The Conversion Corral

[bond]

And another view of the monte with different ribbon set . Added brim binding to give the brim some snap as that was lacking previously. Pre sewn with basting stitches.

 

[TheDane]

I see your point, Bond. I think however, I would prefer the back-woven edge - and achieve the snap with a flange instead. Different strokes for different folks

 

[bond]

Point taken. I've been wanting to do a binding on a straw and this one didn't give me the snap in brim as I was hoping for nor did it lay flat enough for my tastes even after repeated ironing. I think the result now is not bad for a hat that was originally 2 1/2 x smaller , and I am happy with it, at least for today!

 

[TheDane]

I have not blocked MCs, but I have read several places, that they should always be blocked on the size of block, that fits the weave of the body. As I understand it, the fibres don't stretch, and the result will be a stretched and displaced weave down to the brim - and a poor match between crown and brim. I would imagine, that is what you're experiencing

 

[T Jones]

Here's another of my Resistol Stagecoaches. I put the same style ribbon and bow on this one as I did on my brown Stagecoach. The ribbon and bow came out really nice but I don't know if I like the width though.

 

[Joao Encarnado]

It looks nice Terry. If you don't like the width of the ribbon, it's better to try with a narrower one.

 

[John Galt]

Built a new hat from a straw body. It's not really a conversion, but I'm going to post it here anyway.

I finally bit the bullet & blocked & flanged one of my parabuntal bodies. I was going to have Tom Gomez do this one, but I don't have the loot after my big purchase, and I do have the tools. I blocked a few cheaper bodies first, and will post one of them to follow. This is a Tesoro body made in the Philippines, and it came in a bamboo tube.

It still needs a sweatband (I will sew in a thin TopHatters branded sweat band) and a puggaree, but I'm very happy so far...

 

[T Jones]

Wow! That looks nice John G! It's blocked just the way I like them too! I'd do either a thin ribbon or a mid-ribbon on that one. The blocking is just way too nice and crisp to be hiding behind a puggaree. IMO. What's the specs on that John?

 

[John Galt]

It's a 7 1/8. It's got a 4 1/4 crown at the highest point, and a 3 1/4 brim.

It is extremely lightweight: lighter & finer & more flexible than the finest Montecristi I've ever held - and is so tightly weaved that it does hold water. Some runs through, but you could water a horse!

I don't think this one would have safely gone any bigger. I learned a lot doing the others before doing this one.

Here's a shot with a very nice quality pug from the TopHatters purchase.

The brim is well-flanged and snaps, but does pop back up. I haven't steamed it down. I might well sell the hat when completed, and I want to leave the options open...

 

[John Galt]

Here's one of the practice hats. It was a NOS Stetson shantung paper golf hat a lot like the photos below (grabbed from eBay), but with an uglier pug hatband (see below) and some pretty bad water staining. I fished it out of the "damaged goods" box for practice.

The original hat band:

I dyed it with Rit dye, thinking I had nothing to lose. It came out better, but still somewhat mottled. For some reason the brim didn't take the dye as well as the crown. The pug hides the transition fairly well. Anyway, it came out as a wearable hat, and I learned a lot that helped with making the parabuntal...

 

[Joao Encarnado]

Both looks really nice.
I think that pug works well in the parabuntal, there is enough crown and it doesn't hide much.
The Stetson have that worn look and I think it works quite good.

 

[RJR]

Both hats look good but the parabuntal is outstanding!

 

[Landman]

John, the Parabuntal looks great. Was that a vintage hat body?

 

[DOGMAN]

Nice work John.

 

[bond]

Good work on those straws JG .
I am 7 1/2 if you get any Milans made up

 

[TheDane]

It's a great blocking job, John! I really like your sharp band-line (foot). What block have you used ... #125?

 

[T Jones]

Hey John! I'm your buddy! Make one for me!

 

[Joao Encarnado]

Hey John! I'm your buddy! Make one for me!

Well that one fits you...

 

[John Galt]

Thanks for all the comments guys! I'm blushing ;-)

It was a vintage body - I've saved a couple over the years, but the others are old hats.

This was still rolled up, and pretty small, but it worked at 7 1/8. It was sold by Tesoro originally - see the parabuntal (I think it's misspelled as "parbuntal") thread.

I put it in the flange and then put a size 7 stretcher in it - I don't have the proper tool. I left the stretcher a little up over the edge of the flange and ironed the brim right up to the edge of the stretcher. This was under a dampened flange cloth, btw - I try to never hot iron directly on a hat.

When it came off the flange, I used the foot tolliker & a band block to get the foot crisp. I often do this on felts while it is still on the crown block, especially before I had any band blocks...

TJ - You are my buddy! At some point in the future I'm gonna have to go to Ecuador & the Philippines. I'll need an accomplice ;-). In the meantime, I'll build you one if you can find a body - they are fairly rare...

Olė, I'll look at the block - I don't recall - all of my fedora crease panama blocks are MA Cumings, but I did not note the number...

 

[John Galt]

Good work on those straws JG .
I am 7 1/2 if you get any Milans made up

Bond, I believe I have a 7 1/2 block in this shape, if you send me a body, I'd love to do one. PM me...