The Conversion Corral

[Redwoodjedi]

Nice Conversion, Harry! I love the color! Well done, Sir.:eusa_clap

 

[bond]

Nice convo.
Looks great

 

[Chepstow]

Harry, great conversion, well job done.

 

[bowlerman]

Wow-- Redwoodjedi and Harry, both-- really great work on those hats!

 

[Harry Jones]

Thanks to everyone for the kind words.

 

[Redwoodjedi]

Thanks to everyone for the kind words.

Ditto!

 

[bowlerman]

How I spent my day...

All this talk about Panamas recently had me obsessing over my cuenca sub-fino body that has never really been a complete hat. I got it unblocked, no sweatband, no hatband last summer and it has been through a few creases with a 1/4" strip of leather tied in a square knot around it.

Today I got bold. While I should have been doing more productive things, I decided to attempt a sweatband installation. Got out my pocket sewing kit, settled on a crease I liked, and went to work.

Originally this:

today decided on this crease:

trying to stitch in the sweatband:

Hooray-- it stays in place!

I tried a thinnish black ribbon, my leather strip, and my homemade buffalo bone and turquoise band, but settled on this beaded band my wife and kids got me for my birthday in December.

As usual, only a few holes in my thumb, but a rather bent needle by the end of it. I secured the beaded band with a gold colored thread in about 5 places or so. I have no idea if I did anything right, but it seems to be working for me.

A complete hat at last!

 

[hatophile]

Excellent job, Jeff, I'm impressed. Now we wait for blue skies and 75 degree weather!

 

[Joshbru3]

VERY nice job, Jeff! What block did you use for the crown? I'm really diggin' the beaded ribbon!

 

[randooch]

VERY nice job, Jeff! What block did you use for the crown? I'm really diggin' the beaded ribbon!

+1! Your boldness and lack of fear paid off nicely. It looks really good!

 

[bowlerman]

VERY nice job, Jeff! What block did you use for the crown? I'm really diggin' the beaded ribbon!

Thanks Josh! It's nowhere near the fine job you do on your conversions, but it will suffice.

I used my one and only block, found last April-- very unsophisticated-- I literally wet the thing and just stretched it over the wood.

Excellent job, Jeff, I'm impressed. Now we wait for blue skies and 75 degree weather!

No kiddin'. I must have been daydreaming today while doing this... or in denial!

And thanks, Randall, too!

 

[Joshbru3]

Thats a GREAT block, Jeff! Not only is it that magical height...6 inches tall, but its quite old. On many of my early 1920's and teens hats that have 5 3/4 and 6 inch crowns, they appear to have slight front and rear taper at the 5 1/2 inch mark. Your block seems to have the same profile. A 6 inch 52 block wouldn't have any taper at all, but whats nice about your block is that, if you do a center dent, the taper folds into the crown giving you that great straight 20's look without the "blockiness" of a 52 block. Here's an example:

My pacemaker has the same kind of block profile, but when creased down the center, the front and back are perfectly straight.

 

[bowlerman]

Aha! I see what you mean. That's incredible. Beautiful pacemaker by the way. Do you have an example of the 52 block?

 

[Chepstow]

All this talk about Panamas recently had me obsessing over my cuenca sub-fino body that has never really been a complete hat. I got it unblocked, no sweatband, no hatband last summer and it has been through a few creases with a 1/4" strip of leather tied in a square knot around it.

Today I got bold. While I should have been doing more productive things, I decided to attempt a sweatband installation. Got out my pocket sewing kit, settled on a crease I liked, and went to work.

Thats a very well job, Jeff. From start to finish perfectly. The Hatband looks really good on the Panama.
My Congrats.

 

[Joshbru3]

Aha! I see what you mean. That's incredible. Beautiful pacemaker by the way. Do you have an example of the 52 block?

Thanks, Jeff! The Pacemaker is probably my single greatest hat find.

Here's a an old picture of Steve Delk.

The block pictured looks to me to be a 52 block. I would imagine it is considering his business is making Indy hats. The sides and front/back are totally strait up with a very flat top. Its almost if you took a rectangle and just ever so slightly rounded the corners. A 52 block is my favorite profile. If you look on the bottom of a block, the good ones will always have the size, height, and block profile number. I couldn't tell you what the profile numbers mean without some sort of retailers book that had a number key, but I do know that 52 blocks are sometimes labeled "52," "952," etc. As long as 52 is at the end of the number sequence, I believe its a 52 block. A "51" block is more of less what they used in the 40's and 50's for full crowned hats. Its still a nice straight block, but has slight taper. I would imagine it was used because the c-crown dominated those decades and it seams to me that a 51 block will lend itself to a more rounded c-crown than a 52 will.

 

[Redwoodjedi]

That is an awesome pic, JB! I too love the profile of that block the most. Makes my fat face look long and thin! Heh heh....

 

[brothelcreeper]

Snowy River to Fedora (semi)

My dad has had this hat untouched in a box due to it being the wrong size. So, as it fit me perfectly, but was an Australian costume piece effectively, I thought I would try and convert it. Also a way of learning such skills to try on some westerns and other ebay hats or restorations.. Anyway, here is what it was before:

Crown opened and slight brim work (the felt is like cardboard and verrrrry reluctant):

Brim trimmed, rough bash, ribbon layed around:

Completed with bow:

After hoouurrs of bashing and rebashing to find a shape that brought this hat out of the country I landed on this monstrosity:

So, while the conversion is complete, this tiny, super tapered crown is doing my head in. I'm yet to come up with a bash that looks like a fed should, it continues to look country.

Help?

 

[Harry Jones]

My Akubra Cattleman conversion looks like it started as nearly identical to yours. Not a lot of crown to work with, which is why I went with a simple center dent. Doesn't use us so much height. If I ever redo the bash, I'll keep the center dent even shallower next time, as it induces less taper I think.

 

[KC Capellor]

Here is my latest Resistol restoration and transformation project:

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1980's(?) George Strait signature series 5X beaver Encina 5 1/2" cattleman crown, 4" brim, off-white satin liner with clear window over gold Resistol Western logo. Must have been worn by a real cowboy, because it came to me with very soiled exterior, liner musty smelling but excellent shape, several bad dry-crease surface wrinkles on brim and a couple little tears into the edge. Removed liner to soak in anti-bacterial soap solution and started in reshaping following the "Roy Rogers method" (from his famous Resistol crown-bashing video referenced elsewhere). Dampened crown with tap water and reshaped into telescope shape with fingers and a flat countertop. Dampened brim, curled in by hand and wrapped in damp towels to dry overnight. This is how it has shaped up so far:

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I intend to make a fine black cowhide / rattlesnake skin w/goatskin lace whipstitched edge hatband to replace the plain GS black belt.

What do you guys think? Do I clean the exterior or leave its heavily soiled patina? Should I cut a half inch to an inch off the brim to remove a couple edge tears and make it less ungainly style-wise (a 3" brim would make it very close to Russell Crowe's hat in "3:10 to Yuma")? Note: Despite the soiling and obvious hard use, the surface feel of the heavy-weight 5X beaver felt is very soft and luxurious. Vote now, vote often! Thanks!

 

[KC Capellor]

Here's my newly acquired Resistol "Dalworth" Open Road clone. Silver Belly 3X beaver, near mint, original price tag $25.00. Quickly dry-bashed it into a rough diamond, snapped the brim down, then dampened overnight into a smoother teardrop pinch.
Before:
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After:
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on the noggin looks better than I do this morning...maybe if I shave?!

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