JOHN B. STETSON

[crazyphil]

A Stetson hat is about as important an accessory for a cowboy as
his Peacemaker. It kept the burning sun, and the rain off his neck
and protected his head like an umbrella. He could use his hat to
give his horse a drink, and for other chores.

John B. Stetson 1830-1906 invented the cowboy hat. His company
existed from 1865-1970. The rights were sold in 1971, and now
Hatco makes both Stetson and Resistol hats in Garland, Texas.

My old Stetson is shown below with a Peacemaker replica in a
Duke rig replica.

 

[tops]

In a past life I bought a Resistol and there wasn't anything wrong with it except it didn't say Stetson. It got to bothering me so bad I gave it away. I want my hat to say Stetson and my .45 auto to say Colt. Larry

 

[STCM(SW)]

One of several I have.....

 

[ISCS Yoda]

I have more cowboy hats than most folks and one or two came from Garland. One for sure came from the actual factory store; the others came from local Western wear stores. I don't think any say Stetson but one might; I'd have to check but I bet it says Resistol. Seriously, who cares if it says Stetson?

Cowboy action shooters buy their hats from a wide variety of makers across America. There are some VERY high quality, VERY expensive cowboy hats out there that never passed through Garland, Texas, and they definitely don't say Stetson.

I could say the same thing for .45 autos, actually. Mine says Smith & Wesson! Okay, it's a TDA pistol, but I won't carry a single action pistol, so that does matter I expect.

Y'all tickle me, I admit it!

 

[crazyphil]

In a past life I bought a Resistol and there wasn't anything wrong with it except it didn't say Stetson. It got to bothering me so bad I gave it away. I want my hat to say Stetson and my .45 auto to say Colt. Larry

I'm with you tops. John B. put his name in big gold letters on
the sweat band of every one of his real Stetsons.

By the way, what's the difference in 4 Beavers or 5 Beavers?
Don't say 1 Beaver. I know that.

 

[crazyphil]

I have more cowboy hats than most folks and one or two came from Garland. One for sure came from the actual factory store; the others came from local Western wear stores. I don't think any say Stetson but one might; I'd have to check but I bet it says Resistol. Seriously, who cares if it says Stetson?

Cowboy action shooters buy their hats from a wide variety of makers across America. There are some VERY high quality, VERY expensive cowboy hats out there that never passed through Garland, Texas, and they definitely don't say Stetson.

I could say the same thing for .45 autos, actually. Mine says









Smith & Wesson! Okay, it's a TDA pistol, but I won't carry a single action pistol, so that does matter I expect.

Y'all tickle me, I admit it!

Like the old time cowboys used to say about the Remington
and Smith and Wessons, "Yeh there purty good revolvers
but they ain't Colts".

 

[03hemi]

Stetsons are nice, I just prefer the way the Resistol's fit better in my case. Nothing like a "Black Gold" from Resistol. They're both owned by the same company now. Here's an American Hat Co. from the 60s I recently acquired. I keep an eye out for old felt hats.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

I keep an eye out for old felt hats.

That's funny! Some years ago I was on a buddy's ranch when he went into the barn and came out with an old, beat up felt hat in the style I call "LBJ" but it probably has a real name that I am unaware of. It fit me but was a mess. It might have been a Stetson; quien sabe?

Anyway, I sent it to one of the finest hat makers in America today. The were in Buda, Texas, but now I think they moved to Lockhart. Anyway, the company is called Texas Hatters.

custom cowboy hats, Texas Hatters, western style hat maker

Copyright 2013 © Manny Gammage's Texas Hatters

They rebuilt the interior of that hat and made it brand new inside. They cleaned up the exterior, too, but could not bring it back to its original glory but do I ever have fun with it, it has SO MUCH CHARACTER.

It kind of looks like the hats worn by the policemen who were surrounding Lee Harvey Oswald when Jack Ruby shot him. You can look that picture up.

Like the old time cowboys used to say about the Remington and Smith and Wessons, "Yeh there purty good revolvers but they ain't Colts".

In the 1870s that might have been a fair assessment but Smith & Wesson has made better revolvers than Colt made for a very long time. I wouldn't trade my Model 27 Classic for any Colt, Pythons included, and, actually, that goes for all of my L frames, too. Shrink down to K and J frames and the result is the same in re Detective Specials, Agents, and Cobras - the Ks and Js are just better guns.
YMMV

 

[03hemi]

That would be the ever so classic "Open Road" hat by Stetson, (I have one, too) it was also Jimmy Stewart's favorite style hat and worn in many of his movies. fwiw.

 

[km101]

I have five Stetsons and two Resistols and as far as quality I can't tell any difference. Each hat has a different style and feel but I like them all.
It's like vanilla and chocolate ice cream, some folks like one and some like the other, but they're both good!

It's the same with guns, whether it's says Colt, Smith and Wesson or Ruger I try to select the one that's best for the job. Never mind what name it wears.

 

[crazyphil]

That's funny! Some years ago I was on a buddy's ranch when he went into the barn and came out with an old, beat up felt hat in the style I call "LBJ" but it probably has a real name that I am unaware of. It fit me but was a mess. It might have been a Stetson; quien sabe?

Anyway, I sent it to one of the finest hat makers in America today. The were in Buda, Texas, but now I think they moved to Lockhart. Anyway, the company is called Texas Hatters.

custom cowboy hats, Texas Hatters, western style hat maker

Copyright 2013 © Manny Gammage's Texas Hatters

They rebuilt the interior of that hat and made it brand new inside. They cleaned up the exterior, too, but could not bring it back to its original glory but do I ever have fun with it, it has SO MUCH CHARACTER.

