NCOWS hat?

[Grizzle Bear]

Some folks think that having the front of the hat turned up is just being silly.

I tell them that that is a "Sourdogh Curl" and came into being with the 49ers and other prospectors.

The reason for it is so you can be down in the creek, panning out a sample, and still keep an eye out for claimjumpers, Indians, and other such hazards.

Being a genuine gold miner, I wear a hat thusly.

Grizzle Bear

[Silver Creek Slim]

Some folks think that having the front of the hat turned up is just being silly.

I tell them that that is a "Sourdogh Curl" and came into being with the 49ers and other prospectors.

The reason for it is so you can be down in the creek, panning out a sample, and still keep an eye out for claimjumpers, Indians, and other such hazards.

Being a genuine gold miner, I wear a hat thusly.

Grizzle Bear

That is good info. Thanks, Grizzle Bear.

Slim

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I've often wondered about the front of the brim being steamed up and what significance it had in history. This thread has been most helpful. Thanks to all for the information posted here.

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[Ottawa Creek Bill]

Marshall,
If you spent any amount of time on a horse your hat would have a very noticable curled front brim, especially if the horse had any speed. ie; wind in your face and all that.

Big Hext,
I have one of the Knudsen Hat Company hats out of San Fransico, It has a six inch brim with a heavy pencil roll , and open crown. It is turned up in the front and slightly in the back. It looks like the old south western sugar loaf sombreros except that has a five inch open crown, nicest hat I have seen as yet. I will try to post a picture of it tomorrow.

Joss,
Fine looking hat, I spend a lot of time (and money) at Tonto Rim, they are only about an hour south of me.



OCB

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

This is my favorite hat. It is from the Knudsen Hat Co; out in San Francisco. Six inch Brim, 10xxxxxxxxxxBeaver.



OCB

[Delmonico]

Nice hat Bill.  My favorite is a Rand 4X6 open crown, 100% beaver (10X) black with a bound on the bottom edge. 

My second favorite is the one that don't show up well on my picture in The Shootist, course it has 3 1/2 years hard wear on it.  Plus lard, butter, flour, pine tree sap and chock-o-lit a permenant part of it.  Ad before you ask I wasn't follow Euall Gibbons, the tree sap is from huntin' deer under a pine, not from cookin'.  Oh lots of moke stains from fannin' a cookfire.

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

Delmonico,

It sounds like you've got that hat aged just about right!!

OCB

[Texas Lawdog]

Smiley was a Large Man and his movie clothes never seemed to fit him for one reason or another. He started out in the movies wearing a hat with a low crown and a wide flat brim.  I guess the Old Black hat that he wore later was just worn out and the brim was not stiff anyone.   "Frog" was one of a Kind.