The County Recycled My Sixties Open Road

[johnnycanuck]

So do we get to see this hat?

Johnny

 

[Atticus Finch]

Hi Johnny,

Indeed! But, first, I need to steam it into the shape I like. I have to "flatten" the brims of my ORs in the front and back so that the sides curl up a bit. Experience has taught me that I look goofy(er) in hats that have even slightly upturned front brims. Also, this steaming and flattening process lets me gently elongate the hat to better fit my long oval head.

For a long time I thought that ORs remaind unchanged throughout their history. I was wrong. This hat is slightly smaller than my 'fifties ORs and my modern OR...even though its tagged a size larger than any of them. When I say smaller, I mean that it has a slightly smaller brim and a slightly lower crown. I guess if it were a flight jacket, I would describe it as having a trim cut as compared to my other Open Roads.

AF

 

[jwalls]

I am glad to hear that tax monies are being spent for something of value.:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[Atticus Finch]

Here's some photos of the 'sixties or 'seventies OR the county bought for me. I'm thinking it may become my most worn hat. A size 7 3/4 LO...it fits like a modern 7 5/8.

AF

 

[J.B.]

Wow! Congratulations! That IS a fine one! :cool2:

Looks like you ended up with a real beauty!

All's Well That Ends Well?!

 

[RBH]

NICE!!!!:eusa_clap

 

[illumin8em]

.
Very nice hat, and HD-28.

Here's some photos of the 'sixties or 'seventies OR the county bought for me. I'm thinking it may become my most worn hat. A size 7 3/4 LO...it fits like a modern 7 5/8.

AF

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

Now you be sure to park that next to your desk for safe keeping.

 

[Atticus Finch]

Thanks for the replies, all.

I wish I could accurately date my hat. I've read every scrap of information about vintage Stetsons that I can find...here and elsewhere...trying to decipher some common scheme or pattern to go by. Sadly, there seem to be many variables and even more opinions about what those variables indicate. I wish Stetsons could be more like vintage flight jackets. With them, you just look for the contract number and there's your date.

Anyhow, here are a few clues.

My hat has a black, square size tag but no metric size number. ('sixties-'eighties?)

My hat has a black, narrow sweatband with a gold line at the top. ('sixties-'seventies? I've never been able to pinpoint exactly when brown sweatbands changed to black and when they changed back to brown, again.)

My hat has a "diamond" liner. ('sixties-'seventies?)

My hat is "four-X" beaver. (Modern? My older ORs are three-X.)

My hat is tagged as long-oval and it says that it is a long oval on the size tag. There isn't a seperate "long-oval" tag as is the case with my older hats. (I've no clue when stock long-ovals were discontinued.)

My hat is marked "The Open Road". (That, also, seems to have been discontinued, but when?)

On another note (and please pardon the pun), my HD-28 is a 2009 model. I bought it last October.

AF