What Hat Are You Working On Today?

[HatsBySam]

my brother in law said he needed a John Wayne hat, figured you can’t go wrong with The Cowboys.

 

[RickP]

Got a little summer hat maintenance...... cleaning and stiffening some straws and hemp..... ready for summer

 

[HatsBySam]

Got a little summer hat maintenance...... cleaning and stiffening some straws and hemp..... ready for summer

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Is the dark brown hat a hemp Stratoliner?

 

[RickP]

Is the dark brown hat a hemp Stratoliner?

Yep... One of the Stratoliner SE hemps

 

[HatsBySam]

Yep... One of the Stratoliner SE hemps

I don’t like their current color offerings in hemp, gotta find me one of those.

 

[RickP]

I don’t like their current color offerings in hemp, gotta find me one of those.

The newer ones always seem to have a light color hatband to match the binding..... Me.... I took the light ribbon off and added a darker grosgrain... to my eye it looks less casual

 

[RickP]

I don’t like their current color offerings in hemp, gotta find me one of those.

I love the turquoise, and have really been watching for one of the mustard yellow hemps ( think they only did those for a year or so). I have a really nice Coniac color hemp OR, but as far as I can see they never offered it in the Stratoliner. I like the natural color, but the dark brown brim binding is kinda contrasty.... Im thinking of redoing one with a lighter tan or Kakhi colored ribbon

 

[HatsBySam]

I love the turquoise, and have really been watching for one of the mustard yellow hemps ( think they only did those for a year or so). I have a really nice Coniac color hemp OR, but as far as I can see they never offered it in the Stratoliner. I like the natural color, but the dark brown brim binding is kinda contrasty.... Im thinking of redoing one with a lighter tan or Kakhi colored ribbon

Do they fit true to size? I see some reviews saying they run big.

 

[RickP]

Do they fit true to size? I see some reviews saying they run big.

they DO run a bit big. Ive never noticed a Stetson hemp shrinking with age. They DO seem to be consistant... they ALL run a bit large for the size marked

 

[HatsBySam]

Stayed up after the U.S. win last night and finished the brim binding on this Stetson 7x clear beaver. It was originally silver belly, and a few sizes too small for me. Reblocked to a straight side fedora. Trimmed and bound the brim to a snappy open road style, but ended up steaming the front into a pull down. The felt is in amazing condition, it was just stained. I prefer a brown hat anyway and so decided to dye it brown, but wanted an “asymmetric dye job” and I am pretty pleased with how the coloring turned out. Since I upsized, the original liner didn’t fit well, so I sewed in a strip of satin. I’m not sure how well I like it, I may end up replacing all the side fabric, and just keep the original center panel. I displayed the “clear beaver” patch from the original sweatband and think this will be my go-to method moving forward, I like how it turned out. It was a fun hat to work on, this was the first 7x CB that I encountered.

 

[Blare]

Stayed up after the U.S. win last night and finished the brim binding on this Stetson 7x clear beaver. It was originally silver belly, and a few sizes too small for me. Reblocked to a straight side fedora. Trimmed and bound the brim to a snappy open road style, but ended up steaming the front into a pull down. The felt is in amazing condition, it was just stained. I prefer a brown hat anyway and so decided to dye it brown, but wanted an “asymmetric dye job” and I am pretty pleased with how the coloring turned out. Since I upsized, the original liner didn’t fit well, so I sewed in a strip of satin. I’m not sure how well I like it, I may end up replacing all the side fabric, and just keep the original center panel. I displayed the “clear beaver” patch from the original sweatband and think this will be my go-to method moving forward, I like how it turned out. It was a fun hat to work on, this was the first 7x CB that I encountered.

Beautiful!!!

 

[jeffgarf]

I think this is going to take 2 posts to fully capture. Bought this 2nd hand for $33. I figured I'd give it a go and that there was something worth saving in there. Of course, if you are already looking here, you see it too.

 

[jeffgarf]

With no Naptha, just tape, a special cleaner I use on my dark hats (if needed) and steam, I ended up with this, so far.

 

[Judgmentalist]

With no Naptha, just tape, a special cleaner I use on my dark hats (if needed) and steam, I ended up with this, so far.

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Wow - that looks great!!

 

[jeffgarf]

Wow - that looks great!!

Thank you.

 

[ShadowXY]

Been working on a small tight 55 Akubra Shark.

Wet it & stretched it to me head drying it with a cloth under it on top of my head. Wetting dried out the leather sweat band more even though I have been conditioning it with Saphir Napa.

Then I bought a size 7 Hat Jack & streamed & stretched it. Fits OK now but noticed the leather band split in the back & slightly in the front.

Anyway to stabilize this by added some tape or something to the back of the sweat band or just leave it be?

 

[ShadowXY]

I think this is going to take 2 posts to fully capture. Bought this 2nd hand for $33. I figured I'd give it a go and that there was something worth saving in there. Of course, if you are already looking here, you see it too.

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Dust is one thing but looks like sweated rusty dirt stain. Took a look at the after & it's a remarkable transforamtion.
I generally just 400 sand down light marks, brush & then a light damp microfiber cloth to take away surface dirt.

Wouldn't think that stain around the hat band area would come out unless it was surface. Could always try some dark dye to cover it up.