What Hat Are You Working On Today?

[ruvort]

I wish I had a three sided coin... It would simplify the decision... I like the Khaki, Silverbelly AND the Pewter equally

My vote is for the 1/2 inch Pewter

 

[RickP]

Id better hurry up and finish the 4x.... the next project hat came in today a 3x Stetson. Actually pretty decent shape. Just had to pull about 1/4" of felt out from under the sweatband lol Now it fits well. Not bad for a $23 hat!

 

[RickP]

Should make a nice casual fedora soon... Conversions are fun

 

[RickP]

Conversion project #2 for this month ...the $23 3x Stetson. ( I just couldnt make myself wait to get started!....guess Ill be juggling two hats and filling up the dining table for a week or so) Got a little cleaning blocking and shaping done. Was going to flange it down for a snap brim, but today the cord to snug down on the flange just wasnt cooperating and kept slipping off before I could get it in the groove... Maybe before I fight it again, I should just give a soak it in denatured alcohol so soften out some of the "cowboy" out of the felt. Got enough snap steamed in to have a just bit of shape and not have a flat brim.

Pinned on a couple ribbons in place to see what looks good. Im seriously thinking about the lighter one... would go well with the matching brim binding. Black brim binding might be just a bit too contrasty, so I guess if I go black I could just leave a raw edge and do something like a triple row stitching around the edge of the brim.. Wish I had some brown ribbon to compare. Ill definately be using at least a 1-1/4 or 1-1/2 ribbon.... theres one little hole in the crown about 3/4 " above the brim .. Looks like one of those plastic price tags things was punched in there. Ribbon will hide it just fine. Other than that the hat was in decent shape when it got here.

Was worried that a 6" crown might have been a bit tall, but its not bad after a little shaping. Anyway its looking reasonably decent so far. Added a "before" shot just to compare

 

[RickP]

Had some progress getting out a lot the ink writing out of the liner. Going to be giving the liners from both hats a woolite bath anyway. See if that gets the rest out. (and the grime at the same time) Might as well get them all squeaky clean while theyre out

I did notice the green spot on the liner, and my inner detective got to cogitating...it looks like it lines up with the hole in the crown, so Im thinking it WASNT a price tag, but some kind of brass pin stuck through the hat. Theres actually a tiny hole in the leather sweat right there too. Considering where it sits on the head, Im thinking the pointy part probably wasnt too comfortable... just glad there arent any blood stains lol

 

[RickP]

That cowboy felt was NOT going to beat me! When I tried to get the hat on the flange, the semi stiff brim kept popping up and pulling the cord out of the groove. I just pulled the muslin snug, got the cord in the groove, and pinned it in place. Then it stayed put and I could steam and iron into submission! lol. Now it looks like something and holds its shape. Its a bit stiffer than I want so before Im done Im thinking ill definately give it an alcohol bath and get rid of some of the stiffener (not really wanting a hard hat fedora lol). Were on the way!

 

[RickP]

Just got the ribbon finished on the $26 stetson. Decided it HAD to be a silverbelly colored ribbon, and thought the 1" looked good. Looking much better now. Edge binding to come soon

 

[RickP]

Got the ribbon made for the $23 Stetson conversion. Havent sewn it in yet...Thought id try black first, and then maybe a dark brown if that doesnt ring my bell. Actual color outside is about halfway between these two pics (not QUITE as orangish as the pic on the stand looks. Still debating whether to leave this on as a raw brim or do some contrasting binding. At least its coffee shop ready for next week

 

[RBH]

This is a hat Major Moore made for me 15 years ago.
It was not getting much wear.
I removed the 3 cord ribbon and trimmed the bound edge off to 2 3/8s.
I reblocked it open crown and creased it to a loose center dent. I added the pin and “bone” necklace.
I had seen a Greeley Hat Works fedora in Fort Worth a few years ago, that I like the looks of.
This finished hat is my take on it.

 

[shopkin]

I like the pull handle too.

