The Open Road Guild

[Bamaboots]

Another one that came in from Oslo is this one. Filled a gap in my collection that was there to fill.
Stetson 3X beaver Open Road in silverbelly. You know these hats better than I do. Not as stiff as I had expected and I really like the shallow brim flange.

It’s about time! Excellent example, Stefan.

 

[steur]

It’s about time! Excellent example, Stefan.

I thought so too, Greg!

 

[ghostman]

Hello. I just purchased my first felt OR RD in silverbelly and have a noob question. With the softer feel of the hat can the brim be shaped at all? I feel like steaming it wouldn’t really “take.” I just want to add a little more curve in the sides to give it a slightly more western look. I was able to shape my straw OR and love the style. Thanks.

 

[johnnycanuck]

Hello. I just purchased my first felt OR RD in silverbelly and have a noob question. With the softer feel of the hat can the brim be shaped at all? I feel like steaming it wouldn’t really “take.” I just want to add a little more curve in the sides to give it a slightly more western look. I was able to shape my straw OR and love the style. Thanks.

I have no experience with new Stetson’s but if it was an Akubra I would use cold water. I found the best results came after a walk in the rain. Hope someone with more modern Stetson experience chips in. Congratulations though and remember to post pictures.
Johnny

 

[RossRYoung]

Pure Open Road in tobacco. This hat arrived with the ‘hand pressed’ traditional cattleman, had long ribbon tales and their new 1865 pin. The machined pressed crease offer very little head space inside the crown, so this hat sat awfully high on my head and looked, well, terrible. After I pushed the crown out, the cattleman shadow was still very prominent, even after several doses of steam. The liners appear to be just put in place, and not secured by stitch, tape or glue. Overall, I was disappointed.
I let it sit overnight, and spent more time on it yesterday. I was able to make a more suitable cattleman, so that I can wear it low enough to secure on my head, trimmed the long ribbon tails, removed the hat pin, and lastly moved the liner around to be centered. Some positives are the color, sweatband, felt quality, embroidered LD liner and the gold sweat lacing (first for me). Had this been made open crown with less taper and more crown height, I’d say it’s worth it.

 

[Frunobulax]

Pure Open Road in tobacco. This hat arrived with the ‘hand pressed’ traditional cattleman, had long ribbon tales and their new 1865 pin. The machined pressed crease offer very little head space inside the crown, so this hat sat awfully high on my head and looked, well, terrible. After I pushed the crown out, the cattleman shadow was still very prominent, even after several doses of steam. The liners appear to be just put in place, and not secured by stitch, tape or glue. Overall, I was disappointed.
I let it sit overnight, and spent more time on it yesterday. I was able to make a more suitable cattleman, so that I can wear it low enough to secure on my head, trimmed the long ribbon tails, removed the hat pin, and lastly moved the liner around to be centered. Some positives are the color, sweatband, felt quality, embroidered LD liner and the gold sweat lacing (first for me). Had this been made open crown with less taper and more crown height, I’d say it’s worth it.

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That's been the knock on new ORs for awhile, and why Camp Drafts are so popular. More crown height and open crown.

How long were the tails before you trimmed them?

 

[RossRYoung]

They almost touched the brim binding, just not used to em that long I guess.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Pure Open Road in tobacco. This hat arrived with the ‘hand pressed’ traditional cattleman, had long ribbon tales and their new 1865 pin. The machined pressed crease offer very little head space inside the crown, so this hat sat awfully high on my head and looked, well, terrible. After I pushed the crown out, the cattleman shadow was still very prominent, even after several doses of steam. The liners appear to be just put in place, and not secured by stitch, tape or glue. Overall, I was disappointed.
I let it sit overnight, and spent more time on it yesterday. I was able to make a more suitable cattleman, so that I can wear it low enough to secure on my head, trimmed the long ribbon tails, removed the hat pin, and lastly moved the liner around to be centered. Some positives are the color, sweatband, felt quality, embroidered LD liner and the gold sweat lacing (first for me). Had this been made open crown with less taper and more crown height, I’d say it’s worth it.

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It’s like they came so close to getting everything right and then stopped. I can’t count the numbers of times I almost pulled the trigger on one of those hats, but the lack of crown height always stops me. I’m glad you’ve been able to tweak it and make it work.

 

[Royce Bloom]

“Had this been made open crown with less taper and more crown height, I’d say it’s worth it.”

This made me laugh. “Were this a completely different hat, I’d recommend it.”

 

[RossRYoung]

Thanks Brent, since it was a gift I had to really learn to like it but I’m happy with it now.

 

[Winterfeld]

Hi all, I just bought an Open Road (my first hat) and I was hoping for some advice on sizing.
My head measures 58.5cm so I bought both a 7 1/2 and a 7 3/8 to try. The 7 1/2 is really tight on the front and back of my head, but isn't snug on the sides (lots of space at the temples). The 7 3/8 is also fairly snug on the front and back, but has even more room at the sides (I can easily stick a finger between my head and hat at both temples) and thus doesn't feel secure on my head at all.
It feels the hat is just too round for my oval shape head. I think the 7 1/2 would be snug but would fit if it was actually shaped like my head, whereas the 7 3/8 would definitely be too big if it were shaped like my head. Will the hat break in and become more "oval shaped" with wear? What size would be suggested?

