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Western, anyone?

Joao Encarnado

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,776
Location
Portugal
Why would the felt not get softer with 30+ yrs of age? The black is stiff & thick as a board; the Tanbark has dye in it & stains your fingers when wet.
I'm no felt expert but doesn't the fibbers being tighter with the felting process would make the felt more dense making it harder to work with?
I think dye bleeding is a "common thing". My first 80's 4x beaver black stetson bled some dye and it was supposed to be a better felt. Not all lots are perfect.
 
Messages
18,180
I'm no felt expert but doesn't the fibbers being tighter with the felting process would make the felt more dense making it harder to work with?
I think dye bleeding is a "common thing". My first 80's 4x beaver black stetson bled some dye and it was supposed to be a better felt. Not all lots are perfect.
As felt ages it does get more dense therefore getting thinner & softer, not thicker. Some of the shellac stiffener probably breaks up & is lost over time also. That's why a bit of steam usually softens the shellac that remains, reactivates it & helps set the new crease. Good quality vintage felt should be soft. All of the above is why vintage hats are so highly sought after. Not because they are like cardboard.

Previous to this Tanbark I have only ever had two hats ever bleed dye before: a cheap Charlie One Horse that was more white than Silverbelly, & a cheap black Rodeo King that I bought while on the road as a replacement hat. I wore in just one day, in the rain then it went in the trash can. Had I had the time I would have demanded my money back. No good hat ever bleeds color when wet.
 

Mustang Mike's Hats

A-List Customer
Messages
399
Location
Southern California
Eeee Haaw! Just finished a fun "B Western" style hat this weekend. Found an interesting accent to mount on the hatband that I think I may continue to use on a somewhat regular basis.

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Messages
13,669
Location
down south
I'm getting close for now with my black Stagecoach Outlaw. With a 6-3/4" open crown I wanted a crease that could sink some crown so I settled on a horseshoe. It's pretty close now; just needs some smoothing up with steam. With a 4-1/2" brim I ate up some of that with a gentle swoop instead of taking it flat with an edge curl. I still haven't selected a hatband for it.

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My two Akubra Woomeras have much better felt & are a much better hat than either of my Stagecoaches.
Nice!!

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
 

FedOregon

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,134
Location
Oregon
I got this 5X Stetson off ebay and it arrived yesterday. It does look perfect, but reeks of old cigarette smoke and needed a good brushing. I've stuffed the box with wadded up newspaper to absorb the odors and wrap the hat in the same when not wearing. It seems to be helping.

It's a 7-3/8 Long Oval and fits pretty darn good. The felt on the crown is fairly soft, but the brim is real stiff. Brim is 3" and the crown as creased is about 4-1/2" front and back and up to 5+" at the top center of the crease.

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RJR

Messages
10,620
Location
Iowa
I got this 5X Stetson off ebay and it arrived yesterday. It does look perfect, but reeks of old cigarette smoke and needed a good brushing. I've stuffed the box with wadded up newspaper to absorb the odors and wrap the hat in the same when not wearing. It seems to be helping.

It's a 7-3/8 Long Oval and fits pretty darn good. The felt on the crown is fairly soft, but the brim is real stiff. Brim is 3" and the crown as creased is about 4-1/2" front and back and up to 5+" at the top center of the crease.

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Looks like a heck of a catch,congrats.
 

johnnycanuck

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,008
Location
Alberta
I got this 5X Stetson off ebay and it arrived yesterday. It does look perfect, but reeks of old cigarette smoke and needed a good brushing. I've stuffed the box with wadded up newspaper to absorb the odors and wrap the hat in the same when not wearing. It seems to be helping.

It's a 7-3/8 Long Oval and fits pretty darn good. The felt on the crown is fairly soft, but the brim is real stiff. Brim is 3" and the crown as creased is about 4-1/2" front and back and up to 5+" at the top center of the crease.

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That is one of the best examples of stetson I have seen in ages. May have to send my old Stetson XXXXX off to get it to look like this.
Wear it ion good health.
Johnny
 

johnnycanuck

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,008
Location
Alberta
I got this 5X Stetson off ebay and it arrived yesterday. It does look perfect, but reeks of old cigarette smoke and needed a good brushing. I've stuffed the box with wadded up newspaper to absorb the odors and wrap the hat in the same when not wearing. It seems to be helping.

It's a 7-3/8 Long Oval and fits pretty darn good. The felt on the crown is fairly soft, but the brim is real stiff. Brim is 3" and the crown as creased is about 4-1/2" front and back and up to 5+" at the top center of the crease.

i-HKTJc2d-M.jpg
i-LkkQhD9-M.jpg


i-gPS4HP9-M.jpg
i-z3mZMD5-M.jpg


i-fj59Hx5-M.jpg
i-pK9RpFt-M.jpg


i-NTHcBwg-M.jpg
i-mfNRtvg-M.jpg


i-rpVwzzn-M.jpg
i-Ws2Rhst-M.jpg


i-FXq52WT-M.jpg
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i-gdDRKQ2-M.jpg
Question? what does that hat look like open crown? Is it square or tapered at the top?
Johnny
 

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