The Resistol Roundup

[wsmontana]

I‘ve owned many 3X beaver Resistol’s and this one could be of the highest quality. It features a sewn-in red liner with stylized “O” that I believe is from the 50s. I received it with an open crown but it easily accepts a dry crease.

 

[One Drop]

I‘ve owned many 3X beaver Resistol’s and this one could be of the highest quality. It features a sewn-in red liner with stylized “O” that I believe is from the 50s. I received it with an open crown but it easily accepts a dry crease.

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That's a stunner!

How do you rate the felt quality co pared to the Stetson 3X from the same era (assuming you have some experience with them)?

 

[Hurricane Jack]

…could be of the highest quality. It features a sewn-in red liner with stylized “O” that I believe is from the 50s.

The red liner era is kind of known for that, & one of the reasons they are sought out.

 

[wsmontana]

That's a stunner!

How do you rate the felt quality co pared to the Stetson 3X from the same era (assuming you have some experience with them)?

It’s tough to compare the felt quality as my 50’s 3X Stetsons are all dress weight (the felt on this hat is nearly 3mm thick). I do think the finishing quality (sweatband, stitching, liner, and back bow) on this hat is superior though.

 

[One Drop]

It’s tough to compare the felt quality as my 50’s 3X Stetsons are all dress weight (the felt on this hat is nearly 3mm thick). I do think the finishing quality (sweatband, stitching, liner, and back bow) on this hat is superior though.

I guess I'll have give them a try, I can't imagine them not being made from a very decent felt.

 

[wsmontana]

I guess I'll have give them a try, I can't imagine them not being made from a very decent felt.

Oh, for sure. All the 3x beaver Resistols I’ve owned have been sturdy, shapable, and higher quality than more modern 4x’s or stuff you can buy new today. I also believe there are tiers of quality of the 3x‘s: brown size tag regular liner, cream size tag regular liner, red liner regular ‘O’, and finally red liner stylized ‘O’ (this hat). IMO, you can’t go wrong with any of them especially if you want to customize the crease.

 

[Rmccamey]

Mighty nice!

I‘ve owned many 3X beaver Resistol’s and this one could be of the highest quality. It features a sewn-in red liner with stylized “O” that I believe is from the 50s. I received it with an open crown but it easily accepts a dry crease.

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[wsmontana]

Mighty nice!

Thanks Randy!

 

[fedorafoo]

Hi! I recently picked up this used Resistol and I'm trying to figure out what model, color, age or quality it might be?

I have a similar 1970s-1980s "X X X Beaver" Silverbelly hat and I thought this might be of similar age. The "??? Beaver" mark on the brown hat is much smaller though.

Details:

- 3.75" brim.
- ~5.1" crown when shaped.
- ~6.3" as open crown.
- 6-stripe hat band.
- The color is a brown with a yellow/golden tint to it. Very interesting shade. Pictures are decently color accurate.
- The color under the hatband is the same as everywhere else, so no fading.
- Brown Resistol liner with regular O. Has the plastic cover.
- Dark brown sweatband.
- Zero tags left under the sweatband, and the markings on it have no gold left to them, just faint impressions.
- I can make out "B & E Western" or maybe "G & E Western" on one side of the sweatband.
- I can barely make out "Resistol / self-conforming / ??? Beaver" on the other side of the sweatband.
- It might say "X X X Beaver" or there might be an extra X, very hard to say.
- It was sold to me as a 4X Beaver but it's very hard to ascertain if it is. Did Resistols ever have "X X X X Beaver" under the "Resistol / self conforming" text or did they always use numbers after 3X / X X X?

Questions about getting this back into shape and comfortable:

First off, hatters are hard to come by in my country so I can't just take it in for repairs and reshaping.

I ended up probably overpaying (after shipping and VAT) but it's now on the other side of the world, so I have to stick with it and make it work.

It was not the size indicated in the ad, so I had to stretch it a good bit to make it fit fairly well.
I used a bowl of boiling water funneled through aluminium foil chute to steam the crown base and a 3D printed hat stretcher overnight, then steamed it again and left it until this evening.

I already got decent at reshaping the crown and brim with my Silverbelly hat. I added more front and back pulldown to the brim but haven't done anything for the crown yet. Still thinking about my options.

I brushed it with a hat brush but it might require deeper cleaning. Can I get rid of the almost pencil looking marks at the base of the hat? What should I use for that?

The sweatband is busted near the bow stitches, but the reed is still intact. My wife promised to stitch a piece of leather in the gap to strengthen the sweatband, should that be enough as I'd rather avoid removing the sweatband totally? It's not like I can easily get a replacement.

Should I cut the reed? After stretching it fits ok, not as comfy as my Silverbelly. What are the cons of cutting the reed?

 

[wsmontana]

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Hi! I recently picked up this used Resistol and I'm trying to figure out what model, color, age or quality it might be?

