The Stratoliner Appreciation Club {MODERN}

[jonesy86]

Hey Folks
Just got my new Stratoliner Premier Silverbelly in the mail. It looks to have some kind of imperfection. Don't know how to describe it, a piece of felt hanging off the front of the crown, a scratch, you got me. Does this look odd to you? Should I send it back?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[M Hatman]

Hey Folks
Just got my new Stratoliner Premier Silverbelly in the mail. It looks to have some kind of imperfection. Don't know how to describe it, a piece of felt hanging off the front of the crown, a scratch, you got me. Does this look odd to you? Should I send it back?
View attachment 114360
View attachment 114361
Thanks for any advice.

That is a bummer
Does it look like there is a hole behind it or just extra material on top. If the latter it can be pounced off (sanded) with litte effort and a very fine grit sandpaper.
If you do not feel you are up to that........send it back.......for a replacement of course.
Being right in front and on a light color.....it is certainly noticeable.
M

 

[VetPsychWars]

The open crown hats also don’t have all the stiffeners added.

I do not believe this to be true. I think the stiffeners are there but aren't "activated" until you steam that area of the felt.

Tom

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I do not believe this to be true. I think the stiffeners are there but aren't "activated" until you steam that area of the felt.

Tom

The open crown Stratoliners certainly have stiffeners added to the felt, but they do not have the same shellac as the Stratoliners with the factory creasing. Steam helps to hold the shaping on the open crown hats, but it never causes the felt to become stiff like the Royal Stratoliners. My open crown strats certainly “don’t have all the stiffeners added” when compared to the lower grade factory creased hats. I can’t speak about other’s hats, but this is true of the four I own.

 

[VetPsychWars]

It ain't shellac. Hasn't been for decades.

Tom

 

[deadlyhandsome]

It ain't shellac. Hasn't been for decades.

Tom

Still doesn’t address your assertion that they have all the stiffeners and that they are just activated by steam. That is demonstrably incorrect with the hats I personally own. The nature of the stiffeners was not the point. Semantics aside, I disagree with your statement that my hats have all the stiffeners as the factory creased hats.

 

[VetPsychWars]

Hard to say. Steaming with a kettle sure ain't the same as pressing between two hot plates!

But you're right in that functionally it's not the same and likely not worth arguing about. Gets stiff enough for my purposes if you get it hot enough and then let it cool without moving things about.

Tom

 

[M Hatman]

Different hats have always had different levels of sizing (stiffeners) added/or not. The difference between a Bowler/Derby for instance and a "soft" hat/fedora. Or a stiff western and a Fedora......some western hats are very stiff indeed. Back in the day, Stetson even differentiated between a stiff "western" OR and a soft OR in their various versions of that hat.

M

 

[jlee562]

I'm still after a western that will flop like this in the wind.

 

[Bamaboots]

I'm still after a western that will flop like this in the wind.

Take one of those big Stetsons you have and give the brim an alcohol bath. That, or wear it out in the weather for thirty years.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

I'm still after a western that will flop like this in the wind.

If you have never been to Monument Valley...it is windy there!

 

[jonesy86]

That is a bummer
Does it look like there is a hole behind it or just extra material on top. If the latter it can be pounced off (sanded) with litte effort and a very fine grit sandpaper.
If you do not feel you are up to that........send it back.......for a replacement of course.
Being right in front and on a light color.....it is certainly noticeable.
M

Thanks for the tips. It is definable a gouge out of the felt:

Michael at one 2 mini Ranch Hats agreed to take it back for a refund. Unfortunately he did not have another to send me as a replacement. Anyone have a 7 1/2 Stratoliner silverbelly, or similar they want to move on let me know.
Thanks.

 

[Mark53]

Thanks for the tips. It is definable a gouge out of the felt:
View attachment 115218
Michael at one 2 mini Ranch Hats agreed to take it back for a refund. Unfortunately he did not have another to send me as a replacement. Anyone have a 7 1/2 Stratoliner silverbelly, or similar they want to move on let me know.
Thanks.

I have a little worn 7 5/8 in Silver Belly if you are willing to go the foam tape route.

 

[jonesy86]

I have a little worn 7 5/8 in Silver Belly if you are willing to go the foam tape route.

Cool, lets make a deal.

 

[jlee562]

JJ seems to have them as well, 20% off with the code "Derby" through today.

https://jjhatcenter.com/collections...ier-stratoliner-by-stetson?variant=7139139332

 

[Mark53]

Cool, lets make a deal.

My email: msagar12561@gmail.com

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I have a little worn 7 5/8 in Silver Belly if you are willing to go the foam tape route.

If you have any other 7 5/8 hats your looking to part with....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Mark53]

If you have any other 7 5/8 hats your looking to part with....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

A stratoliner Excellent in Caribou possibly. email me @ msagar12561@gmail.com. I am trying to move the ones I don't wear so much. I'm not really a collector, I like to wear them.
These are worn but only lightly. The Strats are worn only when I play out with my band. They are lightly creased, nothing that can't be changed.

 

[Mark53]

Cool, lets make a deal.

Here are the pictures of the Silver Belly Strat. Not the best quality, I apologize but we are not pros.

 

[M Hatman]

I'm still after a western that will flop like this in the wind.

My Stetsonian's will do that in a stiff wind.........all the more so when they are worn brim up!
M