Source for replacement liners and sweatbands for Vintage Stetons?

Howdy fellow hat fanatics (or whatever we call ourselves),

Couldn't find anything via the search engine so here's my question:

Like many of you I'm got hats acquired from various and sundry sources that need some help in the way of new liners and sweatbands. I imagine there is no where to get original new condition replacements (boy would that be a valuable find), but would like to have something that says Stetson even if it is modern. Anybody know where to get them? I see some of you guys have been to Hatco and saw pictures from the factory floor of what I'd like to get. Has anyone tried to buy replacements from them?

I assume Optimo or someone else would sew those in...

I wonder if Stetson/Hatco has considered that as a side business (replacing those)? Don't they already do that for the high end cowboys like the 100/1000 hats (I've heard they do full restorations for those). Realize it would be a small/cottage business, but...

Cheers!

Stetson is a trademark and the idea of just selling liners that some unscrupulous people would stick in a non-Stetson hat to try and pass it off as a real Stetson... well it is something that just ain't gonna happen.

Further, new Stetson liners simply do not belong in vintage hats. The new ones are in no way similar to the vintage versions. So sticking in a new liner into an old hat is a bit absurd, in my opinion.

About the only way you are going to get a vintage liner is to buy a junked Stetson and just use the liner and throw away the hat. I have done this a few times. If you can get a junky Stetson for under $20 it is worth getting it for the liner if you need a liner. Otherwise, all hat makers have blank liners that you could have put into your hat.

WRT sweatbands, I do know that my local Hatter (Henry The Hatter) has both their own and genuine Stetson sweatbands available. Of course not vintage, but they do say Stetson I believe. Any true Hatter (a store that both sells and repairs hats) that carries Stetson should probably have those available.

That has been my experience also a Stetson dealer does have access to current liners and sweatbands.

Thanks gentlemen for the suggestions. I hadn't thought that a Stetson dealer that does repairs would have those so I'll have to look into that.

Regards!

HatsEnough said:

Stetson is a trademark and the idea of just selling liners that some unscrupulous people would stick in a non-Stetson hat to try and pass it off as a real Stetson... well it is something that just ain't gonna happen.

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Thanks for your reply. I suppose there could be a concern on their part regarding counterfeiting by providing replacement materials though the acquisition of a few such items makes it an extremely low risk to them. I would think they would be more threatened by someone wanting them by the case and especially if that request came from China! After all it would be very easy for them to quickly shut down such an operation in the US with a legal action that would quickly bankrupt the counterfeiter. Stetson has been using holographic stickers in their new hats and appears to me that is their main way of identifying real from fake (I bet they keep a tight control on the distribution of those stickers).

I doubt they are worried about a few old hats (made long before the current company existed) being a threat to their business. I think them not selling a few would be more likely because of the hassle of dealing with such a transaction and no profit to be made from it. Other replies to my question have pointed out that apparently authorized dealers can install logo'd replacements so I'll investigate that option.

Further, new Stetson liners simply do not belong in vintage hats. The new ones are in no way similar to the vintage versions. So sticking in a new liner into an old hat is a bit absurd, in my opinion.

About the only way you are going to get a vintage liner is to buy a junked Stetson and just use the liner and throw away the hat. I have done this a few times. If you can get a junky Stetson for under $20 it is worth getting it for the liner if you need a liner. Otherwise, all hat makers have blank liners that you could have put into your hat.

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Regarding using new in a vintage hat I own vintage Open Road, Flagship, Playboy, Stratoliner, etc and also later models from the 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's and new bought this year so am familiar with the differences and agree in principal with that, but there is the reality if a hat needs a new one a guy has to do the best he can. Of course the quality of the recent stuff is far from the glory days (sad isn't it…). If I can't find an option from a repairer that is acceptable (modern logo stuff) then I'll just go with generic (I knew of the latter option, just wanted to exhaust the other possibility first). I've got a Stratoliner with very good felt, but a sorry liner and leather sweatband that I will probably have done first.

