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Snakeskin Hat Bands

Messages
18,915
Location
Central California
I’ve been interested in having a hat made with a snakeskin hat band for some time. I found a 1980s era Stetson with a band I liked so I bought it just for the band and put it on a black Borsalino. I really like how it turned out:

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Messages
18,915
Location
Central California
While I was waiting for the right hat to put the snakeskin band I salvaged from a 30 year old Stetson, I got to thinking about another snakeskin band.

While on Etsy I found WyomingWildCC and they have great prices, free shipping, and make every band custom. I placed an order for a 1 1/2” wide prairie rattlesnake band and had it shipped directly to Rick at Phoenix. I haven’t seen the completed hat yet, but I’m impressed with the the service. The seller asked me the specifics and then asked if they could contact my hatter directly to ensure they got him what we wanted. They confirmed everything with Rick with Rick that same day and shipped it the next day. Rick has said it’s just what I/we want and the quality and service was truly exceptional.

They offer bands that simply tie on the back as well as fitted bands. I went fitted and they provide a loop of snakeskin to conceal the junctions of the ends.

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They also provide the rattle in case you want to use it. Here’s a sneak peak of my incomplete hat at Phoenix:

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I personally like the diversity that snakeskin adds to the hats. For $60 and free shipping...why not?
 
Messages
13,627
Location
down south
I’ve been interested in having a hat made with a snakeskin hat band for some time. I found a 1980s era Stetson with a band I liked so I bought it just for the band and put it on a black Borsalino. I really like how it turned out:

View attachment 244287 View attachment 244288 View attachment 244289 View attachment 244290 View attachment 244291
I do too. I really dig the snake bands on western hats. Have for a long time. Especially the ones with the rattles like that. Just looks straight up badass to me. I was on the hunt awhile back, but got distracted. You just lit the fire again. I really like the ones that have the head attached to the front. I know it's redneck as hell but I dig 'em.

Congrats on the find man. It looks good!
 
Messages
17,537
I do too. I really dig the snake bands on western hats. Have for a long time. Especially the ones with the rattles like that. Just looks straight up badass to me. I was on the hunt awhile back, but got distracted. You just lit the fire again. I really like the ones that have the head attached to the front. I know it's redneck as hell but I dig 'em.

Congrats on the find man. It looks good!
I'm sure you know this Dale but there are a lot of stamped & painted fakes out there. And just like boots do, real snake takes regular care to keep the scales from lifting. And you need to keep them away from varmints.

A few yrs ago I skinned, stretched & staked out a Missouri King snake big enough to make a belt out of. I put it up in the rafters of my shop to dry & cure. Ed @Desert dog told me how to mount it & make a belt out of it. When I got it down a mouse or something had been eating on it. Was no longer fit to make a belt.

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Messages
11,130
Location
Alabama
I'm sure you know this Dale but there are a lot of stamped & painted fakes out there. And just like boots do, real snake takes regular care to keep the scales from lifting. And you need to keep them away from varmints.

A few yrs ago I skinned, stretched & staked out a Missouri King snake big enough to make a belt out of. I put it up in the rafters of my shop to dry & cure. Ed @Desert dog told me how to mount it & make a belt out of it. When I got it down a mouse or something had been eating on it. Was no longer fit to make a belt.

View attachment 244316

Sorry for your loss.
 
Messages
17,537
Sorry for your loss.
All taxidermists have to be good painters, & any outdoorsman will tell you that fish & reptiles start to lose their natural color (just like humans do) the minute they die. Have you ever skinned a box or snapping turtle for the meats? It's damn near rank by the time you're done. And real reptile has to be mounted onto leather as it's like tissue paper otherwise.

Been feeling sorry for Hank Jr since one of his daughters was killed in a wreck last wk.
 
Messages
13,627
Location
down south
I'm sure you know this Dale but there are a lot of stamped & painted fakes out there. And just like boots do, real snake takes regular care to keep the scales from lifting. And you need to keep them away from varmints.

A few yrs ago I skinned, stretched & staked out a Missouri King snake big enough to make a belt out of. I put it up in the rafters of my shop to dry & cure. Ed @Desert dog told me how to mount it & make a belt out of it. When I got it down a mouse or something had been eating on it. Was no longer fit to make a belt.

View attachment 244316

Sorry to hear about that, Jack. Rats and squirrels (especially squirrels) will eat up damn near anything......even the fake snakeskin.
 
Messages
13,627
Location
down south
That's some hat ol' Randall Hank has on. He always could rock the big ones. Full size hats with over the top bands were the thing back when i was finding my way into the world. Feathers were the most common adornment, often with a fancy polished stone sitting front and center and some long rooster tail fathers hanging off the back. The really hardcore ones might have the taxidermied head of a quail or dove sticking out front with it's wings on the sides. This was the era in which the wide rattlesnake band with the rattles and head attached really showed the world what you thought about it.
 
Messages
10,343
Location
vancouver, canada
Messages
18,915
Location
Central California
I was thinking what came first....."Damn, I have all these rattlers I should make hatbands" or "If I am going to make hatbands I may as well raise and skin my own damn rattlers!". I am always curious about the origins of the esoteric.


All I know is my wife wouldn’t let me get into the rattlesnake business even if the return on investment was huge! She’s freaked out at just the band.
 
Messages
18,915
Location
Central California
I do too. I really dig the snake bands on western hats. Have for a long time. Especially the ones with the rattles like that. Just looks straight up badass to me. I was on the hunt awhile back, but got distracted. You just lit the fire again. I really like the ones that have the head attached to the front. I know it's redneck as hell but I dig 'em.

Congrats on the find man. It looks good!


A bridge too far for me:

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