What Hat Are You Working On Today?

[RickP]

Seems like @RickP is the only one working on hats these days. I've had a couple in the works and one I can now share. I won a auction with 2 hats in it, the Stetson 10X OR I just cleaned up and was ready to go. This one was a bit more work. It is a Stetson Zephyr Weight. I am not sure of the model and there is nothing identifying it. The only one I've seen like it is one that was for sale advertised as a UK-made Stetson, with no proof of that provided. It is very light, as advertised, probably from the 70's or 80's, near as I can guess and marked as 4X for whatever that meant then. Moth holes, cleaning (still a bit in progress), and stiffening/shaping all had to be done to get this one ready to wear.. Pretty sharp hat with a leather hatband and Stetson pin. I think its a keeper.

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just love the feeling of the mailman coming up the sidewalk with a box! I know Ive got a couple days of fun ahead

 

[HatsBySam]

Have a buddy who is a university professor of American history. Did his doctorate on the Missouri/Kansas border war. Obviously he needs an Outlaw Josey Wales hat!

 

[RickP]

Once again I cant leave well enough alone! lol Got the crusty liner from todays new Resistol Quicksilver washed and back in. A while back I had formed a felt cover for a hatblock so I could work on a bigger hat. Got to thinking today that the felt dome would be perfect for drying a newly washed hat liner. Squeeze the wet liner over the felt and it holds everything smooth ( no wrinkles as it dries) . Simple solution for the issue. no wrinkles and the felt allows it to dry way faster
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I got some of the more extreme curves steamed and ironed out of the new Resistol. Flattened the brim a bit and did a little reshaping. Still not sure where Im going with this one yet, but its moving forward. Still thinking of a brim curl with a front/ rear swoop so the brim feels a bit shorter. I did this on another quicksilver with a 1"" curl a while back... seriously thinkng of a 1/2" to 3/4" curl on this one. Turning the sweat out to remove the liner developed a couple more cracks, so at some point Ill just go ahead and sew up a new sweatband. As it sits now it reminds me of a Charlie Daniels or Johnny Paycheck hat from the 70s lol

 

[RickP]

Think I just about have the Resistol brim done. Kettle curl with a bit of front and rear swoop. Have a bit of brim edge cleanup and ironing left to fix a couple wobbles, but its pretty much done. Brim width is much more manageable now ( nothing cut off, just curled up and out of the way lol)

Before:

Now:

 

[RickP]

Fresh from ebay... a Resistol western with a 3-1/2" brim that needs some love. Really dirty but not in horrible shape. One bad crease on the brim that will hopefully get camoflauged by a brim curl and a couple sweatstained places. Removed the liner and its in decent condition....removed the cloudy plastic top cover and its getting a woolite soak right now. Hat itself is bathing under 4 gallons of white gas as we speak. Felt was filthy and turned the gas brown pretty quickly. I may need to filter the ***k out and clean the gas out so I can rinse without putting the mung back into the felt. Game plan is to get rid of the tight brim side sweep, flatten, and do a modest brim curl (similar to last weeks black Resistol) with just a tad bit of front and rear downswoop. ( everyone needs to have matching similar light and dark colored hats for different outfits) Of course there will be a light brown braided horsehair hatband with tassels lol

Lets see what I can do with this one

 

[RickP]

Got some cleaning, steaming, pouncing and ironing done.... pretty much back to open crown blank slate condition. Still a little staining on crown but they should be hidden in the crease so Im not going to go overboard and clean again. Perfect hats have no character lol. Also has some more or less permanant staining from the leather hatband, but the horsehair band should cover that up just fine. Time for some curling and shaping... ideas still rolling around in my kid brain exactly what I want to do with the crown and crease

 

[RickP]

Got some good progress done...Major cleaning, brim flattening, and brim curling. Just about have the Resistol where I want it to be. Still have some edge straightning and wrinkle work, but Im at a good stopping point for today..... There are some crown stains that are bring difficult. Ill try some Naptha in the morning, but Im fine if it has a happy life as a high mileage- well used hat.

I picked up Mr Mooses ashes a bit ago... time to sit with him and have a drink. They did a fired clay paw print... nice touch.

