# Ten Gallon Hats

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ten-gallon-hats/1663>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 27, 1999, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ten-gallon-hats/1663 "1999-06-27T16:18:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 1999, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ten-gallon-hats/1663/1 "1999-06-27T16:18:00Z")

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How did a Ten Gallon Hat come by that name? Were they once made so big so as the cowboy could water his horse ? Or was it a phrase stating that the bigger the hat, the bigger the flake? As in All hat, no cattle?

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 1999, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ten-gallon-hats/1663/2 "1999-06-27T16:44:00Z")

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Brings to mind the old joke “Why is a cowboy hat like a hemhorroid? Because eventually, every asshole gets one.”

Heh-heh. Didn’t Cecil cover this head somewhere?

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 1999, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ten-gallon-hats/1663/3 "1999-06-27T16:44:00Z")

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[http://www.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/000260.html](http://www.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/000260.html)

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 1999, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ten-gallon-hats/1663/4 "1999-06-27T16:46:00Z")

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Thank you, PB. (And thank god for nanoseconds).

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 1999, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ten-gallon-hats/1663/5 "1999-06-27T23:28:00Z")

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Wow, where was the day this was covered in Straight Dope 101? Thanks all.

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [June 30, 1999, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ten-gallon-hats/1663/6 "1999-06-30T03:38:00Z")

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Actually, I’m not sure it WAS covered in SD 101. I have seen 10 gallons at rodeos and such and while they probably could water a horse they don’t hold 10 gallons at all. They also in no way resemble sombreros. The brim is no wider than a regular cowboy hat, around 4 1/2 inches.