Hat Question

[Rube Burrows]

Im looking for a hat like the one Ben Wheeler is wearing in this pic. Ben Wheeler is the guy on the far right......the tall one.

What would that be called? A slouch hat? I like the style of that hat and how the brim of the hat is stiff enough to be made to flip up.

Can someone point me to somewhere who might sell a hat like that?

[River City John]

You could start with something like this and beat the crap out of it to reshape it.
www.riverjunction.com/Tucson-Cowboy-Hat--10X-Fur-Felt-_p_143.html

RCJ

[Rube Burrows]

You could start with something like this and beat the crap out of it to reshape it.
www.riverjunction.com/Tucson-Cowboy-Hat--10X-Fur-Felt-_p_143.html

RCJ

I guess you are right. Surely there is something cheaper than that if im going to beat the crap out of it. 

[R.T. Rangebum]

Rube,

I wear a hat just like the one in the photo. Montana peak with a flip in the brim up front. I made mine from a retired beaver cowboy hat; just heated up a teapot of water and reformed the hat the way I wanted. If you have trouble with the brim, try using a steam iron and a towel. Lay the hat on the ironing board and cover the brim with the towel, use the iron ( on steam setting ) the flatten the brim. Back to the tea kettle and flip the brim. Pretty easy actually.



Rangebum

[Dr. Bob]

You can often find a 3X - 5X hat [some fur with the wool in the felt] at a thrift store for $20 or less.  The higher the number before the X the more fur which makes it a better hat.  Usually cost more.  If your are hesitant about doing it yourself, most larger Western stores have a steamer in their hat dept. and will form it for a fee.  You can do it.  Remember that if you don't like it after it dries, back to the tea pot/steamer! 

[litl rooster]

why is he in Irons?  right arm

[Delmonico]

why is he in Irons?  right arm

Most likely did something naughty.

[Stu Kettle]

The other pair is in leg irons, this is a mug shot.

[Delmonico]

I've seen that picture before, now I have to dig back in my mind and think where, Rube what are the where's and why's of this picture and where did you get it:

[River City John]

Can't remember names, but this is a shot of a group of robbers caught. There is another photo of the same men hanged. I believe the notoriety of the tall gentleman on the right is he was technically a serving Law Dog from a neighboring town. Kinda played both sides.

I'm not sure if my memory serves me well, but that is the story that keeps popping into my head seeing this image.


RCJ

[Delmonico]

Can't remember names, but this is a shot of a group of robbers caught. There is another photo of the same men hanged. I believe the notoriety of the tall gentleman on the right is he was technically a serving Law Dog from a neighboring town. Kinda played both sides.

I'm not sure if my memory serves me well, but that is the story that keeps popping into my head seeing this image.


RCJ

The name Brown rings a bell, down in south central Kansas, he had a fancy 73 Winchester.  If someone had Wilson's Winchester book I think it's in there.  Either that or The Peacemakers, one of them, mine are in storage right now.

[Duke York]

Howdy all

The photo is of Henry Brown, the highly regarded Marshal of Caldwell, Kansas and his cohorts.
Brown decided to rob the bank of another Kansas town.
They were unsuccessful, the manager slammed the vault door closed.
Brown was killed when he tried to escape the lynch mob, the others were hanged.

Vaya con Dios

Duke York
SASS 15978

[Delmonico]

That's it, Henry Brown, thought it was Brown and knew it was in south central Kansas.

http://www.angelfire.com/mi2/billythekid/brown.html

[Rube Burrows]

sorry for my delayed reply. Yes, the photo is of Henry Brown and Ben Wheeler just a little while before they were lynched. Ben Wheeler is the tall guy who's hat I was asking about. They were both law officers at one point or another and I think both Henry Brown and Ben Wheeler was even given a gun as appreciation for their good work as an officer. Turned to crime, and paid for it. Brown was shot running away and Wheeler was hanged.

I will have to read through the book again to be sure though.


I also think you are right, I think they show Henry's 73 rifle in Wilson's book on page 45 or 46

[Dead I]

Can someone point me to somewhere who might sell a hat like that?

I think the haberdasher copied that hat to make the one that Doc wears in "Tombstone".  I'd just buy a regular hat, steam the brim and bend it.  Place it so the bend stays in and let it dry overnight.  You'll have the hat you want. 

[buckskin billy]

after you have steamed the hat as described above you can get some spray on startch and spray the hat , to hold the shape. works good. when it gets to floppy just spray it down again.

[Delmonico]

after you have steamed the hat as described above you can get some spray on startch and spray the hat , to hold the shape. works good. when it gets to floppy just spray it down again.

Never use spray starch on a hat, it builds up a sticky mess on the surface.  You should always use regular hat stiffener which can be bought at any good Western store.  If your Western store is not a good one or you have none in the area, it can be bought at any hardware store, even the big box ones.  The problem is they most likely don't know they have it.  Go to the wood finish supplies and buy bleached/white "Natural Shellac" and denatured alcohol.  Mix it in a spray bottle bottle fairly thin and spray on.  Make sure it it natural shellac, if they don't have it find one that does.

I've worked on hats that have had the starch treatment, anyone who tried to spray it on one of my hats would be in trouble, The hat can sometimes be saved if it is a high quality one worth what the labor costs, because I have to fine sand the whole hat and hope for the best.

Trust me on this one, hat work is part of what I do for a living.

[panhead pete]

I went riding in Montana with Happy Pappy.  He is the wrangler for the Little Big Horn Ride.  He used a whole can of Scotch-Gard on my hat.  After the hat was soaked, it was much easier to reshape.  When it dried it was firmer and naturally, waterproof.  I did get a little woozey riding back while that stuff was evaporating off the hat as it dried!!

PhP

[buckskin billy]

Never use spray starch on a hat, it builds up a sticky mess on the surface.  You should always use regular hat stiffener which can be bought at any good Western store.  If your Western store is not a good one or you have none in the area, it can be bought at any hardware store, even the big box ones.  The problem is they most likely don't know they have it.  Go to the wood finish supplies and buy bleached/white "Natural Shellac" and denatured alcohol.  Mix it in a spray bottle bottle fairly thin and spray on.  Make sure it it natural shellac, if they don't have it find one that does.

I've worked on hats that have had the starch treatment, anyone who tried to spray it on one of my hats would be in trouble, The hat can sometimes be saved if it is a high quality one worth what the labor costs, because I have to fine sand the whole hat and hope for the best.

Trust me on this one, hat work is part of what I do for a living.

never had that kind of trouble with startching a hat, but i usually allow mine to get floppy anyhows. you make your living at making hats so i would trust your experience over my limited experience.

good luck with the hat project all the same

[Delmonico]

The right way is so easy and so much better why do it any other way?