It kind of looks like the hats worn by the policemen who were surrounding Lee Harvey Oswald when Jack Ruby shot him. You can look that picture up.



In the 1870s that might have been a fair assessment but Smith & Wesson has made better revolvers than Colt made for a very long time. I wouldn't trade my Model 27 Classic for any Colt, Pythons included, and, actually, that goes for all of my L frames, too. Shrink down to K and J frames and the result is the same in re Detective Specials, Agents, and Cobras - the Ks and Js are just better guns.
YMMV

I agree. 20th & 21st centuries S&W has ruled the roost.
Up until WWII it was Colt.

 

[chief38]

I still have mine left over from my CAS - SASS 20 year stint. Don't really wear it much now days, however my wife just wore it last week when she went to a Halloween Party dressed as Annie Oakley.

 

[kscharlie]

I'm with you tops. John B. put his name in big gold letters on
the sweat band of every one of his real Stetsons.

By the way, what's the difference in 4 Beavers or 5 Beavers?
Don't say 1 Beaver. I know that.

Hat makers designate the amount of beaver fur used in their fur/felt mix. There is no "standard", so each manufacturer uses their own "X" rating. If they don't say beaver, they most likely use another type of fur, often rabbit. Beaver is a much better fur than rabbit.

I have two beaver fur felt cowboy hats, one Resistol and one Justin (made by Milano Hat Company, Garland, Tx.). Both of them are rated at 6X and were just under $200 each. By comparison, a 100X Stetson runs right at $900!! My 6X hats work just fine, thank you.

 

[Mule Packer]

First off...just for the record, they aren't cowboy hats. They're hats! Everything else is just a cap. At least that's what one of my brothers told me many years ago. And I've worn a hat now almost every day for most of my life.

The Stetson and Resistol hats nowadays really aren't quite the same quality as the ones made forty or fifty years ago. At least that's my opinion.

I had been the recipient of my older brother's hand-me-down hats during the early years of my life until I was old enough to get a job and afford my own. It was close to fifty years ago. The hat was a brand new Stetson, 4X beaver, and cost me all of $12.50. I remember asking myself, "Golly! Can I really afford this?" But, I bit my lip, plunked down my hard-earned cash, and walked out with my very own Stetson.

That hat lasted me for years and is now in the possession of my 19-year old grandson. He first wore it on the first pack trip I took him on when he was only ten-years old. Sure, it looks a little worn now after fifty years, but it's still going strong. The quality of that old 4X beaver Stetson is so much better than the current 4X beaver hats.

While I still own a few Stetsons and a Resistol or two, they're mainly relegated to just everyday "work-around-the-homestead" wear and not dress wear. For more formal occasions, i.e. barbecues, wedding receptions, etc., I have a couple of custom beaver-felt hats.

Sadly, times change not always for the better, and the custom hat makers are the ones who are now producing hats that are comparable to the old Stetson quality.

Again, that's just my view from the saddle.

 

[mrchuck]

That picture of me,,,,that's a LE Stetson.

 

[Iggy]

My Great Uncle was a friend of John B. Jr. He gave my Uncle Buck 5 10X Beaver Stetsons called the "Big Buck" for the men in my family back in the 40s. Back then an X represented $10. At that time, this was the top of the line Stetson.
My Dad was the recipient of those hats and wore it for 20 years. I wore it in the 60's until a barbwire I was stretching broke and the end came back and took that hat off my head and put a hole in the brim within an inch of my forehead, about the size of a .50 Cal.

I don't know how long I coulda wore that hat if that hadn't happened.

 

[richcory]

Two Resistol's myself. A 20X Black Gold & a George Strait straw one. A nice felt hat has a great feel to it.

Cory

 

[crazyphil]

My Great Uncle was a friend of John B. Jr. He gave my Uncle Buck 5 10X Beaver Stetsons called the "Big Buck" for the men in my family back in the 40s. Back then an X represented $10. At that time, this was the top of the line Stetson.
My Dad was the recipient of those hats and wore it for 20 years. I wore it in the 60's until a barbwire I was stretching broke and the end came back and took that hat of my head and put a hole in the brim within an inch of my forehead, about the size of a .50 Cal.

I don't know how long I coulda wore that hat if that hadn't happened.

I said the Stetson did other chores too. I didn't know it served
as a helmet like in your case. Too bad about the hat, but maybe
it saved you a big gash in your noggin.

 

[crazyphil]

My straw hat, on the left, is by Resistol. I've had it for 55 years and it
shows. My Stetson is on the right. Only about 45 years old. My old Dad
braided the rawhide hatband for me, so it is very special.

 

[03hemi]

My 20x Resistol "Black Gold", feels like mink it's so soft. Interesting story on mine, I had ordered a Larry Mahan, which is my other favorite hat, but after waiting 3 months to be made and delivered it was made too small but marked with the correct size so the manager at Horse Town said "pick out another hat that cost more and I could have it for the $350". The "Black Gold" can sale anywhere from $450 to as much as $650 in some places, I got a steal on it for $350 in my opinion. The "BG" comes with a sterling silver buckle set made by Vogt Silversmiths in Montana, nice touch many don't realize its SS when they buy one of the "BGs".