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T Rick · May 30, 2011

monbla256 said:
Absolutely nothing wrong with a Llano weave Cuenca Panama. It is the finer of the two weaves found in hats woven in Cuenca, Ecuador. It visually is similar to the weave of the Montecristi hats woven in Montecristi or Pile, Ecuador. Some of the Llano weave Cuenca's can cost as much as an equal weave count Montecristi depending on the Retailer you buy from. Remember, the hats from Cuenca, Brisa or Lllano weave are BLEACHED and as such are "whiter" than the real Montecristi's which are usually treated with sulphur and are more of a "natural tannish" color. Contact Robert Weber, AKA Panama Bob here : http://www.panamas.biz/
who sells all three weaves and is honest enough to say the difference btwn.

While it's generally true that the Cuenca hats are bleached AFAIK, I do have two Cuenca Brisa's from Bob that are tan as opposed to the white of my Llano Cuenca. Can't say for certain they weren't bleached, but are far more "natural" colored than my Llano.

sulla · May 30, 2011

T Rick said:
While it's generally true that the Cuenca hats are bleached AFAIK, I do have two Cuenca Brisa's from Bob that are tan as opposed to the white of my Llano Cuenca. Can't say for certain they weren't bleached, but are far more "natural" colored than my Llano.

Wow, great info all! Thank you so much for all the input.

I want to replace the ribbon; doesn't have a bow even though one was pictured in the sale thread. Ah well, seams like I got a pretty good hat for a first Panama. Gonna have to go to Bob for my next though, I'm hooked now!

monbla256 · May 31, 2011

Try a Pug band

sulla said:
Wow, great info all! Thank you so much for all the input.

I want to replace the ribbon; doesn't have a bow even though one was pictured in the sale thread. Ah well, seams like I got a pretty good hat for a first Panama. Gonna have to go to Bob for my next though, I'm hooked now!

Bob sells them in colors and you dont have to do any sewing, you just hook the front at the side and wrap around and hook at the back. I usually get 4 fold Puggeree bands on my Montecristi's and they look good. They are one of the traditional styles found on Panama's. Here's an example of a blue one on one of my Montecristi's with my favorite pearl stickpin .

Achturn · May 31, 2011

Hello everyone,

So I have a few hats, most of which are size 7 1/8 while I wear a size 7 3/8, I've attempted to stretch them via dampening the sweatband (leather) and slowly stretching with a hat stretcher but to no avail.

I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for stretching hats with leather sweatbands? the only method I've found while searching around is similar to the one I'm using now.

On a related note one of the hats is a size 7 bowler which I'm absolutely terrified to try and stretch, if anyone has any suggestions on a process for that as well it'd be most appreciated.

I'm aware that this question has been asked before in some manner or another (I spent a good time browsing the other threads on the subject) but I can't seem to find a process that works for me, I might be rushing it and that could be it but I'm not entirely sure.

scottyrocks · May 31, 2011

Achturn said:
Hello everyone,

So I have a few hats, most of which are size 7 1/8 while I wear a size 7 3/8, I've attempted to stretch them via dampening the sweatband (leather) and slowly stretching with a hat stretcher but to no avail.

I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for stretching hats with leather sweatbands? the only method I've found while searching around is similar to the one I'm using now.

On a related note one of the hats is a size 7 bowler which I'm absolutely terrified to try and stretch, if anyone has any suggestions on a process for that as well it'd be most appreciated.

I'm aware that this question has been asked before in some manner or another (I spent a good time browsing the other threads on the subject) but I can't seem to find a process that works for me, I might be rushing it and that could be it but I'm not entirely sure.

I, too, am a 7 3/8. I, too, had a 7 1/8 that I attempted to stretch numerous times with a stretcher. It didn't work.

What did work was buying a block in my size, removing the sweat and liner, soaking the body, and stretching it over the block. Reinstalled the sweat and liner, and long story short, the hat fit.

Achturn · May 31, 2011

scottyrocks said:
I, too, am a 7 3/8. I, too, had a 7 1/8 that I attempted to stretch numerous times with a stretcher. It didn't work.

What did work was buying a block in my size, removing the sweat and liner, soaking the body, and stretching it over the block. Reinstalled the sweat and liner, and long story short, the hat fit.

woah boy, I don't know if I'm capable of doing that! I'm the last person in the world who should ever be near a needle and thread! lol

I'd be too scared I'd ruin it!

Edw8ri · May 31, 2011

DelMonico Hatter said:
Hi Edw8ri,

Don't think anyone answered this one yet.

You're looking to get the brim to stay snapped down, right? Correct me if it's another effect going at....

