Help, I'm a hopeless addict!

[BillGabby1]

I have hats but I only wear them when I go out, for protection from the sun.
Mainly tho as a locksmith whenever I touch a hat it gets black graphite all over it, in the daytime--I wore my hats more when I had a dog to walk

Simple fix for that is wear a black hat, and when it gets too full of graphite chuck it and get another.
I'm talking ball caps because they are usually cheap.
I often throw mine in the washer when they get grimy, then stretch them over an appropriate sized pot and set them outside in the sun to dry, that way they keep their shape better.
Eventually they get too worn or some have cardboard in the bill and that will eventually deteriorate too much and out it goes.
I probably have a dozen caps but only wear a few regularly.
When I go to town I wear my USN cap as I'm proud of my service.
Just ordered a Blue leather News boy or Drivers cap, got it off eBay for less than $8 including shipping. Expect to see it in about a week, it's shipped via USPS Which should stand for U Ship Plenty Slow! I'm a tightwad because I'm on SS and can't afford multiple hundreds of dollars for head gear, I'm lucky to be able now and then to scrape together enough to buy a gun. But that isn't very often. I wear Rustler Jeans because they are about half what Wrangler's cost, cheap polo pocket shirts when I can find them, I shop the thrift store now and then, and found a great leather jacket for $20, that I really enjoy wearing when it's cool. I don't dress up much anymore. At pot bellied and 75, I really could care less, but if we're going out for dinner someplace nice, I'll put on my western style jacket and a Bolo Tie and one of my dress hats, and my newest pair of Rustlers, and off we go. Sure miss my boots!
Doesn't seem to matter I get all kinds of hugs from the ladies either way must be my sparkling personality, sure isn't my looks!
Gabby

 

[billdeserthills]

I hear older ladies live for a husband, and there are several for each older man-
I had a older friend, he used to have the older women fighting for the chance to cook him dinner. He used to smoke my old brand, too-Camel regulars--Only thing is he wasn't a quitter, like me & one day he started coughing up blood-- I guess those Camels did the trick after all

My current older friend is a smoker too & 75 y/o
says he just can't quit

Anyhow Bill, I still can't see how to erase my full mailbox
guess I need an 8 year old

 

[Captain O]

Simple fix for that is wear a black hat, and when it gets too full of graphite chuck it and get another.
I'm talking ball caps because they are usually cheap.
I often throw mine in the washer when they get grimy, then stretch them over an appropriate sized pot and set them outside in the sun to dry, that way they keep their shape better.
Eventually they get too worn or some have cardboard in the bill and that will eventually deteriorate too much and out it goes.
I probably have a dozen caps but only wear a few regularly.
When I go to town I wear my USN cap as I'm proud of my service.
Just ordered a Blue leather News boy or Drivers cap, got it off eBay for less than $8 including shipping. Expect to see it in about a week, it's shipped via USPS Which should stand for U Ship Plenty Slow! I'm a tightwad because I'm on SS and can't afford multiple hundreds of dollars for head gear, I'm lucky to be able now and then to scrape together enough to buy a gun. But that isn't very often. I wear Rustler Jeans because they are about half what Wrangler's cost, cheap polo pocket shirts when I can find them, I shop the thrift store now and then, and found a great leather jacket for $20, that I really enjoy wearing when it's cool. I don't dress up much anymore. At pot bellied and 75, I really could care less, but if we're going out for dinner someplace nice, I'll put on my western style jacket and a Bolo Tie and one of my dress hats, and my newest pair of Rustlers, and off we go. Sure miss my boots!
Doesn't seem to matter I get all kinds of hugs from the ladies either way must be my sparkling personality, sure isn't my looks!
Gabby

I have a few cheap caps and a nice Herringbone Tweed Cap as well as my Christys' of London brown/green Herringbone Tweed (made in Italy) A $60.00+ wool fedora for less than $30.00. I often wear a "less than dressy" cap, but always look sharp.

I have a tan wool driver's cap. I just gave away a gray "newsboy" cap I paid $2.50 to buy to my pastor. Dressing well doesn't have to cost a million dollars. Etsy sells "vintage" dress hats in good condition for pennies on the dollar.

I'm waiting for a hat jack (hat stretcher) for my dress hats so that I can buy a 6 7/8 and steam/stretch the hat until it fits properly. I know how to shop, then again, I know when to buy high-end clothing.

You only live once.

