firstly, i was shipped western hat bodies in error. i decided to use them cuz i don't know the difference anyways
(yes, yes - western hats are bigger, heavier and have more stiffener). now there's alot of things i am planning to do differently in my next hat (ie - stitching, flanging, ribbon work, etc), but all in all, i'm quite proud of this one. it's 100% beaver felt, with a goat sweat and ribbon (both obtained from the top-shelf of smithbilt's store....a local hattery here). the lining is just a blank beige one. it does feel like a pseudo-cowboy hat due to the weight and she is quite stiff. i did alot of pouncing to get the "hairriness" out....didn't think i could do it but took a chance on a certain technique and it gave me great results fast.
the center crease is not as deep as a raiders AB but is comperable to my CS AB.
i used a 3 piece bow/ribbon set up as i thought that would be the easiest. i may try a 2 piece bow on the next one now that i have a procedure for stitching it on.
after all the work i put into this, the crowning achievement was getting a very heartfelt compliment from my dad: "looks like a professional did this...."
i found the tutorials on this and other forums invaluable. thanks to steve, marc, and marcus brody for posting those. special thanks to mr. oak who always had time to answer my dumb questions
next stop.......a decent raiders hat in brown {just like this one ;-) }
