people have mastered the craft and talent to build something like this.
Steven

It sure is, buddy. Rockwater did a fantastic job. Luckily we still have a few Craftsmen around, like him, who can create masterpieces like this.

 

[T Jones]

That block is so straight sided that in the pics it almost looks like a reverse taper. Beautiful craftsmanship.

A built in reverse taper would have really made it a candidate for a Raider's block! But, that was only a case of camera angle. The block is definitely straight up and down with no taper of any kind

 

[ruvort]

I posted this in the ask a question thread, but figured I would ask it here as well:

I am looking to complete a conversion and need to change out the ribbon. I'd like to do an "Open Road" style ribbon. Does anyone know of a good guide on making such a ribbon style? Also, does anyone know a good source for purchasing the ribbon itself?

Thank you

Sent from my PH-1 using Tapatalk

 

[T Jones]

Just finished doing a quick fedora conversion from this '50s era Resistol 10 Homburg. A fellow Lounger gave this one to me. This is a super nice hat and the felt quality is amazing. I always wanted to try a Homburg but when I put it on, it was obvious that a Homburg just wasn't me. The hat is super clean inside and out and all original. I didn't take anything apart for this quickie conversion. The biggest skill set required for this one was care and patience...and having a fedora brim flange helps. Pretty easy if you take your time. I just ironed out the to flatten out the kettle curl and then ironed again on a brim flange. Unlike my other conversions, I didn't strip this one down. I wanted to leave all that was original to the hat intact. For the crown, all I did was to pop out the center dent to an open crown and then I misted it damp with water from a spray bottle, not soaking. From then on, it was easy. I recreased the crown to my preferred tear drop....

Before

On the head

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Just finished doing a quick fedora conversion from this '50s era Resistol 10 Homburg. A fellow Lounger gave this one to me. This is a super nice hat and the felt quality is amazing. I always wanted to try a Homburg but when I put it on, it was obvious that a Homburg just wasn't me. The hat is super clean inside and out and all original. I didn't take anything apart for this quickie conversion. The biggest skill set required for this one was care and patience...and having a fedora brim flange helps. Pretty easy if you take your time. I just ironed out the to flatten out the kettle curl and then ironed again on a brim flange. Unlike my other conversions, I didn't strip this one down. I wanted to leave all that was original to the hat intact. For the crown, all I did was to pop out the center dent to an open crown and then I misted it damp with water from a spray bottle, not soaking. From then on, it was easy. I recreased the crown to my preferred tear drop....

Before

On the head

Great conversion! What were the open crown and brim measurements? I’d like to see photos of in inside too if possible.

I know some are squeamish about converting such hats but I think you made the right call. A pristine hat that doesn’t get worn doesn’t do anything for anyone.


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[T Jones]

Great conversion! What were the open crown and brim measurements?


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Thank you DH! The open crown height is 5 1/2 inches and the brim width is 2 5/8. The tear drop crown is creased to 4 3/4 inches at the pinch with a rake sloping to 4 1/4 inches tall in the back.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Thank you DH! The open crown height is 5 1/2 inches and the brim width is 2 5/8. The tear drop crown is creased to 4 3/4 inches at the pinch with a rake sloping to 4 1/4 inches tall in the back.

Pretty classic fedora dimensions. The straight sided crown and your work reshaping it really leaves no clue that it was ever a homburg. Nice!


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[T Jones]

Pretty classic fedora dimensions. The straight sided crown and your work reshaping it really leaves no clue that it was ever a homburg. Nice!


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Thank you buddy! It's definitely a nice hat. I really like this one.