r/CowboyHats

After spending $400 bucks on yet another new hat a couple weeks ago, I decided to try my hand at shaping my own. I was a bit scared of ruining my bought hats, so I found a late 70’s Stetson 4X Beaver in a vintage cattleman shape on Facebook for $80. Seemed like a small enough risk if I messed up. Looked a little tired, but is overall in great condition.

It ain’t perfect, but I think it looks great and it makes me happy to say I did it with my own hands! It’s almost hard to believe that it’s the same hat.

Step one was to make a janky stovetop steamer. Thanks to a few redditors who had suggested that in other threads! I flattened the brim, reset to an open crown and went to work.

I had this specific style in mind - a Gus with a small mule kick, wide CB brim, pencil curl and a little pulldown in front. Getting the crown right took a few tries. It’s still not perfect, but it’ll do for my first shot! Doing the pencil roll brim by hand took a while (and it’s still not super crisp) but I think it turned out well.

All in all, I’m very happy with how it turned out. It’s mine, and that’s cool. I also learned that these hats really ARE as resilient as legend says! I’m no longer worried about beating up my other expensive hats. Wear the hell out of em, then try a new style!

Headed to a wedding in my new hat, I absolutely love this color.

Ended up buying it in black too, because they were on sale for $250.

Sunglasses have always been a problem when I wear my hats. I found a possible solution. What do you guys think.

I’m in grade 8 I go to a school a lil outside the city and I dress country I have never worn this hat to school becouse I don’t know if I should cause there’s people who say city boy or wannabe country but I’ve worked on my aunts ranch

Since the whole straw season vs. felt season question seems to come up here fairly often, I figured this was worth sharing.

The New York Times, September 14, 1922:

“STRAW HAT RIOTS EMBROIL EAST SIDE”

Apparently September 15 was traditionally the last day of straw hat season, and some New Yorkers decided that meant they had the right to smash the straw hats off other people's heads. It got bad enough that police reserves were called out, thousands of hats were smashed, straw hat bonfires were started, and seven men were convicted of disorderly conduct.

The magistrate presiding over the cases apparently had to remind everyone that “a man has a right to wear a straw hat in a January snowstorm if he wishes.”

So the next time somebody tells you you're wearing the wrong hat for the season, just remember: New York City once had actual straw hat riots over this shit.

AHC JC4200.