Difference between the Stetson Stratoliner and The Open Road

[slimdigby]

Great link

I appreciate the help ... there is so much information on this site, let me know if anyone has an opinion on the "Bad Day at Black Rock" hats - http://www.gallerihornbaek.dk/hatmen.html . Best to see the film of course.
Most obliged

 

[RBH]

I love "Bad Day at Black Rock" , as to the hat I would think a Open Road with a fedora bash.

Here a few more movie threads for some great thin ribbon hats .


http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=13342&highlight=thunder+bay

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=8017&highlight=jimmy+stewart

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=18519&highlight=thin+ribbon

 

[Speedster]

Velkommen Slimdigby

Hej, Slimdigby. Velkommen.

We are few other danes in here, all based around Copenhagen. Whereabouts are you?

 

[slimdigby]

Hello fellow Danes ...

I am in Hornbaek, with home away from home in Northern Caifornia, USA. became a Madhatter in Wyoming 2 decades ago. Started collecting hats again recently.

I will think of some good movie hats soon, also thanks to RBH for the take on "Black Rock" - a true vintage hat lover's movie. What is Lee Marvin wearing, anybody ?. The hotel scene gives many good looks at his hat.

 

[slimdigby]

Jimmy Stewart's hats

I remember a documentary on the Western, I think it said that Jimmy S. usually wore the same hat in most of his westerns. Comfort, perhaps superstitions - any number of good reasons. Here is one at the JS Museum, worn in the Anthony Mann westerns: http://www.jimmy.org/files/17.jpg.

On the movie: Two Rode Together >>> This was the last film in which James Stewart wore his familiar cowboy hat. Up to this point, he had worn it in all his westerns since "Winchester '73", except "Broken Arrow". This was Stewart's first film with John Ford, and Ford didn't want him to wear it as he thought it was the worst looking cowboy hat he had ever seen. As Stewart said in the documentary, "A Wonderful Life", Ford relented, but got back at him in their next western, "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance", when he didn't let Stewart wear a hat at all

 

[Mossyrock]

Stratoliner -vs- Open Road?

Gents,

What is the difference between the Stratoliner and the Open Road? I need the info pretty quick since it will make the difference on a potential purchase! Thanks!!

 

[tonyb]

I've heard it said that Stratoliners were of a lighter weight felt than Open Roads. I've owned four Stats (still got a couple of 'em) and a slew of Open Roads, and about all that owning those hats and reading about them has taught me for certain is that there is very little about them that can be said for certain.

A Stratoliner may more valuable than a comparable Open Road, if for no other reason than its relative scarcity (and therefore its desirability to us hat nuts).

 

[DOUGLAS]

The Strats usually have a slight taper in the crown and the sweat may be sewn directly to the body instead of being reeded. the older Strats may not have a liner either.

 

[Mossyrock]

Thank you, Gentlemen.

 

[tonyb]

Strictly anecdotal observation here, which makes it worth about what it cost you ...

The unlined Strats had unreeded sweatbands (the kind sewn directly to the body, as Douglas alluded to), whereas the lined ones had reeded sweatbands.

Now, watch someone post some examples that show just the opposite ...

 

[Mr. 'H']

Strictly anecdotal observation here, which makes it worth about what it cost you ...

The unlined Strats had unreeded sweatbands (the kind sewn directly to the body, as Douglas alluded to), whereas the lined ones had reeded sweatbands.

Now, watch someone post some examples that show just the opposite ...

I certainly don't mean to derail here, but can anyone show me in pictoral terms what this reeding looks like? How can the sweatband be anything but stitched to the felt? [huh]

 

[GWD]

Reeded vs. Un-reeded

Reeded Sweat

Un-reeded Sweat

You can see how the leather on the reeded example is sewn to the "reed" and the reed is sewn to the hat.
The un-reeded example the leather is sewn directly to the hat.

 

[RBH]

I agree with Tony, I no longer own any Open Roads but the ones I had were alot heavier felt than my Stratoliner.

 

[Mr. 'H']

Brilliant!

Thank you so much.

Great shots, they're going to help a lot of guys out.

 

[GWD]

My pleasure!

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

There are rare exceptions wherein some ORs have smaller proportions than the majority, but in general, my experience is that the Open Road has a significantly higher crown and wider brim than Stratoliners.

Style-wise, Stratoliners were also intended to have a 'roll' to the sides of the brim while most Open Roads have a more traditional level brim with the usual snap.

About felt quality: There are various grades of Royal, Deluxe and X values across the board on hats marked as Open Roads. Also, for instance, a 3X I have from the early '50s is WAY better felt than a 3X I have from the '80s. Stratoliners were not produced into the decades when felt quality markedly declined in the hat industry so probably any example of a Strat' would have fairly consistently good felt whereas ORs vary wildly in that respect depending on the year of manufacture. When I compare one of my ORs which is probably the closest in age to my Stratoliner I notice that the Strat' has a more dense felt with a finer finish and almost a shine to it whereas all the ORs I have encountered seem to have a softer, fluffier, fuzzier felt. It's very subtle. I believe my Royal DeLuxe Stratoliner to be a higher quality felt than all of my ORs. It feels like a '30s or '40s Borsalino - and yes, the Stratoliners are rare so that makes it even more special.

Lastly, I have seen some ORs with wind trolleys but I do not think I've ever seen a Strat' so equipped.

Here's an OR with fedora pinch (note proportions):

Here's another OR (newer - crappy felt) with usual proportions and cattleman's crease:

Here's my Strat' for comparison (not much in the way of taper on this baby):

And here's my 'exception' OR that happens to have the same proportions as my Strat':

 

[tonyb]

Lastly, I have seen some ORs with wind trolleys but I do not think I've ever seen a Strat' so equipped.

I happen to have a Strat with a windstring. I even happen to have a picture of it.

Note also the unusual bow on this one -- a bit more "uptown," less "country" than the typical Open Road bow, which has the loose tails.

 

[RBH]

Thanks Tony, that a first for me. Never seen a stratoliner with a wind trolly or that type bow.

 

[GWD]

Thanks Tony, that a first for me. Never seen a stratoliner with a wind trolly or that type bow.

My Royal De Luxe Strat has that same bow.

 

[Lefty]

Since it came up, what are the benefits, if any, of reeded vs. unreeded sweats? Does a reeded sweat simply make installing the sweat easier - or easier to correct in case of a mistake?