Bash help!

[BellyTank]

Hi all.
Is it easy enough to remove the bash from a Western style hat?-
...the kind that has a narrow centre dent and one either side running the length.
Kinda like an 'Open Road' style. I ask because I see that a lot of these hats have a fairly high crown and plenty of brim to play with. So is it easy enough to pop out the dents- like they were never there- then begin again- or are you left with phantom dents?

Thanks.
BT.

 

[Kentucky Blues]

for a hatter? easy enough I'd guess... for someone with no equipment, I higly doubt it...they apparently use alot of stiffener. Hope this helps..

 

[BellyTank]

No...

...of course that doesn't help...
Just kidding.

Thanks-
BT.

 

[MDFrench]

BT,

Are you trying to modify a hat into the Aussie slouch/Gurkha thingy?

C'mon, don't hold out on me now. :cheers1:

Mike

 

[BellyTank]

French?

Nice try- no, I'm not going to attempt that. Just looking at all the ghastly beaver and blend 'Western' hats that could be transformed into a 'vintage style' Fed with a little grooming- they have the height and the width...

But, I have been looking at Gurkha hats- all very small, made for small headed Nepalese guys. No, maybe I'll see if my wife's cousin can find a source for them in North India... just maybe... but as a hat, I don't really rate the Gurkha slouch, not for a wearer.
Got me thinking now though...

BT.

 

[gandydancer]

If you are planning to convert a cowboy hat to a dress hat the best thing is to find something you almost like. For what you are talking about re: the Open Road, and I can understand why you are thinking that many have really nice felt, the best thing to do is find someone competent to clean & block a hat and have them reblock it open crown. That should not cost any more than just a standard clean & block.

Unfortunately where I am there is no one who does that, and no one selling decent hats other than cowboy hats. Unfortunately reasonalbly priced CB hats have gone down in quality too.

If anyone knows someone who will do a decent clean & block reasonably (not $50+) mail order, I would like to know.

 

[SHARPETOYS]

If you are planning to convert a cowboy hat to a dress hat the best thing is to find something you almost like. For what you are talking about re: the Open Road, and I can understand why you are thinking that many have really nice felt, the best thing to do is find someone competent to clean & block a hat and have them reblock it open crown. That should not cost any more than just a standard clean & block.

Unfortunately where I am there is no one who does that, and no one selling decent hats other than cowboy hats. Unfortunately reasonalbly priced CB hats have gone down in quality too.

If anyone knows someone who will do a decent clean & block reasonably (not $50+) mail order, I would like to know.

Just let Steve AKA Fedora know your situation and he will take real good care of you.

http://www.adventurebilthats.com/

Email or give him a call. You will be happy!!

 

[Victor]

I found an Open Road in my size and it had a real soft crown. It was very easy to reshape using a little steam. It was so soft that it didn't really hold the bash tightly but thats no problem really. As long as the felt is soft it should be no problem. Many cowboy style hats are a very thick stiff felt and thats hard to do. Also if teh hat is old it will have lines of discoloration where it has been creased and you can't really get those out.

 

[fedoralover]

The older Open Roads were soft and you can reshape them. I've done it myself on several of them. The newer ones are like cardboard and I doubt that even a professional reblock would totally eliminate the side bashes.

fedoralover