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Western, anyone?

suitedcboy

One Too Many
Messages
1,348
Location
Fort Worth Texas or thereabouts
Got a new one made by Mike Miller. 100% beaver and he did a wider self band and made the band have a Ranger belt like style, narrows down for buckle set. I will likely do a bit more with the brim shape. 20170910_141902_resized.jpg
 

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Willebe

A-List Customer
Messages
479
Location
Kentucky
Thanks Doc. This Rand & the one I call "Blackie" are my two favorite Westerns. Blackie & I go way back & have a lot of history together.

alhm54.jpg
Looks nice, Jack. I'm sure the history makes you smile every time you reach for it. Like most things that accompany us through our experiences we are often taken back in time when we reach for those things. Great hat.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
 
Messages
18,221
Looks nice, Jack. I'm sure the history makes you smile every time you reach for it. Like most things that accompany us through our experiences we are often taken back in time when we reach for those things. Great hat.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
Thanks Willebe. It just occurred to me that you would probably like a vintage Stetson Billy Kidd, named after & endorsed by the downhill skier. Like anything vintage you have to watch for them & the earlier hats are better made. Bigger than the early Gun Clubs & better grade than the Stagecoach IMO.

28tdzyu.jpg
 

Joao Encarnado

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,776
Location
Portugal
Thanks Willebe. It just occurred to me that you would probably like a vintage Stetson Billy Kidd, named after & endorsed by the downhill skier. Like anything vintage you have to watch for them & the earlier hats are better made. Bigger than the early Gun Clubs & better grade than the Stagecoach IMO.
Have two of those. One in brown and one in navy blue.
 

Willebe

A-List Customer
Messages
479
Location
Kentucky
Thanks Willebe. It just occurred to me that you would probably like a vintage Stetson Billy Kidd, named after & endorsed by the downhill skier. Like anything vintage you have to watch for them & the earlier hats are better made. Bigger than the early Gun Clubs & better grade than the Stagecoach IMO.

28tdzyu.jpg
Thanks, Jack. I will keep an eye for one. Sizing might be a challenge as it seems to be the case on other hats I see.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
 

boze

One of the Regulars
Messages
193
Location
Washington, DC
Just got my little steamer out for fall and successfully reshaped my only vintage western. What would it take to get a leather band on it? No hatters I know of near me in DC. The ribbon is stained and tattered.

Also, can I do anything to make the brim less stiff? I'm reluctant to bend it too much since it's old and I don't want to pop the sweatband stitches.

Pix! (pardon the gym clothes)
eb486c2b8fa3325c7b4a2384cd90fe26.jpg
b8f9c1523b6ae74c91e16f99fed133fe.jpg
f099748a2f880a9f544b63bb712671db.jpg
 

Joao Encarnado

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,776
Location
Portugal
Just got my little steamer out for fall and successfully reshaped my only vintage western. What would it take to get a leather band on it?/QUOTE]
Buy one and put it? Ebay?

Also, can I do anything to make the brim less stiff? I'm reluctant to bend it too much since it's old and I don't want to pop the sweatband stitches.
Wetting the brim makes it more flexible but I think there are better options to remove a bit of the shellac.
Wetting the brim makes it more flexible but I think there are better options to remove a bit of the shellac.
 
Last edited:
Messages
18,221
Just got my little steamer out for fall and successfully reshaped my only vintage western. What would it take to get a leather band on it? No hatters I know of near me in DC. The ribbon is stained and tattered.

Also, can I do anything to make the brim less stiff? I'm reluctant to bend it too much since it's old and I don't want to pop the sweatband stitches.

Pix! (pardon the gym clothes)
eb486c2b8fa3325c7b4a2384cd90fe26.jpg
b8f9c1523b6ae74c91e16f99fed133fe.jpg
f099748a2f880a9f544b63bb712671db.jpg
For leather hatbands I always search these links. If on a smaller budget you might find something on eBay. I would suggest staying away from anything with cheap heavy conchos.

http://hooeyknows.com/Hat_Bands.html

http://outwestsaddlery.com/hat-bands/

http://www.leatherandbraid.com/Hatbands.html

https://www.stakerhats.com/product-category/hat-bands/

As far as the stiffness of the brim, it's a vintage hat so it is not likely to get any softer with wear. It's western weight felt which is thicker/heavier too. You can reshape it with steam & effort but short of fine sanding it the stiffness won't likely change.

You didn't mention how it fits on you. From the 2nd pic it would appear the hat is too wide on the sides; perhaps it's a round oval. You may need more of a long oval. If it is tight in the front & back you might be able to use a hat stretcher just a small bit which will help pull the sides in & create more of a long oval.

Enjoy wearing your hat!
 

Michael R.

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,889
Location
West Tennessee USA
You know @boze I don't know what grade Hat it is , but if its too stiff you could use camp fuel and soak it , then let it dry . It might take some Hat stiffener out . My Resistol 4X I bought I think in the 80s new has been in all the worst weather over the years , and is soft . Probably close to needing stiffener . That Hat of your's would make a great Vaquero style Hat . Looks Sharp ! Have you looked at Horse Hair Hat Bands ? They're nice , come in a variety of widths , and Beaded Bands are sharp too .
 

Michael A

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,287
@boze, the only luck I've had softening up a brim is giving it an alcohol bath. The shellac used in hat stiffening is usually mixed with denatured alcohol so washing the brim in alcohol will usually remove some but not all of the stiffener.
After I saw Michael R's suggestion I was going to mention that shellac is soluble in alcohol, but you beat me to it. I don't believe it is soluble in gasoline type solvents. It's also more soluble in alkaline solutions, but that is a touchy issue as protein fibers like wool and hair are not particularly friendly with alkali conditions so one has to be careful. Soaking in denatured alcohol should do the trick I think. Vodka would probably work in a pinch.

Michael
 

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