 

[RickP]

Darn it the decisions never end... Found my brown ribbon and overlaid it on the cowboy conversion. I Liked the Black ribbon, but dang.. Im really liking the brown as well... gives it a totally different contrast

 

[RickP]

Darn it the decisions never end... Found my brown ribbon and overlaid it on the cowboy conversion. I Liked the Black ribbon, but dang.. Im really liking the brown as well... gives it a totally different contrast
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If I decide to do a brim binding, I think the brown would be much better... Not quite as contrasty

 

[RickP]

Alrighty then..... Got a brown ribbon made and I think its WAY better than the black. I do believe this one will bet sewn in! Sun and shade to show in extremes

 

[RickP]

Did a little freshening on a Stetson with Imperial Ultimate felt. (a Miller model) Really nice felt but the ribbon was a bit too tall...the top edges were standing out over the side dents just a bit. Removed the 1- 1/2" ribbon and replaced with a 7/8". Much more civilized.

Stuck on the flange and freshened up the brim a bit while I was at it.

 

[rogueclimber]

Much more civilized.

Indeed it is. Well done!

 

[Rmccamey]

Love that pewter ribbon.

AND I DID FIND SOME OF THE OTHER RIBBON! A 1 1/2" Pewter, and a 7/8" in Black, Silverbelly, and Khaki.... Humm the choices are NOT getting easier. Think Im still leaning toward the wider ribbon... I do really like the khacki and silverbelly. Will have to see what the wider silverbelly looks like when it gets here. Whatever I decide on, Ill be adding a matching 5/8" edge binding.



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[VoodooSan]

Actually, this was done yesterday afternoon.

Some hats just FIGHT you, every step of the way. This one started out as a very nice Josey Wales that I bought somewhere on-line ages ago. Didn't like how it looked on my head, so I reshaped it into a sort of 1960s TV-show cowboy hat, didn't really take to that, and so re-formed it again into an homage to Will Penny. I still wasn’t pleased with it, so, it came in from the garage for another re-do. All the curl was ironed/steamed out of the brim, then a small down-dip was put back in. Then the crown was lowered, and a significant pinch added. I’m actually, for the first time since I bought this hat nearly 9 and a half years ago, pleased with its appearance. I’ve run out of clever names for it, so now it’s just listed in my cowboy shooting rotation list as the “Josey 3rd remake.”

 

[wsmontana]

Actually, this was done yesterday afternoon.

Some hats just FIGHT you, every step of the way. This one started out as a very nice Josey Wales that I bought somewhere on-line ages ago. Didn't like how it looked on my head, so I reshaped it into a sort of 1960s TV-show cowboy hat, didn't really take to that, and so re-formed it again into an homage to Will Penny. I still wasn’t pleased with it, so, it came in from the garage for another re-do. All the curl was ironed/steamed out of the brim, then a small down-dip was put back in. Then the crown was lowered, and a significant pinch added. I’m actually, for the first time since I bought this hat nearly 9 and a half years ago, pleased with its appearance. I’ve run out of clever names for it, so now it’s just listed in my cowboy shooting rotation list as the “Josey 3rd remake.”


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Great job Mark! I enjoyed seeing the battle on this one and love the way it turned out especially with the added brim structure. Can I see a side view of your final crease? On pinch front westerns I sometimes struggle on where to best set the rear crown height.

 

[RickP]

Actually, this was done yesterday afternoon.

Some hats just FIGHT you, every step of the way. This one started out as a very nice Josey Wales that I bought somewhere on-line ages ago. Didn't like how it looked on my head, so I reshaped it into a sort of 1960s TV-show cowboy hat, didn't really take to that, and so re-formed it again into an homage to Will Penny. I still wasn’t pleased with it, so, it came in from the garage for another re-do. All the curl was ironed/steamed out of the brim, then a small down-dip was put back in. Then the crown was lowered, and a significant pinch added. I’m actually, for the first time since I bought this hat nearly 9 and a half years ago, pleased with its appearance. I’ve run out of clever names for it, so now it’s just listed in my cowboy shooting rotation list as the “Josey 3rd remake.”


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Just need a bigger hammer... it works for me lol

 

[RickP]

Newest project delivered by the nice mailman today. A decently nice but dirty Stetson Gun Club hat ( no tag inside so Im not really sure exactly WHAT it actually is lol) The hat band looks like the ones that Ive seen on the "Billy the Kid" line hat, so Im pretty sure its not original. Buts a decent looking band for now. Brims a bit bigger than most of my others (3 1/4" in front/ rear, and 2 7/8" on sides). Ill leave it alone till ive cleaned it up a bit then may tale a hair off later. It just about the same size and dimensions as my Akubra Lawson) Has a few stains that brushing doesnt seem to change, so I suspect it will get dis-assembeled and get a gas bath at some point. Till then Ill just use it as a rough around bad weather hat. I think it will clean up just fine