The Open Road Guild

[The Elizans]

Royal Stetson Open Road, Shuddle Bros. Houston

Bought locally from a fancy dress shop that was having a clear out, paid £10 which seems a good price. Basic model, 40's or 50's? Nice contrast between felt and ribbon that didn't really come out in the photo; hat body is kind of pink-brown, ribbon is gold. Fits me too! Not suitable for an Englishman though! lol

 

[John in Covina]

That one looks pretty cool, great color scheme. The aficionados can get a good idea of the date or era by the imprints and also the design on the liner but it looks like your hat doesn't have a liner anymore?

 

[danofarlington]

Not suitable for an Englishman though! lol :rolleyes:

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Dress down. It'll work.

 

[The Elizans]

That one looks pretty cool, great color scheme. The aficionados can get a good idea of the date or era by the imprints and also the design on the liner but it looks like your hat doesn't have a liner anymore?

Hi John,

I don't think it would've had a liner originally, feels too inexpensive. I've seen similar Stetsons with a fabric sticker in the crown; in England, they did this a lot on entry level hats. Like this Attaboy;

 

[The Elizans]

Dress down. It'll work.

Thanks for the advice, I'll try to find the confidence to wear it from somewhere!

 

[OT1899]

Stetson Posse ...

Purchased a Stetson Posse at the Hatco Outlet yesterday. It is an Open Road design in buffalo felt. Seems to be a bit rougher and darker finish than regular Open Roads, but will certainly be easier to modify the crease and bash as it is not nearly as stiff as the other Open Roads that I have. Anyone else have one of these?

 

[softouch]

I Watched, Bid & Won this...

Stetson Open Road, so I guess I can post here:
http://cgi.ebay.com/STETSON-Open-Ro...Box-7-1-4-/200508775393?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0

It will be near the end of September before I can put it on my head though.
I plan on giving it a naptha bath and (after about a 24 hour drying), using steam to "tear-drop" the crown.

Anyone have any opinions on how tough this will be with this hat? Of course, some buyers remorse has set in due to my lack of patience for a nice vintage "100" or 7X. I know the one I won is not "vintage" but am also not sure of its real age.
Impulse bidding strikes again. My wife will be so proud

 

[gtdean48]

...
Anyone have any opinions on how tough this will be with this hat? ...

For taking that OR from cattleman to teardrop crease & after a naptha bath, I'd use distilled water in a spray bottle instead of steam. This is a pressed in factory crease that needs the soaking. I use steam for tweaking & setting a crease, not a drastic crease removal & then change. JMHO....

 

[John in Covina]

Hi John,
I don't think it would've had a liner originally, feels too inexpensive. I've seen similar Stetsons with a fabric sticker in the crown; in England, they did this a lot on entry level hats, like this Attaboy.

Yes, that's is possible but I don't recall seeing many Stetsons without a liner and there is usually something on the inside of the crown as opposed to plain. Perhaps some base models were done with out a liner but I also think a Royal Stetson "sounds" like a higher end hat. Maybe it was removed at some point. Here in the US people took the liners out to make the hat cooler in the summer sometimes.

 

[hatophile]

Bought locally from a fancy dress shop that was having a clear out, paid £10 which seems a good price. Basic model, 40's or 50's? Nice contrast between felt and ribbon that didn't really come out in the photo; hat body is kind of pink-brown, ribbon is gold. Fits me too! Not suitable for an Englishman though! lol

The Elizans,

Please wear that hat, it's lovely, I really like the color and you don't find those much over here like that! I think it would make a great country hat!

 

[illumin8em]

.
well i believe i am finally a member. the outside is a bit dingy, but the inside looks to never have been worn. unfortunately it seems that I am a 7 5/8", not the 7 1/2" of this hat in Stetson Open Roads.

Now for some problems. I do not like the leather band and quickly realised it would just lift off. Upon doing so i found glue residue where the band was secured, which does not want to come off. Also some strange purple marks left behind from the band itself. Does anyone think that these are fixable problems, say with the trusty Naptha method?

thanks for any help

 

[frussell]

Hat band marks

That's a real shame. Only a knucklehead would glue a leather hat band to the outside of any hat. You may have to take a razor blade to the glue marks, I don't know if they'll just clean off. They may need to be shaved or scraped off. The other marks are the reason I caution people against making their own leather hat bands. Some leather, like "latigo," popular in making those leather strips that people like to braid into lanyards, will bleed when wet, causing marks just like the purple ones on your hat. They may come out with naptha. Too bad, because the hat looks great. Let us know the results. Frank

 

[BanjoMerlin]

Only a knucklehead would glue a leather hat band to the outside of any hat.

In the 1970s that knucklehead went by the name "Stetson."

The glue soaks into the felt. I haven't found a way to get it out.

 

[John in Covina]

Some glues can be disolved with high solvents (chemically Hot) you may be able to use some MEK on if and flush the glue out but watch the liner.

 

[frussell]

Stapled Stetson?

Hopefully even Stetson in the 70s wouldn't have stapled a leather hatband together in such a wonky way. Although, you are right, I have seen some pretty funky items from Stetson in those days, especially during the Urban Cowboy phase. I really miss all those feathery bands. Hopefully this Open Road can be salvaged with the aforementioned chemical treatments. if not, it may need to be turned into a wide-ribboned fedora. Good Luck, Frank.

 

[Michaelshane]

7x clear beaver OR.I think I like this better than my 100s.

Maybe...we'll see.

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[Lefty]

Very nice. I like the look of those back pinches. :eusa_clap :eusa_clap
Don't you love the way the felt molds so easily?

 

[gtdean48]

7x clear beaver OR.I think I like this better than my 100s...

Sweet! Let me know if that one is ever just a tad too big for you...

 

[Cool1]

Just In: 1994 NIB w/cleaning sponge, and pamphlet

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Just got this 7X, size 7 1/8. It's a little snug, but WAY cool.

Hope y'all are enjoying a great day.

 

[hatophile]

Nice catch Mr Cool1!