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Ephraim Tutt · Sep 6, 2009

What was the rationale behind hats with or without lining?

My guess is that unlined hats tend to be lighter and breath better for warmer weather. There may also have been a cost issue but unlined don't seem to be any cheaper than their lined contemporaries.

Or it simply may have been catering for personal preferences.

Lefty · Sep 6, 2009

It's just weight. Some also have ventilation holes which, according to most accounts, are little more than decorative.

Ephraim Tutt · Sep 6, 2009

When did Stephen L Stetson go out of business?

Jauntyone · Sep 6, 2009

Bespoke hatters in the golden age?

We all know that back then it was common for men to have suits tailor made; big cities were full of small tailor shops. But what about hats? Given that a man living in a major city could walk into a hat shop and find hundreds of models in an array of colors, finishes, and band styles; in long, regular, and round ovals, all off the shelf, what then would have been the logic behind having a completely custom hat made?
For stiff hats, bowlers and toppers, it would be essential, but for fedoras surely un-necessary? Minor re-touches (brim trims, ribbon change, etc.) could have been done in-shop. Were there semi-custom made-to-measure hatters?
Just curious.

feltfan · Sep 6, 2009

Jauntyone said:
We all know that back then it was common for men to have suits tailor made; big cities were full of small tailor shops. But what about hats? Given that a man living in a major city could walk into a hat shop and find hundreds of models in an array of colors, finishes, and band styles; in long, regular, and round ovals, all off the shelf, what then would have been the logic behind having a completely custom hat made?

Do a search on the Hats section for "benchmade".
Certainly there were countless custom hat makers in the day.
I own quite a few - Chelton out of NYC, Andrew Gross of
Oakland, CA, and Quality Hat Works of SF, off the top of my head.
Surely it was about style, building a relationship with your hat maker,
and selling hats to those passing through in a style they could not get
at home?

Spats McGee · Sep 7, 2009

I consistently run into the same problem when trying to shape the brim of a fedora. For whatever reason, when I curl the back up, the sides lay flat, and when I try to curl the sides up, the back lays flat. What I cannot seem to accomplish is having the back curl up, and the sides form a transition from the curl in the back to the front. Any tips?

jonbuilder · Sep 7, 2009

re-name links

How do you change the name on a cut and paste web link to something short & catchy

Spats McGee · Sep 7, 2009

In the Post Reply box, type in the short & catchy phrase that you want. Copy the link that you want to put in. Highlight the short & catchy phrase, then click "insert link" and paste in the link. This is an example.

jimmy the lid · Sep 7, 2009

jonbuilder said:
How do you change the name on a cut and paste web link to something short & catchy

Here's how I do it:

1. Copy the link
2. Go to Reply page
3. Hit "Insert Link" Icon
4. Paste link
5. Hit "OK"
6. Type catchy phrase (Note: once you finish Step 5, the link is automatically inserted in your reply, with the link address highlighted. When you type in the catchy phrase, it automatically replaces the highlighted link address with your new language]

Cheers,
JtL

High Pockets · Sep 7, 2009

Spats, I think I can tell you why the brim is "fighting" with you,.....for a brim to be concave, (or convex for that matter), the felt needs to be in tension.
In other words; the outside circumference of the brim needs to be shorter than it is now.

Think of a draw-string on a hooded sweatshirt. The tighter the string is pulled, the more convex the front of the hood gets.

Example; when I converted that old Resistol western a few days ago I softened up the outer edge of that brim in 1” sections and pushed the felt together to decrease the circumference of the very edge. Slowly but surely as I worked my way around the hat a few times it began to take on that “convex” look. It did get a tiny bit “bumpy” out there in spots, but the bumps sanded out. This also thickens the felt at the edge.
That old Resistol was a junker that I didn’t care about,….I would never try this on a nice fedora that I couldn’t afford to send to a hatter to have re-flanged after I messed it up.

jonbuilder · Sep 7, 2009

Dad's club house
Thank you JTL & Spats

skyvue · Sep 8, 2009

I asked this in another thread but received no response, so I'll repeat it here:

I'm interested in this hat at Miller Hats:

http://millerhats.com/miller_fedora/257_fedora.html

but I can't quite get a handle on what "President Finish" fur felt is. Can anyone clue me in? Mary at MH described it as sort of suede-like but not fuzzy, as I initially mistook her to mean.

How would this felt compare to, say, the felt used for an Akubra Stylemaster -- anyone know?

Thanks.

Spats McGee · Sep 8, 2009

High Pockets said:
Spats, I think I can tell you why the brim is "fighting" with you,.....

Thanks, HP. I think that's exactly what I needed. I'll give it a shot soon and see how it turns out.

Inusuit · Sep 8, 2009

Okay, that didn't work for me. Sorry, but I'm going to try again.

Inusuit · Sep 8, 2009

What is this

Okay, I'm slow, but I think it worked.

CRH · Sep 9, 2009

Would Artie Johnson have got on better with Ruth Buzzi if he had been wearing a sexy tie?

MV5BMjAxNTQ0NTMzMV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTYwNDEwNDM2._V1._SX450_SY326_.jpg

Garrett · Sep 9, 2009

CRH said:
Would Artie Johnson have got on better with Ruth Buzzi if he had been wearing a sexy tie?

If so, Lefty could've sold him a few

CRH · Sep 9, 2009

Garrett said:
If so, Lefty could've sold him a few

Lefty · Sep 9, 2009

A. Only sexy ladies like sexy ties.
B. Ruth Buzzy does not like sexy ties.
C. Therefore...

Dreispitz · Sep 9, 2009

Inusuit said:
What is this

Okay, I'm slow, but I think it worked.

cheese mold [huh]

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