I have a similar 1970s-1980s "X X X Beaver" Silverbelly hat and I thought this might be of similar age. The "??? Beaver" mark on the brown hat is much smaller though.

Details:

- 3.75" brim.
- ~5.1" crown when shaped.
- ~6.3" as open crown.
- 6-stripe hat band.
- The color is a brown with a yellow/golden tint to it. Very interesting shade. Pictures are decently color accurate.
- The color under the hatband is the same as everywhere else, so no fading.
- Brown Resistol liner with regular O. Has the plastic cover.
- Dark brown sweatband.
- Zero tags left under the sweatband, and the markings on it have no gold left to them, just faint impressions.
- I can make out "B & E Western" or maybe "G & E Western" on one side of the sweatband.
- I can barely make out "Resistol / self-conforming / ??? Beaver" on the other side of the sweatband.
- It might say "X X X Beaver" or there might be an extra X, very hard to say.
- It was sold to me as a 4X Beaver but it's very hard to ascertain if it is. Did Resistols ever have "X X X X Beaver" under the "Resistol / self conforming" text or did they always use numbers after 3X / X X X?

Questions about getting this back into shape and comfortable:

First off, hatters are hard to come by in my country so I can't just take it in for repairs and reshaping.

I ended up probably overpaying (after shipping and VAT) but it's now on the other side of the world, so I have to stick with it and make it work.

It was not the size indicated in the ad, so I had to stretch it a good bit to make it fit fairly well.
I used a bowl of boiling water funneled through aluminium foil chute to steam the crown base and a 3D printed hat stretcher overnight, then steamed it again and left it until this evening.

I already got decent at reshaping the crown and brim with my Silverbelly hat. I added more front and back pulldown to the brim but haven't done anything for the crown yet. Still thinking about my options.

I brushed it with a hat brush but it might require deeper cleaning. Can I get rid of the almost pencil looking marks at the base of the hat? What should I use for that?

The sweatband is busted near the bow stitches, but the reed is still intact. My wife promised to stitch a piece of leather in the gap to strengthen the sweatband, should that be enough as I'd rather avoid removing the sweatband totally? It's not like I can easily get a replacement.

Should I cut the reed? After stretching it fits ok, not as comfy as my Silverbelly. What are the cons of cutting the reed?

Looks like a brown 3x Beaver Hi Sierra with a 6-ply hat band. Definitely a solid and shapable hat. You might try a search on “Hi Sierra” on the site to see examples.

 

[fedorafoo]

Looks like a brown 3x Beaver Hi Sierra with a 6-ply hat band. Definitely a solid and shapable hat. You might try a search on “Hi Sierra” on the site to see examples.

Could very well be! Resistol models seem very vague because my 3X Beaver Silverbelly Wichita is shaped very much the same, just has a 4" brim and ~7" open crown.

Any idea of the color? "Mink" seems closest, but doesn't have that yellow tint in the pics I found online.

 

[wsmontana]

Could very well be! Resistol models seem very vague because my 3X Beaver Silverbelly Wichita is shaped very much the same, just has a 4" brim and ~7" open crown.

Any idea of the color? "Mink" seems closest, but doesn't have that yellow tint in the pics I found online.

Without the paper tag that is inside the sweatband it is tough (for me) to know the exact model and color. I guessed it was a Hi Sierra based on its crown and brim dimensions and the 6-ply ribbon but there are likely other models that are similar.

 

[fedorafoo]

Without the paper tag that is inside the sweatband it is tough (for me) to know the exact model and color. I guessed it was a Hi Sierra based on its crown and brim dimensions and the 6-ply ribbon but there are likely other models that are similar.

Totally! From what I've looked into vintage Resistol hats (this thread has been a goldmine!) the exact model name seems pretty irrelevant. What really matters is the "era markers" (e.g metric/non-metric tag, paper tag style, red liner, plastic on liner logo, beaver text etc).

With a lot of those markers gone on my hat, the best I hoped was that this would've been a similar size and quality as my Resistol 3X Beaver. The seller really pooched the sizing but the quality is certainly similar. Thankfully I could get it stretched. Now if I could just get the rest fixed it should be fine for years to come.

Might reshape it into a low gus, will have to see.

 

[Adman256]

LBJ would wear a resistol Open Road type.
Since at the time Stetson was not made in Texas. A true son of Texas.

 

[VoodooSan]

I‘ve owned many 3X beaver Resistol’s and this one could be of the highest quality. It features a sewn-in red liner with stylized “O” that I believe is from the 50s. I received it with an open crown but it easily accepts a dry crease.

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Woot!!! Don't know how I missed seeing this one, Bill. That's a beauty!!

 

[wsmontana]

Woot!!! Don't know I missed seeing this one, Bill. That's a beauty!!

Thanks Mark!