The Stratoliner Society {VINTAGE}

[Jedwbpm]

Just home from working a funeral in my (I don't know what we are calling it) Fashion Stratoliner. Sorry Tom hatco/stetson is calling it a Stratoliner so here it goes.

Jeff

 

[deanzat]

Some Strats...

 

[alanfgag]

Nice hats... great hat hooks!

 

[T Rick]

Nice hats... great hat hooks!

+1 on that! Deanzat, hope you don't mind, I may continue your theme in a week or so when my new brown Strat gets here (should look cool with the Sunburst '62 Reissue, or maybe the Olympic White American Standard -don't know how it would be with the black EC model....). "Sounds" great!

 

[deanzat]

Thanks. I'm hoping to combine stratocaster, stratoliner, and a couple of beautiful women for the Women in Men's Fedoras thread.

 

[rlk]

Be sure to place the hats Strategically

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Working on NICE today!

I really enjoy wearing the Stratoliner hat. The dimensions, cut of the crown, height enough to carry a variety of creases and general eye appealing felt. The felt has many similarities to my Stetson 25 Open Road. The felt is a bit lighter, but the drape and feel are the same. I love the drape and feel of the 25X, but I imagine that it would not work on this smaller versioned hat. That said, my 50's Stetson Stratoliner showed the dirt of being vintage and the soil of being worn this past spring. I am enjoying my hat so much it shows lots of dirt.

Today is summer Strat cleaning day. In between errands I worked on my Strat. All done and I wanted to show my frequently worn Strat just waiting for the next occasion. Here is the finished hat;

Cleaning; I used a gallon of Coleman Fuel, Rubbermaid sealed storage box, toothbrush and rubber gloves. The fire pit was safe this morning before 6:00am - no dogs or people to worry about. The pit has evergreen trees on 2 sides so I was safe from prying neighbor eyes or questioning boaters on the lake. This turned out to be prudent as folks stopped by the dock early this morning and I was not sure that I could have explained what was in the Rubbermaid box in the fire pit.

I swished the hat about many times and gently worked darker stains out with a soft toothbrush (it is only a hat cleaning toothbrush). I weighted the hat down with a heavy glass bulb that used to be on the electric utility poles at our lake cabin. It is the right weight and does not bring additional contaminants to the Coleman fluid.

After 3.5 hours I hung the hat up. The fluid I strained back into the container and discarded the 3 teaspoons of drt particles and the other contaminants into the recycling oil container into our storage building.

The hat hung for 3 hours. No lingering vapors, no smell, absolutely no effect on the liner and leather band. The hat was cleaner than it has been since it got adopted at my house this past winter. Sparkling. I had some time, so out came the steamer, rack, brushes and towels (for any drips on the wood floors). I worked the remnants of the old creases out. The hat had evidence of teardrop, and a couple of placements of center dents. The first steaming was to get a smooth open crown. I figured that this would help me establish a pristine taking off point. That took the most work. After drying, and a brushing to further smooth the felt I started steaming for a teardrop. I measured front and back, this time, so that it would a less extreme "tugboat" look. I still struggle with making the back of the teardrop smooth wthout real noticiable bumps. I desire to have smooth curves to the top of the hat. (My face has all the angles that it needs!) When I got "most" of what I desired, I started on the dents and the brim. Dents are not so much planed, IMO, as they just need to compliment, rather than be a statement. The brim I wished for a more turned down look - snapped down much like a pic of a 50's gangster pic of Al Capone I recently saw. The pics do not really capture the detail of the "snap." Take my word - it is more turned down.

Finished result; Here is the completed result:

The hat shows no past creases and the dirty lines that defined those creases are not visible. Before today, my wife called the hat 6' clean - farther back than 6' it was perfect. Closer - well you get the idea. Today, the hat can proudly showcase itself. It is a hit when I wear it out and about in my travels. A design homerun by Stetson!

I submit the above as application to join the Stratoliner Society. I am a proud card carrying member of the Stratoliner Wearing Club.

Best, Eric -

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Eric, great demo on how to clean a hat.

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Thanks Ed. As a newer hat wearer, I feel very humbled to own a 60+ year old hat of some "notarity." The Strat certainly earned the attention. The hat earned the cleaning in kind for the serviceable use it gave and deserved the cleaning for the many days of wearing it will yet give. Eric -

 

[Lefty]

hat bling

 

[feltfan]

hat bling

That is not a hat, that is an aircraft carrier.

 

[alanfgag]

or a head hangar.

 

[Lefty]

props to the puns

 

[MDphoto]

You have to get licensed by the FAA with that many aircraft?

 

[Blackthorn]

That is not a hat, that is an aircraft carrier.

:eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap

 

[randooch]

Eric, great demo on how to clean a hat.

Indeed. Very nice job. That hat looks new!

On a side note, if anyone in this society has a spare 7 1/2 Strat idling about, I'd sure like to buy it. And if it's missing its pin, I know where to find one.

 

[T Rick]

Eric, great demo on how to clean a hat.

+1 on that, great detail and shows it to be easier than I'd expected. I will now have the confidence to give it a go myself!

You have to get licensed by the FAA with that many aircraft?

I'm certificated, but unfortunately lack the multi-engine rating....

 

[ejbhats]

After searching flea markets and junk stores, I finally found the pin of my dreams!



It's a bit bulky on the hat but enough glue and duct tape should keep it in place nicely!



Just having a bit of fun with all of you this morning! My son was quite worried I was serious and his plane would be permanently hangared on my hat!

 

[HatsEnough]

We don't call it "bulky." It's JUMBO! It sells better!

 

[LoveMyHats2]

Strat Attack

In the last 2 months, I have been doing battle on eBay, and cruising the internet kicking over any rock possible, to find the end of my quest for a nice clean Stratoliner. One that would fit, and need nothing done to it. Along the road on my quest, I have stopped along the way and made some rather nice additions to my hat ownership, but today, after all the hopes and desires, I finally found a Stratoliner, the end of my rainbow, long overdue. I am awaiting it's arrival this upcoming week. When it gets here, I will post pictures and celebrate with a trip to the Casino, to see if it will bring me luck.