'How to on a Hatband'... Leather thickness, connections

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Hi,

This is my first time delving into the hatband thing.

My questions to the group ....

What thickness of leather do you/should I use?

How are the two ends of leather connected?

How do I measure the length?

Do conchos (or any decorations) affect the length and measurement?

That is all the questions i can think up right now .... I probably will have more as I get into this and actually start one ...

TTFN,

[GunClick Rick]

Alot depends on the hat and the shape,i'm working with a resistol right now and i think it is a fakey,the hat is too thin and too card boardy and i have NEVER had problems shaping a Resistol,i am putting a native american band on it that is just cloth,but i just ain't gettin the look i want yet.I find the thinner the better,but you know i don't do like the others,i just throw stuff together.

[bedbugbilly]

WW - I'm not able to do photos yet on my new Apple but one that I have on one of my western hats is actually made like a miniature western style belt.  If I remember correctly, Tandy sells the buckles etc.  There are probably many styles that you could do as well as widths.  If you're going to be making them to sell though, you might ant to visit a hat store and use a sewing tape measure and actually measure around the crowns of the various size hats.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Bedbug et al,

But what oz of leather should I buy for hat bands?

TTFN,

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre]

Bedbug et al,

But what oz of leather should I buy for hat bands?

TTFN,

I suppose the first thing we need to know, is how big a hat band are you planning? How fancy? What kind of decorations?

My hat band is a simple one. Tandy/ Leather Factory has 1/2" pre dyed strips that are, I think, 36" long. I'd guess no more than 3-4 oz. leather.

I use a black strip. My current one has inexpensive 5/16", rivit back conchos, alternating with 1/4" spots, all nickle finished.
I cut it about an inch and a half shorter than needed to go completely around the hat.
I punch a 3/32" hole in each end, and tie it together with black lace. The ends of the lace have several silver beads on them.

[Curley Cole]

WW

Here is my new hat that Bob "All Hat" made for me...it was to be sorta like the floppy crushable hat I wear on most daze...mostly cuz my cowboy hats get caught in the seat headrest...anyways I dig it.

The hat band is one of my own....I have done some with conchos on a fairly light leather, and I also put together a horsehair band with silver buckles on the end.

The second hat is a "used-up" Stetson I got at the GFBJL for about $5 and had All Hat reshape it for me, and I got a simple cloth band to put on it...

as for how heavy to use, ot depends mostly on things like how heavy do you like on your head, how big, and heavy are the items you are gonna attach to it.

as for sizing, you can put ties on the ends like I do with my bead ones or you can put "hatband" size buckles on for a dressier look.

it is all up to your imaginaton, and what you would like.

but remember some times "less is more",   If ya know what I mean.

curley

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Curly et al,

I have a hat I bought from Crazy Crow that one of my fellow reenactors proclaimed to be 'just too indian'.

The hat is pretty nondescript: the one thing that would make it look much less indian is to remove the hatband (that is woven in kind of an indian pattern  and replace it with a more 'westernized' hat band .... I was going to make a hat band for it, but the local Village Hatter has leather concho covered hatband for $6.95 ... probably cheaper than I could buy the leather from Tandy ... LOL.

Here is the Hat:

http://www.crazycrow.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=4535-021-1&Store_Code=CCTP&search=Indian+Hat&offset=&filter_cat=&Powe

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I like the hat, WW. A leather or horsehair band would look great. I'd consider a round 4-strand braid for it. You could use round cord for it, too. Just pick something that would be correct for the time span and try it. That would be a nice touch.

Link on how to do 4-strand braiding

[ChurchandSon]

I think the Canadian Mounted Police hatband is pretty neat and although plain it would be a clean slate
for customizing, beading, tooling, ect. ..Mounties have been wearing this Stetson over a hundred years...
Looks like a mini money belt...matches US shrinking dollar.......Randy

[Boothill Bob]

Howdy..
I have made some hat bands. I use 2,5mm leather and I like the wide ones.