I would be open to cannibalizing a junky hat, but sincerely doubt that one in such a state would have good "parts" to use (not impossible, of course, but just seems not very likely).

I recommend pursuing a quality "generic" installed by someone who knows what he or she is doing.
You'll get a better sweat band installed right.

I'd be real happy with a source of replacement embroidered Last Drop liners!!!

Just a guess but I'll bet the Stetson dealers are allowed to use Stetson components for a repair that they do but not simply sell them. I know they have these components. I sent a Stetson Western to Henry the Hatter for a restoration and it came back with a new Stetson sweat band. I've also had an Akubra restoration done there and it came back with a sweat band with no markings. In both cases, they used a liner with their own logo.

I, too, would go for the better quality generic.

Several of my most sherished, most "valuable" old felts and one of my two Panama hats have been refurbished -out of real necessity, being "wasted"- with a generic sweatband. I've always tried to save the old sweats, or at least cut out any logos imprinted on the old sweats, together with any labels or tags, and I just keep them inside the box for personal reference. I know it's a loss, from a collector's point of view, but the gain resides in the fact that I have fully wearable hats, with a sweatband in good, clean, condition. To me it's a matter of wearing the hat(s) more so than running a personal museum. That's why those who do have perfect truly vintage hats are the real kings of the open road!

Thanks for the additional suggestions. I'll try to get to examine the options before I make my choice.

Collecting
Wearing
Displaying
Investing

I guess this issue all revolves around they you buy an old hat

I buy mine to wear

I am incredibly fortunate to be so close to a world class hat shop ... Wichita Hat Works ... and I have had several of my old friends fitted with new sweats that make them much more enjoyable. I put off having the work done because I was ignorant ... I didn't realize how much a new sweat could make a hat comfortable.

One of them, done this summer, was a really nice Stetson Stratoliner that I found at a little antique store.

I guess from a "collector's" standpoint it is most appropriate that the replacement sweat is clearly NOT the original, and Jack's clearly show they come from his store.

After thinking about this, I believe I would be concerned, as a collector, but after spending years in living history pursuits, faking antiqued knives, guns, etc. to make everything blend in, I can understand someone wanting to rebuild a Whippet to look like one off the store shelf.

I guess we're back to Caveat Emptor again,

Sam

I don't think they are exclusive, Sam. I buy only hats that I can wear, but some of them are also an investment of sorts. I know some here are collectors and will buy a hat even if it doesn't fit them but I don't think that is too many of us. Most buy to wear. But that doesn't mean they can't also be an investment.

By the way, I've been meaning to follow up on my first post in this thread...

YEs, professional hatters have replacement Stetson interiors, but that is because they sell Stetson and Stetson knows these guys won;t be adding Stetson guts to non-Stetson hats. The whole point was making is that Stetson is not going to be selling their branded innards to just anybody to use in unauthorized ways. Stetson is a valuable brand name and you just won't see such a thing used so willy-nilly.

So, NO , Stetson will not be selling sweatbands and liners to just anyone that wants one. They will sell them to professional hatters that carry their brand and that is it.

Let me caution you about who you allow to put new liners & bands in your hats. I sent 2 Dobbs to a well-advertised hat cleaner in the South. They used vinyl bands, glued them in the hats, and then sprayed so much stiffener that the original beauty of the felt is gone. I will not name names, but I will tell you to use known hatters. My Loss.

Can someone recommend a high end hat repair service that would clean of replace a Stetson liner in California? No reply from Stetson themselves.

Craig Barron said:

Can someone recommend a high end hat repair service that would clean of replace a Stetson liner in California? No reply from Stetson themselves.

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Just for clarification, you’re okay that the replacement sweatband and liner won’t have the Stetson labeling.

You local retailer an call the customer service line on their catalog and order more liners.

deadlyhandsome said:

Just for clarification, you’re okay that the replacement sweatband and liner won’t have the Stetson labeling.

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Best if it was Stetson if they have them.

Tha

Matt Deckard said:

You local retailer an call the customer service line on their catalog and order more liners.

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Thanks.