How do I attach a chin cord to western hat?

[tonyc1]

I had a friend once who had that many wrinkles on his brow, he was able to screw his hat on!!!

Tony.

[Jordan]

Tightening the strap on the back of the head works in most situations. imho a boonie is the way to go, get it wet and viola' instant A/C until it drys anyway. Could always buy a smaller hat and really cram it on or get a bigger head

[Hidemechanic]

HAA!!Haa!!HAAA!!

Good one! GH

[Elegant]

Double sided tape!

[Hidemechanic]

As to hat fit, or getting a hat to fit, it's like boots. You need some brake in time for the hat band to mold itself to the shape of your head. It's easier with felt hats because everything molds together better than straw.

So with fElt hats(which I usually reshape anyway) I pick a day when I know I can ware the hat for awhile and I get it wet and ware it dry.

Anybody see Tom Selic in Monte Walch? He walked out of the mercantile with his new brand hat and the first rain barrel he walked by, dunked the new hat in the water pulled it out and put his own shape to it. Put it on his head where he wanted it, got on his horse and rode off.

Well that wasn't to far from truth.

Usually I buy a felt hat in the fall anyway and rains aren't too uncommon so I've gone outside waring the new hat, let it get a good soaking(not soppy floppy wet, kind of like casing leather) then do whatever shaping I want and let it dry that way. The leather band and the felt take to the shape of your head and there you are.

I've also been less dramatic and just used a spray bottle. Sometimes, in a hurry to bypass the brake in period, I use a tea pot on the stove , using the steam to shape the hat like the guys in the store, but at home you need to be real carefull not to get the felt too hot. It will shrink and get hard like cardboard. This doesn't do much for the hat band though.

Straw hat brake in is pretty much,get out and work and get some good sweat going. Between you body heat and moisture the hat band will shape to your head. No shortcuts there.

That's my techno tips for fitting your hat, that with the string used behind the head you have a pretty secure combination for keeping your hat on while everyone else is trying to controle their horse with one hand on their head, or scrabbling off the trail throughing their ranes to their partner as the hat sails off like a frizby. GH

[elkayr]

I realize that this is an old topic, but I promised my nephew that I would fix one for him. He doesn't ride horses. He just wants to be able to keep his hat on when it is really windy. He works outside all day. Anyway, I have some latigo & 1/4" eyelets & was going to attach the eyelets to the inside band, but the eyelets look like they poke out too much & might hurt. What is a "vent" eyelet? Also, if you run the latigo around the inside of the hat & bring it down by the ears, do you tie a knot in front where it hangs under the chin? I was thinking of using some sort of bead to draw it up tighter. Thanks for any help.

[rhall]

Velcro is the only way to go! LOL

[elkayr]

Velcro is the only way to go! LOL

Can't get it to stick to his hair.

[rhall]

No ,you supper glue a strip to your forehead and sew the other in your lid!

[Spence]

Here's my 2 cents.

Forgive the looks of my Drover, but it's a qualified work hat. It's bad luck to wash a work hat or a coffee mug.

I work German Shepherds in protection and tracking and although they've come close, they haven't knocked it off or taken it off, nor have I clotheslined in the woods. Winds here in Texas can come screaming in at over 50 mph with gusts to almost knock you off your feet. The Drover has stayed put. The cord came with it and since I also wear the cord around the back of my head, I saw no reason to change it.

My Sunday hat is also a Drover (black) and I've gussied it up with a nice hatband and stampede strap. If the wind comes up, I don't have a problem bringing the strap down and around the back of my head. Most folks don't even notice it.

On the strap you'll notice the small piece of doubled-over leather. The holes are a bit smaller than the chord and it's worked to draw the strap up tight for quite a few years now.

I've never tried to upload pics so hope it works...