 

[BillGabby1]

I hear older ladies live for a husband, and there are several for each older man-
I had a older friend, he used to have the older women fighting for the chance to cook him dinner. He used to smoke my old brand, too-Camel regulars--Only thing is he wasn't a quitter, like me & one day he started coughing up blood-- I guess those Camels did the trick after all

My current older friend is a smoker too & 75 y/o
says he just can't quit

Anyhow Bill, I still can't see how to erase my full mailbox
guess I need an 8 year old

Well I was going to PM you then old numb nuts remembered your inbox is full DUH!.
OK Click on your inbox it looks like an envelope at the top of the page next to your alerts and your avatar and name.
That will open your mail and at the front of each message there is a small check box, click on that and a dropdown will give you several options , click on "Deselect" and hit ok or enter whichever it shows. It's been 5 minutes already and I'm losing it.
That should get you doing the right thing, You can click on as many boxes as you want and deselect the whole bunch at once! Give it another try. I went back to clean up my letter box an rediscovered another thing when you click on the message a pull down drops down and asks if you want to leave the conversation, a click on that and it's gone too, eezy cheezy!
Gabby

 

[Captain O]

Yesterday, my Hat Jack arrive in the USPS delivery. For $11.25 it was cheap at half the price. I stretched out my Navy Blue Reed Hill Bowler just a bit. Now it fits perfectly. I also stretched out my Dobbs Dutton. It also fits "just right". (This purchase already saved me $20.00 for each cover by not having to traipse into Portland to have John Helmer stretch them).

As it is with reloading equipment, this was truly a cost-effective investment.

 

[billdeserthills]

Yesterday, my Hat Jack arrive in the USPS delivery. For $11.25 it was cheap at half the price. I stretched out my Navy Blue Reed Hill Bowler just a bit. Now it fits perfectly. I also stretched out my Dobbs Dutton. It also fits "just right". (This purchase already saved me $20.00 for each cover by not having to traipse into Portland to have John Helmer stretch them).

As it is with reloading equipment, this was truly a cost-effective investment.

$11.25 sounds like a great deal,
I just ordered one for that price too
I have a couple of old hats that have become too small myself

 

[Captain O]

The less expensive (wool and wool blend) hats are easier to stretch up to an inch (2.54 centimeters). Wool will tend to shrink back to its original size. Rabbit and Hare fur tends to remain stretched You have to "steam and stretch" hats properly to make them retain their "stretched" length.

The more expensive (fur and fur blend) hats are easier to keep that way. Stretching my Dobbs Dutton was a "walk in the park".

 

[billdeserthills]

The hats I wanna stretch are cotton

 

[Captain O]

The hats I wanna stretch are cotton

100% Cotton can tend to shrink and return to its original size. Cotton is fine, but it has its drawbacks.

 

[billdeserthills]

100% Cotton can tend to shrink and return to its original size. Cotton is fine, but it has its drawbacks.

Cotton works fine until it gets wet,
I like the Henschel hats
link www.henschelhats.com
the wide brimmed summer hats are nice in the sun

 

[Gaucho Gringo]

Yesterday, my Hat Jack arrive in the USPS delivery. For $11.25 it was cheap at half the price. I stretched out my Navy Blue Reed Hill Bowler just a bit. Now it fits perfectly. I also stretched out my Dobbs Dutton. It also fits "just right". (This purchase already saved me $20.00 for each cover by not having to traipse into Portland to have John Helmer stretch them).

As it is with reloading equipment, this was truly a cost-effective investment.

John Helmer is still in busines??. I thought they had gone the way of the buggy whip factory. Next your going to tell me Fahey Brockman and Florsheim Shoes stores are still there.

 

[Captain O]

John Helmer is still in busines??. I thought they had gone the way of the buggy whip factory. Next your going to tell me Fahey Brockman and Florsheim Shoes stores are still there.

I'll be receiving my new Magill bowler from John Helmer in another 15 days or so (since the hat is being handmade in Quebec for me it is taking about a month for delivery to Portland).

John Helmer is still the only real Haberdasher between Seattle and San Francisco on the west coast. (He's been in business since 1921 and it looks as if he'll be there a lot longer).

Go to www.johnhelmer.com. He sells suits, hats, shirts, ties, shoes, walking sticks, canes, socks, and spats. (Yes, he still sells spats). Surprise yourself and see what he has to offer. He's at 969 SW Broadway (Broadway and Salmon) Portland, Oregon 97205 (503) 223-4976.

 

[Captain O]

I just found (and bought) a 5" crown stingy-brimmed (1 1/2") "fedora" with a "V" center dent It is a brown Royal Stetson hat with a dark liner that seems in excellent shape for it's age. I paid $14.95 For the hat and $9.25 for the shipping. The hat is in beautiful condition, (no bug bites and the sweatband is in excellent shape for it's age and style.

Life is good.