The Conversion Corral

[DOGMAN]

rogerstg,nice work.I feel like you do,hats are made to be worn.Change it to how you like it,and wear it.

 

[Bob Roberts]

rogerstg,nice work.I feel like you do,hats are made to be worn.Change it to how you like it,and wear it.

+1

 

[rogerstg]

Thank you all for the kind words. I find it relaxing and satisfying to alter/convert felt hats to a wearable state. The TFL and You Tube have been very helpful in learning techniques.

Roger

 

[DOGMAN]

Finally finished the 7 1/4 long oval Thoroughbred hat I started in the spring.Med brown,brim was 3 1/2" now 2 3/4".The open crown is 6" now as creased center dent,front is 5 1/4",back is 4 3/4",highest point on the sides are 5 1/2".New ribbon is vintage dark brown 1 5/8" wide.The ribbon keeper has a little red in it.I put one of my hand made red brocade liners.I love the tall crowns.I'm very happy how this one came out.

 

[Moviehats]

Beautiful Dogman.

 

[RJR]

That is nice,Chuck!

 

[rogerstg]

Very nice. That liner is awesome and the red in the bow is a classy touch.

Roger

 

[Fed in a Fedora]

After getting my Campdraft in bluegrass, I wanted something like that in silver belly. There on my shelf was a well handled but good condition 3X Resistol.

View attachment 33106


Here in New England, that style would be considered part of a costume and not really general wear, though I personally like it.

So a little steam and a little trimming and I ended up with this:

View attachment 33107 View attachment 33108


I had mixed feelings about this alteration because the hat was issued by the Texas Dept of Public Safety; possibly used by a Texas Ranger. IMO, hats are made to be worn, so in the end, time on my head trumped collecting dust on my shelf.

Roger

Roger,

I have a hat with similar writing in it - except it reads Texas Dept of Criminal Justice.

While clean and almost new, it arrived smashed into a box with a few undisclosed moth bites and looked like this:
Now looks a bit like this:

We might need to compare notes on the various Texas hats. Based on the original wide brim and wording, I would bet that mine involved corrections.
Fed

 

[Joao Encarnado]

So many felt wasted...
Anyway, it was nicely made.

 

[rogerstg]

Now looks a bit like this:
View attachment 33595
We might need to compare notes on the various Texas hats. Based on the original wide brim and wording, I would bet that mine involved corrections.
Fed

Beautiful job, great rescue.

Roger

 

[T Jones]

Finally finished the 7 1/4 long oval Thoroughbred hat I started in the spring.Med brown,brim was 3 1/2" now 2 3/4".The open crown is 6" now as creased center dent,front is 5 1/4",back is 4 3/4",highest point on the sides are 5 1/2".New ribbon is vintage dark brown 1 5/8" wide.The ribbon keeper has a little red in it.I put one of my hand made red brocade liners.I love the tall crowns.I'm very happy how this one came out.

Uh oh....Joao's going not going to be happy. It looks great D-Man. Very nice.

 

[1mach1]

Dogman, that's a beauty. Turned out great. I like that liner.

 

[Fed in a Fedora]

Beautiful job, great rescue.

Roger

Thanks, Roger. The hat was in need of attention.

Sorry about the brim there, Joao. It needed doing.

At least now, someone (me) won't be embarrassed being seen in it.

Fed

 

[T Jones]

Sorry about the brim there, Joao. It needed doing.



Fed

Joao gets touchy over trimming the brims. He even operates a rescue clinic for wayward Westerns.

 

[Lean'n'mean]

Beautiful result but I can feel Joao's pain. The brim looks narrower than 2 3/4" but photos can be deceptive.

All donations sent to Joao's rescue clinic should be made payable to the 'Society for the protection of wide hat brims'..................hopefully there will be an end to this senseless slaughter of otherwise perfectly healthy 3"+ brims.

 

[DOGMAN]

Thanks to everyone who had nice comments about my conversion.Sorry Joao,but I have 5 more westerns waiting to be trimmed.(I think I just heard Joao scream,NOOOOOOO!)

 

[DOGMAN]

Fed,I really dig your crease.great work.

 

[Fed in a Fedora]

Thanks for the kind comments. But the truth is that I learned most of what I know either directly or indirectly from here. A wealth of knowledge and skills reside here!

Thanks for that as well.

Fed

 

[Fed in a Fedora]

I can keep the trimming for anyone wanting it...

Seriously, the brim on the white Beaver Brand conversion is still 3 inches. Only about 5/8 inch was removed which eliminated some of the more noticeable nibbles and also put the hat into a shape better suited for my head. It still offers good sun protection and balances the crown pretty well.

I originally thought to reshape it into a "Gus" and keep the brim, but that did not work out so well. Sometimes, you have to let them be what they need to be.

Fed

 

[rogerstg]

I can keep the trimming for anyone wanting it...

FWIW, I use my brim trimmings to experiment on ways to repair felt. I also reserve some pieces for patches to their source hats if needed.

Roger