[Slowhand Bob]

I do not know of a formula for arriving at the correct length but the simple Tandy Mystery Braid would probably look good also.  The ends could be designed to connect with anything from a snap, buckle or even a simple thong and the latter would afford a way of correcting length problems.

[Curley Cole]

WW

I have a 4 strand braided band that All Hat gave me with my hat that you are welcome to if you want it, just emule me your addy and it will be on its way...it is either dark brown or black, I can't tell....if you want a pix I can try to get one up to ya today.
addendum: I also have a braided horsehair with tassels on each end you can have take yer pick.

And If you don't want that indian band, I sure could use it on a derby I have...

let me know
curley

***the wire wasn't cooperating so I sent this to ya by pm...sorry for duplicating efforts. cc

[WaddWatsonEllis]

WW

I have a 4 strand braided band that All Hat gave me with my hat that you are welcome to if you want it, just emule me your addy and it will be on its way...it is either dark brown or black, I can't tell....if you want a pix I can try to get one up to ya today.
addendum: I also have a braided horsehair with tassels on each end you can have take yer pick.

And If you don't want that indian band, I sure could use it on a derby I have...

let me know
curley

***the wire wasn't cooperating so I sent this to ya by pm...sorry for duplicating efforts. cc

Curley,

Your offer was in the highest manner of noblesse ... thank you!

Unfortunately, my need is to make the hat look LESS indian ....

I bought the hat to use during living history ....

My personna is that of a kind of WASP older guy who left the farm to become a miner, impressed by all the tales of ore just being picked up from the ground .... easy money!

However, after two months of gold panning in frigid waters and being part of a team operating a 'cradle'
he decided to give up his dream of being a miner ...

He found an apprenticeship as a saddlemaker, and gets his room by being a live-in guard for the shop.

Anyway, you get the idea ...

So the first time that I wore this hat I got a consensus of 'too indian' by other reenactors ... and I was hoping to find a or make a black leather hatband with some conchos to kind of 'WASP' this hat up .... here is a picture to show you what i mean:



BTW, I think that hatband would be just the thing to 'westernize a derby!

[GunClick Rick]

Hi,

This is my first time delving into the hatband thing.

My questions to the group ....

What thickness of leather do you/should I use?

How are the two ends of leather connected?

How do I measure the length?

Do conchos (or any decorations) affect the length and measurement?

That is all the questions i can think up right now .... I probably will have more as I get into this and actually start one ...

TTFN,

Maybe this will help?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Beautiful-Handmade-Beaded-Hatband-Leather-Tabs-and-Laces-Glass-Beads-/320961196194?_trksid=e11010.m263&_trkparms=algo%3DSIC%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA%252BUA%252BFICS%252BUFI%252BDDSIC%26otn%3D2%26pmod%3D320958851478%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D1290765153479074688&_qi=RTM839984

[Curley Cole]

ww

maybe I wasn't clear, the hatband I was offering was a horsehair band (which a lot of yuma prisoners made them to sell ) and/or a 4 strand braided band neither of them are indian at all. Some time tomorrow I will try to post some pix.

good shootin
curley

[Pappy Hayes]

I believe for this one I used 3-4oz leather. I made the connectiing ends similar what is used on scout belts. The buckle is a brass one from Tandys that I antiqued by soaking in black powder and water to match the spots.

[Abominable Bill]

for a leather hatband that is only from 3/8" to 5/8" wide, I like using a conway buckle.
4 to 5 oz leather works good for me.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Pappy Hayes, Abominable Bill,

Thanks for the heads up ... it looks like I could probably use a scrap of upholstery leather from Tandy?

TTFN,

[Abominable Bill]

It would work if you double it.
You wouldn't be able to carve it but a double thickness stitched together would work.
Chap weight leather would work too

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Hi all,

Here is the same hat with an el cheapo hatband from Village Hat shop ... not the nicest in the world, but for a $6.00 band on a $35.00 hat, it kinda fits ...



I don't think I could even MAKE one that cheaply ... LOL