Close your eyes and picture Gus McRae, John Wayne or Hoss Cartwright, I bet the first thing that comes to mind is the style of their cowboy hat. I’m Jeff Keane stay tuned after the break, I will tell you how this classic western apparel began as a prank. A cowboy hat is a staple of western attire yet few know the first cowboy hat was actually the result of a joke. Here’s Susan Allen. Jeff I was surprised to learn the cowboy hat didn’t come on the scene until 1865 when hat maker John Stetson took a hunting trip out west. The cowboy hat was born a result of joke by Stetson to prove he could make a hat out of felt cloth from fur, his work of art was a big brimmed oddity but  Stetson had the last laugh, he wore it while he hunted and darned if he  didn’t get sunburned or wet  so when he returned back East he began to produce the first “Western” style  hats. A good cowboy hat is made today  much the way Stetson did, using the downy soft under fur of beaver or a blend of beaver and rabbit. A hat is gauged by the X factor meaning the higher the number of X’s the higher percentage of fur felt, thus the better the hat. A cloth hat is not usally rated more than a 3X that’s why it loses it’s shape in rain. Now a good hat,  made of beaver or a fur blend will handle all  weather and a great hat, like the one Gus wore  in  Lonesone Dove just  becomes better and better with age ..until it turns into a classic. I’m Jeff Keane. .