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Any info you can provide would be appreciated.
I'm not one for dating Borsas, but I will say most of us wouldn't refer to that as a Western. Most of us would call it a thin ribbon fedora.
Any info you can provide would be appreciated.
I have a 2021 Stetson Catera 5X (100% fur felt - I presume rabbit). It is a 7 5/8 regular oval. (My "Crash Test" Catera that has been posted in the Stetson Gun Club Catera thread: https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/stetson-gun-club-catera.25961/post-2913530 ). The open crown is about 5 1/2" tall and the brim is 3 1/4"
The felt is actually pretty doggone good. The blocked shape (tapered), sweatband and size are pretty doggone bad. I don't know how I managed to mis-measure my head at the time I got this hat, but my actual head size is 7 3/8 long oval.
I want to have this hat rebuilt/reblocked to be a 7 3/8 long oval, straight block (no taper), at least a 6" open crown and at least 3" of brim (if not more).
Is it possible to downsize this hat by two sizes; change a tapered crown to straight; and have enough felt to do all that and heighten the crown without losing much brim?
Any info you can provide would be appreciated.
The serrations are only missing on one side of the label. We cannot see the other side (left), but all the examples of the ta/ludora models we've seen are from the 1954-1960 period. So highly likely the label is serrated on the left side.Nice thin ribbon Borsalino! I’m no expert, but based on the lack of serrations on the ends of the size tag I’d suspect 1960s. Again, I’m no expert. Post the photos here and some real experts will be able to help:
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/the-borsalino-brotherhood.13133/page-461
Yes. I want to do just that. Basically use this as my "raw" hat body. Two reasons - 1) It would (should) save a couple hundred dollars to buy a hat body. 2) The felt is really good (in my limited experience).I think you would be money ahead if you sold your hat on eBay and commissioned a new custom hat.
Resizing your current hat would require stripping it down to just the felt, re-blocking it, re-flanging the brim, cutting and sewing the sweatband back in (I’d recommend a new higher quality leather sweatband), and redoing the ribbon and bow work.
I think it would be iffy. My experience is taking a tapered crown and reblocking on a no taper/straight sided block eats up a lot of brim.I'll let the expert hat makers chime in but I think you may be asking too much from a modern felt with a machine pressed crease.. Either that, or the cost may be such that you can find a vintage hat in just your style for less money.
I have a Borsalino exactly the same as this......even same colour. Mine is from the 1960's as purchased but has no markings and the original sweat is gone. But I do like the hat.Nice thin ribbon Borsalino! I’m no expert, but based on the lack of serrations on the ends of the size tag I’d suspect 1960s. Again, I’m no expert. Post the photos here and some real experts will be able to help:
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/the-borsalino-brotherhood.13133/page-461
Yes. I want to do just that. Basically use this as my "raw" hat body. Two reasons - 1) It would (should) save a couple hundred dollars to buy a hat body. 2) The felt is really good (in my limited experience).
I appreciate the replies you and others gave as it helps me refine my question/concern - would the rebuild destroy the felt (by tearing or reducing the quality or perhaps stretching it too thin in some way)?
For whatever it is worth (from someone who can count their number of full teardown hat renovations on one hand) I agree with the above posts.Yes. I want to do just that. Basically use this as my "raw" hat body. Two reasons - 1) It would (should) save a couple hundred dollars to buy a hat body. 2) The felt is really good (in my limited experience).
I appreciate the replies you and others gave as it helps me refine my question/concern - would the rebuild destroy the felt (by tearing or reducing the quality or perhaps stretching it too thin in some way)?
Don’t feel bad, I only own five (5) “real” hats, which puts me far, far away from even the average here.@deadlyhandsome @belfastboy @jlee562
Thank you, gentlemen. Very good Intel. I have handled exactly 4 real hats in my recent life, so my knowledge of this is slim-to-none.
You have talked me back from the edge of the cliff.
Sigh.... Pleasant wife or new hat? (That's not a real question.. Don't answer that )
Based on my history......I tend strongly towards the new hat.......but that is just me!@deadlyhandsome @belfastboy @jlee562
Thank you, gentlemen. Very good Intel. I have handled exactly 4 real hats in my recent life, so my knowledge of this is slim-to-none.
You have talked me back from the edge of the cliff.
Sigh.... Pleasant wife or new hat? (That's not a real question.. Don't answer that )
If I read your earlier posts correctly you are pretty clear on the bash you want. You have pictures if not the hat itself. In light of that I would suggest you get Michael to do the bash for you. He will replicate the bash in your example. And as he is a great hatter his skill level will be magnitudes higher than your first attempts. Now there is a high degree of fun in doing it yourself but if you want if done well leave it to the professional. Unless you want to have the fun of playing with it til you get it right. No right answer, just the answer that feels right for you.When I spoke to my new hat maker over the weekend, he asked if I wanted to receive the hat with the crown already shaped and steamed.. At first I thought, "of course I want it shaped and steamed! Why would I want an unfinished hat."
He explained to me that a lot of his customers like to do that part themselves to get it exactly right. Hmm. Well I have an iron that shoots steam, will that do the trick? Yes, he said, no fancy tools required (or at least that's how I understood it).
So my question for this group is, "Is there a disadvantage to receiving a hat with the bash already steamed in?"
That is, if I don't like what I get, can't I just steam it out and redo it? Or is it better not to steam it multiple times?
- Doug
Felt is moldable much like unfired clay. But I would be loathe to say you could radically alter a bash after receipt. You can tweak it a bit but to radically alter it requires work and some tools....more than just a tea kettle and steam.Actually...after looking at all the photos of Michael's hats over the weekend, I no longer want another Open Road. I'm not sure what I want. I have pondered over all his hat photos for hours and I have narrowed down my favorites, but how those favorites will look on me is a different matter.
I suspect I will ask him to do the initial bash and then give it a test drive. As long as there is no downside to redoing it myself, I could give it a go, but I'd hate to damage the hat in some way.
The most essential is a block to match the height, size and profile of the one Michael would use so you could take it back to open crown and start fresh.....blank slate. Then a good source of steam. Much depends on how sharp the creases of the bash are set in. If the felt is soft and the creases are softly rounded it is easier to steam them out. If the felt is hard and the creases tight then it takes some steam/manipulation to remove them back to the blank slate. Mass produced hats are much harder as the bash is set with heat and pressure from machinery.Now you've got me thinking...what tools?
When I spoke to my new hat maker over the weekend, he asked if I wanted to receive the hat with the crown already shaped and steamed.. At first I thought, "of course I want it shaped and steamed! Why would I want an unfinished hat."
He explained to me that a lot of his customers like to do that part themselves to get it exactly right. Hmm. Well I have an iron that shoots steam, will that do the trick? Yes, he said, no fancy tools required (or at least that's how I understood it).
So my question for this group is, "Is there a disadvantage to receiving a hat with the bash already steamed in?"
That is, if I don't like what I get, can't I just steam it out and redo it? Or is it better not to steam it multiple times?
- Doug