Thanks for any suggestions

 

[Frunobulax]

Hi all, I just bought an Open Road (my first hat) and I was hoping for some advice on sizing.
My head measures 58.5cm so I bought both a 7 1/2 and a 7 3/8 to try. The 7 1/2 is really tight on the front and back of my head, but isn't snug on the sides (lots of space at the temples). The 7 3/8 is also fairly snug on the front and back, but has even more room at the sides (I can easily stick a finger between my head and hat at both temples) and thus doesn't feel secure on my head at all.
It feels the hat is just too round for my oval shape head. I think the 7 1/2 would be snug but would fit if it was actually shaped like my head, whereas the 7 3/8 would definitely be too big if it were shaped like my head. Will the hat break in and become more "oval shaped" with wear? What size would be suggested?

Thanks for any suggestions

58.5 cm is between a 7 1/4 and 7 3/8. However, it sounds like you have a long oval, or extra long oval, profile. Especially these days, finding something not a regular oval will be very difficult for an off the shelf hat. Unless you are willing to go custom, you may need to find somebody to reblock your hat to fit your profile. With any luck, you live near a hatter or at least near a western shop that can help you with your hat.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Hi all, I just bought an Open Road (my first hat) and I was hoping for some advice on sizing.
My head measures 58.5cm so I bought both a 7 1/2 and a 7 3/8 to try. The 7 1/2 is really tight on the front and back of my head, but isn't snug on the sides (lots of space at the temples). The 7 3/8 is also fairly snug on the front and back, but has even more room at the sides (I can easily stick a finger between my head and hat at both temples) and thus doesn't feel secure on my head at all.
It feels the hat is just too round for my oval shape head. I think the 7 1/2 would be snug but would fit if it was actually shaped like my head, whereas the 7 3/8 would definitely be too big if it were shaped like my head. Will the hat break in and become more "oval shaped" with wear? What size would be suggested?

Thanks for any suggestions

Using either a band block, hat Jack/hat stretcher, or a crown block; and with a lot of steam, you can make the hat into a long oval; however, it will make the brim go wonky and the tensioning of the flanges brim will be messed up. Honestly, there isn’t a real good solution other than buying a hat made as a long or extra long oval. You can have a custom hat made for you for less than what a new Open Road costs once you add in having it re-blocked and reflanged. Send a PM to @belfastboy: he has a near complete set of long oval blocks and he can make you a great custom Open Road style hat.

 

[belfastboy]

Using either a band block, hat Jack/hat stretcher, or a crown block; and with a lot of steam, you can make the hat into a long oval; however, it will make the brim go wonky and the tensioning of the flanges brim will be messed up. Honestly, there isn’t a real good solution other than buying a hat made as a long or extra long oval. You can have a custom hat made for you for less than what a new Open Road costs once you add in having it re-blocked and reflanged. Send a PM to @belfastboy: he has a near complete set of long oval blocks and he can make you a great custom Open Road style hat.

I have a friend that is an Extra Long Oval. Reblocked a Reg Oval hat to fit him and even though it fit perfectly front to back he could still stick three fingers between the hat and his temples. I made him a hat from scratch after using a conformateur on his head. The hat fit him but was so long and narrow it just looks weird. I told him that I am thinking some heads were just not made to wear a hat....he is still my friend!

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I have a friend that is an Extra Long Oval. Reblocked a Reg Oval hat to fit him and even though it fit perfectly front to back he could still stick three fingers between the hat and his temples. I made him a hat from scratch after using a conformateur on his head. The hat fit him but was so long and narrow it just looks weird. I told him that I am thinking some heads were just not made to wear a hat....he is still my friend!

I own a couple vintage westerns that were marked “Extra Long Oval,” but I didn’t notice any difference from standard “Long Oval.”

The proprietor at Taton Baird said I was an extra long oval, but most all vintage soft hats (fedoras) work for me. They naturally conform and don’t look deformed.

 

[glider]

Stratton hats offers extra long oval sizes. Check out there web site. Competitive prices and good quality.

 

[belfastboy]

I own a couple vintage westerns that were marked “Extra Long Oval,” but I didn’t notice any difference from standard “Long Oval.”

The proprietor at Taton Baird said I was an extra long oval, but most all vintage soft hats (fedoras) work for me. They naturally conform and don’t look deformed.

The issue with my friend is he wants a stiff Bowler style that does not lend itself to conforming.

 

[Winterfeld]

Thanks all for your thoughts. Regarding the fit, I find that the top of my head touches the crown when I put it on. Should this be the case? I've found differing opinions online, so wanted to hear your thoughts

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Thanks all for your thoughts. Regarding the fit, I find that the top of my head touches the crown when I put it on. Should this be the case? I've found differing opinions online, so wanted to hear your thoughts

Personally, I’d never want the inside top of the crown to touch my head. The lower crown height is one of the biggest digs against the current Open Road. It’s not the end of the world if it does and maybe it won’t bother you.

 

[M Hatman]

Here we have a ad for "a Man's Hat", "a hat that really goes to a man's head"!!! A Hat for America!!!
Love the City, Desert, Oil Fields, and CHURCH? (or is that Philadelphia)!!!! A true all around hat!!! While this particular ad is dated 1949, I have seen the same ad dated 1948.