Brandon
DelMonico Hatter

Actually, my problem is that the brim is snapped down in an unattractive way. What I would like to do is to straighten it out a bit. Any thoughts?

DelMonico Hatter · May 31, 2011

Edw8ri said:
Actually, my problem is that the brim is snapped down in an unattractive way. What I would like to do is to straighten it out a bit. Any thoughts?

Got a picture of the hat? That would help me see what could be done.
Also depends on whether there's a wire in the brim or not.

Brandon

TheValk · May 31, 2011

How would one change their username?

Tomasso · May 31, 2011

TheValk said:
How would one change their username?

Talk to this gent.

GamaH · May 31, 2011

2 Questions about wearing a hat slightly tilted forward:

1) Based on the head shape, wouldn't I need a bigger size than usual, or do I just stick with my normal size based on normal measurements?
2) Having it tilted forward with a snapbrim.. Is it supposed to obscure my peripheral vision slightly? Like I can't see the face of someone taller than 6ft while standing 2 meters away from him, while looking straight forward.

Also, what does it mean to have a hat "cocked"? I know what cocked means in this case, like when a dog cocks its ears. But in the context of a fedora, I'm not sure how that's supposed to apply.

danofarlington · May 31, 2011

GamaH said:
22) Having it tilted forward with a snapbrim.. Is it supposed to obscure my peripheral vision slightly?

Also, what does it mean to have a hat "cocked"? I know what cocked means in this case, like when a dog cocks its ears. But in the context of a fedora, I'm not sure how that's supposed to apply.

Obscure your vision--no, according to the advice I got early on, the hat is supposed to be level when viewed by someone else from the side. But it shouldn't hang over your eyes so as to obscure vision. That wouldn't be suave.

Hat cocked means tilted to one side, usually also slightly forward, from the normal position. Like if you were wearing a hat, and a guy said to you, "oh, yeah?" And you would tilt your hat and glare back at him, "yeah."

GamaH · May 31, 2011

danofarlington said:
Hat cocked means tilted to one side, usually also slightly forward, from the normal position. Like if you were wearing a hat, and a guy said to you, "oh, yeah?" And you would tilt your hat and glare back at him, "yeah."

Like this?

Lefty · May 31, 2011

That hat is pretty level, but the brim is only half snapped to give it what's called a Hollywood brim. Cocking the hat to the side is having the sweat lower on one ear than the other. Look at photos of Sinatra. Much of the time, he's got his hat cocked (of course, he's also big on tilting his head to the side).

GamaH · May 31, 2011

Lefty said:
That hat is pretty level, but the brim is only half snapped to give it what's called a Hollywood brim. Cocking the hat to the side is having the sweat lower on one ear than the other. Look at photos of Sinatra. Much of the time, he's got his hat cocked (of course, he's also big on tilting his head to the side).

Ah, I see now. But in that case, having a hat cocked seems to be pushing it up higher. Like, it's not quite worn on the back of the head, but it's getting there.

jlee562 · May 31, 2011

GamaH said:
Ah, I see now. But in that case, having a hat cocked seems to be pushing it up higher. Like, it's not quite worn on the back of the head, but it's getting there.

That's how Frank liked it, but not a prerequisite for cocking one's hat to the side.

GamaH · May 31, 2011

jlee562 said:
That's how Frank liked it, but not a prerequisite for cocking one's hat to the side.

So is the term cocking used to describe how the hat sits on your head in a North-South or East-West direction?

Based on all the responses and information I've gathered so far, it seems to be on a left/right tilt thing rather than forward/back tilt.

jlee562 · May 31, 2011

GamaH said:
So is the term cocking used to describe how the hat sits on your head in a North-South or East-West direction?

Does it really matter? Wear your hat however you like it! I've never understood the term to be used in an either/or fashion as you suggest.

GamaH · May 31, 2011

jlee562 said:
Does it really matter? Wear your hat however you like it! I've never understood the term to be used in an either/or fashion as you suggest.

I do, but I'm just curious (in a thirst for knowledge way), as in what exactly it means to have your hat "cocked." Just for like.. general knowledge.

What I mean by North/South or East/West, I mean like, Forward/Backward and Left/Right.

jlee562 · May 31, 2011

GamaH said:
I do, but I'm just curious (in a thirst for knowledge way), as in what exactly it means to have your hat "cocked." Just for like.. general knowledge.

What I mean by North/South or East/West, I mean like, Forward/Backward and Left/Right.

No, I understand what you mean. As I said, I've never known the term to be either/or, it just denotes a different angle than straight forward.

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