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Borsalino Dating: Just the Facts, Ma'am
I agree. Ageing rarely turns garbage into jewels. The alchemy doesn't work that way. :) But, I think if you took a Stetson, one of the better ones, and aged it for 50 years, even that felt would mellow out some. I doubt if the difference would be monumental though. As far as I know, age... -
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Rating brands 1 to 10
I think most of the big boys offered various models of hats to choose from, with the higher priced ones being better quality hats. There were some companies that went after the lower priced hat market, and I think those were companies like Lee, Adam, and Mallory. I could be wrong, as it has been... -
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The "Adventure Ready" Panama?
Bob, any Montecristi that I buy from here on out will be from you. Trusting your hatter is priceless!! I wish I have of known of you when I used your competitor(you know the one). I think I spent 500 bucks, with the explicit request of wanting a taller Montecristi. He said he could deliver, and... -
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Rating brands 1 to 10
Personally, I would take a vintage 7x or 10 x Stetson over a non beaver Borsa anyday of the week. But that is just me. I would also take a Cavanagh over the Borsa as well. But, it is hard to list the hats by makers as each one, over time had great hats. My top 6 would be Borsa, Cavanagh, Knox... -
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The "Adventure Ready" Panama?
And Bob, this is why I am still waiting on you to find me a Montecristi similiar to this one here. This will be my new summer hat once you can source me one. I love the ornamental vent treatment, as it looks classy to me. I would be satisfied with just the body as I could block it and... -
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Borsalino Dating: Just the Facts, Ma'am
I am certainly no expert on this. There may very well be a difference in a hat made from aged carroted fur, than one made from fresh, unaged fur. I do not know enough to really draw a conclusion. But, there had to be a reason that they aged the carroted fur. Why tie up processed furs in... -
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Newbie Needs Advice
I have made a few Bogey-esque fedoras, but I specialize in the Raiders fedora. Really, to get the Bogey hat right, it needs a welted brim, which I do not do. But here are a couple of reblocks/refurbs that I did on some vintage hats this year in the Bogey style. Personally, I recommend my buddy... -
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The "Adventure Ready" Panama?
I bought a pretty finely woven Montecristi with the idea that it would be cooler to wear in the heat and humidity. I was surprised, that at least on my head, while lighter in weight, I still sweated as much with it as my felt hat. The hat would hold water due to the fine weave, and hence very... -
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Borsalino Dating: Just the Facts, Ma'am
You know, Stetson aged the furs(don't know for how long" and this may also have been part of the aging that Borsalino used.) Then using the aged fur, they made the bodies. Then, they aged the bodies for a year. I know Stetson aged the fur in the basement, if I recall correctly. In today's fast... -
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Indiana Jones Straw
I would love to own a Montecristi with the Indy creases, creased height 5 inches at the tallest point on the sides, a nice rather square block shape with a dimensional brim of 2 7/8 by 2 3/4. Wish in one hand and.............. I guess you might find a Montcristi with a tall enough crown, but... -
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Borsalino Dating: Just the Facts, Ma'am
I think one can assume that age and felt equals better felt. Up to the point that like wine, the age overcomes the felt. Let's see we have aged beef, aged wine, aged whiskey, aged wood, aged cheese, aged felt, did I mention aged whiskey? lol It seems all of the good things in life are aged... -
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Borsalino Dating: Just the Facts, Ma'am
I believe this too. Aging felt apparently has its advantages, and it makes sense as well. To my knowledge, no modern felt is aged today, but I may be wrong as I do not have inside knowledge of all felt makers. Fedora -
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Musty old hat blocks
Yes, I have some that run that way as well. All of the new blocks that I had made have a 3/8 inch difference, that is 3/8 added to the normal head size, instead of the common 1/2 inch. It all works out of course. ;) Tricks of the trade. Logical I guess, but my blocks are all American blocks... -
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Musty old hat blocks
I have some of those as well, but what about a block size listed as 7 1/4 on the bottom but is 23 1/2 inches in circumference? :) Or a size 7 1/2 block that 24 5/8 ? :eusa_doh: I discovered these as I was sizing the sweat to fit a 7 1/4 hat size and then had the sweat to drop inside the hat... -
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Musty old hat blocks
Normally vintage brim flanges are a dark brown in color. I just cleaned mine with a little soapy water mixture and have had no problem with any color transfer, even when flanging light colored hats. I have heard both terms used in reference to this tool. I hear the term flange used more... -
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Musty old hat blocks
If you are looking for standardized sizing of all flanges and blocks-forget about it. I have blocks marked 7 1/4 that are too large. This happens in all sizes. Mad hatters disease also affected the block makers. I had to measure all of mine, and then write the circumference on the bottoms. Of... -
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Here's the modern taper monster of hats
Yes, 9 out 10 beaver hats that I get back, can be re-shaped to lessen the amount of taper.(or get rid of it completely) I recall one or two that actually needed a reblock, but both came from a run of felt that worked up differently when I made the hat. (if you work with the same felt all of the... -
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Here's the modern taper monster of hats
I have been waiting on one of my pure beaver hats to need a reblock so I could show and tell what one can expect from this modern felt. Well, it arrived this week. I had already removed the ribbon in preparation for the strip down and cleaning prior to reblocking the hat and replacing the dirty... -
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Hilarious Misinformation About US and Our Hats
I was an avid backpacker for years, much of that being solo. I know rain. I know how it is to be 4 days from civilization, on foot. I know raingear. A felt hat is not what I would want, even a vintage one. Rains that do not fall downward but seem to come up from your feet, and at other diverse... -
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Hilarious Misinformation About US and Our Hats
You may very well be correct Douglas. I am not in a position to call it one way or the other, but I have some doubts. I have quite a nice collection of vintage hats, and have bought many and converted them into Indy fedoras over the years. I mean, I would take a mint condition vintage hat and...
