Ian, I love your new sombrero.

[Spindrift]

I really do. Sombreros are stylish. If you’re caught out in the open and must make camp for the night, it can cover the part of your body you consider most important. A texan wearing a sombrero could be taken as a symbol of the intercultural mix of border regions, which typically results in tasty foods, interesting music and beautiful women. The sombrero has a lot going for it. But, it pains me to say, it also has some fundamental design flaws. Let’s take a closer look.

The sombrero is a headware of the classical «two diameter»- type. The part with the lesser diameter needs to closely fit the head of the user. Too often, this is not the case. The larger-diameter part (or «brim») is supposed to shield its user from the deleterious effects of the sun. It typically provides protection for the head, shoulders, torso, pelvic region and 1- 2 goats or other small mammals. So, far everything is good. Everything is static. And as long as the static fit is OK, everythig works fine........

But what happens when the sombrero is subjected to powerful acceleration, and velocity? What happens to alignment? The dynamic fit- situation is disastrous! The self-aligning properties of the sombrero is such, that users are forced to leading extremely sedate lives, as acceleration beyond the minimal will dislodge the headgear.

There are some possible remedies for this situation

1) Increase mass. By adorning the sombrero with lots of metal objects (with optional decorative function), you can improve the fit- situation, under acceleration. The added mass will also limit acceleration, in itself. But it will, invariably, lead to strain in the neck

2) To avoid a gap formation between the small-dia part, and the user’s head, a band (or «gap check») can be applied, going under the chin. But it must be perfectly matched to the throat.

3) You can augument the boundry-layer between small- dia part, and user, with an epoxy- based substance. But you’d better be sure you want to, cause you’ll be pretty much stuck with the sombrero afterwards.

Consider, in contrast- the six-pence!
It is sleek. It has a tapered nose- section. When subjected to atmospherical forces, the shape of the nose- section will generate a vertical force vector that serve to retain the headwear on the users head. This is a cap with good self-aligning properties!

 

[uncle jimbo]

I do too. Despite all the technical add-ons and improvements that Spindrift wants to add to make it more,,,,, what ever he thinks it needs to improve it.

 

[fiver]

I think he has his hat on backwards.,,,, or too tight, or maybe both, LOL

your just asking for Ian to tell the story about Taco Girl ain't ya?

 

[Spindrift]

You're got that right!

 

[Ian]

I'm happily married to a Czech lass, so the statute of limitations regarding my youthful exploits that may or may not have involved some spicy, south Texas Senoritas does not have an expiration date I could wax poetic about tacos though...

Sombreros are definitely for high-drag, low-speed application. The users typically resemble same. They are versatile though, if one chooses to increase the velocity substantially and makes the out of the appropriate material for the speed, the venerable Sombrero will dynamically morph into a much more aerodynamic shape. There is an RPM threshold though, after which the Sombrero begins a helical procession off into the next county, and in cold weather they need a Dacron filler. They don't buck the wind very well, either. But they do go to sleep at longer range, particularly right after the mid-day meal.

 

[fiver]

did you say duck into the wind so the non pointy part pushes the hat on tighter,
or that the pointy part don't stop rolling pins from creating a crease in your scalp?

 

[Ian]

Both. How do you do that? Take two paragraphs and condense it into one sentence while retaining all the meaning?

 

[fiver]

dunno, maybe that's why I don't make a living as a writer?

 

[Brad]

dunno, maybe that's why I don't make a living as a writer?

You? A writer? Kind of like Ian making a living in customer service.

 

[gman]

I'm happily married to a Czech lass, so the statute of limitations regarding my youthful exploits that may or may not have involved some spicy, south Texas Senoritas does not have an expiration date I could wax poetic about tacos though...

I always took you for a wise man!

 

[freebullet]

Hmmm, never had a sombrero. Do wear a straw cowboy hat when riding on the boats. Can't be having peeling ears/neck.

 

[fiver]

I took a customer service call once, it was about 1992 and lasted maybe 30 seconds.

 

[CZ93X62]

Limited experience with sombreros here--a bit more with the Hispanic fair sex. All can go from standing start to full insurrection/Spanish Inquisition in 4-5 seconds. All are fond of and deft with edged weapons--from pen knife to Salamanca broadsword. It is never boring. EVER.

 

[Intheshop]

If you can't pull a hoody over it....

Well,you ain't gonna last long here in the wind,cold,and rain.....not to mention welding helmets and paint respirators. But Ian just got bumped quite a few creds for the Czech wife so if he wants a sombrero,cool.

 

[Bret4207]

If I could find a Sombrero that fit my oddly shaped skull I'd probably wear it for haying season. As it is I go through a couple cheapy TSC "Henche en China" straw wannabe cowboy hats a summer. Sun protection is a real concern to those of us of Scotch ancestry- the dermatologists boat payment makers!

Every time I see a Sombrero I think of "The Three Amigos". What a great movie. Her, "Maybe I'll let you kiss me on the veranda." Him, "Uh, the lips will be fine."

 

[Ian]

I got one of those big, goofy straw cowboy hats from TSC that's really just a floppy, flat-brimmed sombrero with a creased crown like a Stetson to wear in the sun. It shades my whole upper torso from 10-3:00 in the summer. I like the elastic liner and the adjustable headband tension, it fits my long-oval knuckle-dragger sloped head fine and doesn't give me that big red crease in the front after a few hours.

Dang, can't find it now. Must have been one of those one-time truckload deals. I'm pretty sure it's Mexican palm with a huge, flat, floppy brim that must be nearly three feet in diameter. The elastic liner is pretty unique and one of the reasons I like it so much. It's sewn in flat like a washer and conforms to any size/shape head when you cram it down on your noggin, without imposing any pressure from the straw form of the crown. It also stays on pretty well without a chin strap.

 

[Bret4207]

Oh jeeze Ian! Are you cursed with the "Long Oval" head too?!!! What a pain! In a LO I'm a 7 1/4. In a hat made for a normally shaped human skull I have to go to 7 3/8 and even then it's a crap shoot if it's going to sort of fit if I jam it on or blow off in the breeze as a butterfly passes by. I picked up a nice Stetson straw some years back that as supposed to be a LO. Nope. Fit Gordy just fine though, that round headed little devil! Finding any LO is akin to winning the lottery IME.

 

[Ian]

I have a 7-3/8" LO Resistol 10X that has been steamed and stretched longwise 3-4 times and I STILL can't wear it out someplace nice because when I take it off to sit down, there's a 1-1/4"-wide red mark right in the middle of my forehead. I give up.

 

[Bret4207]

Ha! A red mark from the hat that doesn't fit or red marks from the skin cancer! Whata choice. Hence, cheapy TSC chapeaus!

 

[freebullet]

Think I got this last straw cowboy style at a truck stop in western Ne. It's much thicker than the others I've had. For $7 I'll stick with'em. If'n ya dunk it in the lake & give it a shake it makes a hot day nice for awhile.