 

[Blare]

Got some good progress done...Major cleaning, brim flattening, and brim curling. Just about have the Resistol where I want it to be. Still have some edge straightning and wrinkle work, but Im at a good stopping point for today..... There are some crown stains that are bring difficult. Ill try some Naptha in the morning, but Im fine if it has a happy life as a high mileage- well used hat.

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I picked up Mr Mooses ashes a bit ago... time to sit with him and have a drink. They did a fired clay paw print... nice touch.

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Incredible transformation, Rick. A toast to Mr Moose

 

[RickP]

Incredible transformation, Rick. A toast to Mr Moose

Theres a wider brown braided horsehair band on its way that should cover the staining under the band. The stains up top however have not dimished after two gas baths and a spot cleaning with Naptha... looks like there here to stay. I suppose I could disassemble and dye is a brown closer to the stain color to even out, but in all honesty, Im really leaning towards just keeping it as- is... a road-worn, well used hat with a curl and a bit of smoothing.

Being an almost 7" crown, Im sort of limited in what bash looks decent. A tall Gus or Montana Peak just looked funny on my head, and when I tried some that ran the top lower, the shape of the top crease just looked funky. So far this is about the best one that actually stays put ( hit with steam and the pesky old mule kicks keep trying to pop back in lol). A simple center dent up top with modest front corner side dents Trying to get it all figured out before I dive into some serious cleanup on the brim curl edges. (Still need to sand the brim edges smooth) A taller curl might help camoflauge the crown height, but Im afraid that would reduce the brim width and make it even stranger. Also thinking I could just use a slightly taller Grosgrain ribbon. Im not unhappy with these dimensions as it almost has a Jack Daniels vibe to it..

 

[RickP]

Got the new/ used Braided Horsehair hatband in. Its wide enough that it perfectly covers up the stain from the old hatband ( Im guessing that the old faded leather one means a leather band got wet and bled leather dye..... its NOT coming out) . I kinda like the lighter, less contrasty tan/ light brown color. I may see if its possible to shorten it up just a bit, but if its a chore, Ill be happy with it as-is. I will be doing a bit more of an attempt at some stain removal on the crown, but again Ill be happy with it as is... should pair great with a leather or denim jacket even with the stains

 

[RickP]

Three qas baths, a round of Naptha spot cleaning, baking soda, and dry hat spot powder and the stubborn stains up top the Resistol were still there. Making one more good faith effort with a foaming cleaner. When this is done Ill live with the results one way o the other... Crossing my fingers for fewer stains, but In my heart I know theres nothing wrong with a well worn, well travelled hat

 

[RickP]

Actually got some more staining out after $14 of foaming cleaner lol. Ive been putting extra effort into this hat because I won the auction the last day Mr Moose was alive... From now on its officially the "Moose Hat". Stains or not its staying with me

 

[shopkin]

That's tragic. The dog I mean. Condolences.

 

[RickP]

Did a little reblocking to get the crown a bit straighter, tad bit more brim edge stain removal, and a measure of brim smoothing... Just about have the Stetsonian where I want it. This one is a nice soft lightweight hat for a modern Stetson

 

[HatsBySam]

Did a little reblocking to get the crown a bit straighter, tad bit more brim edge stain removal, and a measure of brim smoothing... Just about have the Stetsonian where I want it. This one is a nice soft lightweight hat for a modern Stetson

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Looks great!

 

[Blare]

Did a little reblocking to get the crown a bit straighter, tad bit more brim edge stain removal, and a measure of brim smoothing... Just about have the Stetsonian where I want it. This one is a nice soft lightweight hat for a modern Stetson

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That’s a fine looking hat, Rick. Well done.

 

[HatsBySam]

Just sold my Fistful of Dollars hat, have to make a new one!

 

[HatsBySam]

The Doc Holliday hat sold too. Gotta make another one of these as well.

 

[RickP]

A while back I did a 1" curl on one of the big Resistol westerns. it looked cool and I tried to love it, but it was just a bit big. Fired up the steamer today and did a bit of curl reduction down to a 1/2" curl... I already like it better. Have a little smoothing to do but I think its moving the right direction.

 

[Blare]

A while back I did a 1" curl on one of the big Resistol westerns. it looked cool and I tried to love it, but it was just a bit big. Fired up the steamer today and did a bit of curl reduction down to a 1/2" curl... I already like it better. Have a little smoothing to do but I think its moving the right direction.

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Love it!