Adventurebilt hats - anyone ordered from?

[Guttersnipe]

I was wondering what people's opinions of them might be. Positive or negative experiences? Shipping/turn around times? promptness of responses to orders and questions?

thanks!

 

[Art Fawcett]

Welcome to the Lounge Guttersnipe

Steve Delk ( Adventurebuilt) is a highly respected member and hatter of both the Lounge and Club Obi Wan. I'm told his waiting time is over a year as he just finished making hats for the new upcoming Indiana Jones film, so the wait time is substancial, but his reputation is above reproach as far as business practices. He is as honest as it gets.

 

[indycop]

Welcome Guttersnipe! I just got my Adventurebilt back from Steve yesterday. I bought it used from another lounger and sent it in for a reblock. It did take awhile but he explained he was extremely busy with interviews and such, which is obvious as you are starting to see more press about the hats. My hat was originally a raiders hat but he reblocked it into a Crystal Skull hat for me and even put a new sweat in. There was nothing wrong with the old I don't believe but it had the old owners initials in it so it was an unasked for nice touch that made the hat really feel like my hat now!
The felt is exceptional and it is an extremely well made hat. If you email him have hat in the title, I think his spam blocker blocks out other stuff but when I used hat or hat reblock he answered the next day. If you are looking for an Indy hat that is the hat! If you want a classic Fedora of your design and also exceptional quality then you just heard from the man before me.

 

[Colby Jack]

Pictures...!!!!...Images IC!!! At least of how it looked before you sent it off...

 

[indycop]

Pictures...!!!!...Images IC!!! At least of how it looked before you sent it off...

Before pic

With my Peters Bros.

Much better looking now! but I am almost positive Steve does not want CS pics out so I will have to wait!

 

[AlanC]

Your turnaround time is going to be awhile, but he's added an apprentice to help so he's been able to up production substantially. I think there's a planned price jump when the movie premiers, so if you're going to order do it fast.

Mine should be here by the end of the month!

Can't wait to see the finished reblock, IC, but maybe I'll just look at my own when it gets here.

 

[sphughes]

I will echo the good mojo about Steve. He is first class in every sense of the expression. I ordered an AB from him in early December and I won't think about it again probably until late summer. He is a true craftsman and though he now has an apprentice working with him, he is still working through a tremendous backlog. Steve has always been very responsive to me and I have found that emailing is the best method to reach him. If you need to, schedule a time via email and exchange numbers, he will call and speak to you.

I would recommend his hats to anyone and I found a good way to make the time pass is to buy hats from Art. I just placed an order for a custom Art-Lite earlier this week and his backlog is in the 4-6 week time frame. One thing I think everyone will agree on is that you will not be sorry ordering a hat from one of these gentlemen.

-Scott

 

[Not-Bogart13]

Oh, the AB hats are fantastic. Durable suckers, too. I own one, and have seen many others in person. Steve is a great guy, but busy. Sometimes he misses communications because they get lost in the shuffle. Direct e-mail is the best way to reach him.

With his new helper, he's moving much faster now. Based on last reports, he's at the 10 month wait mark. He hopes to get it down to 8 or even 6 months, but we'll see with the new film coming out.

If you have patience and can just relax and wait for it to come, then there's no reason you shouldn't get an AB.

 

[OldSkoolFrat]

100% Beaver. Well made by a guy that refuses to advert on here.

Waiting for mine. Where is yours?

 

[Colby Jack]

Before pic

With my Peters Bros.

Much better looking now! but I am almost positive Steve does not want CS pics out so I will have to wait!

Love seein' those pics!:eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[RBH]

Got one ... waiting on another.

Steve is a super nice guy, who makes a super nice hat.

 

[indycop]

I noticed mine came back from the reblock alot softer than it was also!

 

[REAPER]

I recently ordered...

I just put in a order for the AB hat. The Raiders style everyone wants. I purchased it through Pay-Pal on the May 19 08, and as far as I know all information has gone through to Steve. But I still haven't got a reply. Though I do understand how busy he is. And I do understand that other orders from last year are just arriving to people. Only thing I'm worried about is, I ordered it on the 19th when the website had the hat for $350 plus shipping. And I got my invoice from Pay-Pal verifying my purchase. But then 2 days later "May 22nd" the price has gone up to $400 plus ship. I hope since I made my payment before the new price change, That I will still get mine made for the $360 price.

 

[AlanC]

^I wouldn't worry about it. Keep your email receipt (and maybe a printout) and hold tight. Steve apparently was sick during the period leading up to the movie's release, so he was out of commission for awhile. If you got a receipt you're on the list. And if you ordered before the release you'll get the old price.

I'm 25 days from one year waiting for mine. I'm hoping for it soon, soon, soon...

 

[REAPER]

I hope it comes for you soon as well Thanks for the reply. This is my first forum and post. I looked up alot of info about AB and peoples quotes about it. Everyone says the same thing "Just wait and it will come." and I have the patience to forget about it and it shall come. I just hope he got my order

 

[swisslet]

AB Deluxe?

I really want one of these too - they sound absolutely superb (and yours looks superb even before reblock Indycop!)

I've heard all about Steve already, but anyone here got anything to add on the deluxes that Marc makes in Germany? What's the difference? Is the waiting list any different? Over on COW they have nothing but good things to say about them both, but I'd love to hear if anyone here has a deluxe. I know with the US/Europe exchange rates at the moment, that 300 Euros is extremely prohibitive... but it's not too bad for me from the UK, so it's something I'd consider.

I've also read that they're looking to do a factory produced AB -- set in the market somewhere a little more expensive than the Akubra Federation, but obviously with the AB stamp of quality. I think it's called "The Henry"?

ST

 

[1911 Man]

I have had my AB for a few months now, and I couldn't be happier. My wait time was 13 1/2 months, but like others have said, good things come to those who wait. When I ordered mine, it was before Steve got the contract for Indy 4, and his wait times then were 6 months. They were still unsure about a 4th movie, and I just wanted a good Indy style hat, and heard great things about the AB. I ordered one, and 5 months later Steve lands the contract of a lifetime for an Indy fan. I knew this would increase my wait time, but it was ok, I left Steve alone to do his work. If I had a question, which was rare, I emailed him, and he answered. He is a very nice man, and makes a great hat.

In reference to the AB Deluxe, I don't have one, and a basic search here or Club Obi Wan will tell you more than you want to know. But I can tell you a few things. Steve makes the standard AB from basic hat making materials that are available to any hatter. Very few companies in the whole world make felt for hats, and Steve gets his hat bodies from the same company that supplies Art Fawcett, JW hats in SLC Utah, and I believe Jimmy Pierce and Peter Brothers hats (though I am not 100% sure on those last two). On the other hand, Marc of AB Deluxe has custom hat bodies made just for him, and he is the only hat maker in the world to use them. They are 100% beaver, but slightly thicker than the standard ones the other hatters use. He then has an exclusive contract from a tannery to get kangaroo hide, from which he custom cuts his own sweatbands. Most other hatters use goatskin, which is great, but easy to get and not too expensive. Roo hide is considerably more expensive, and very hard to get, but is considered about the most durable leather there is. Both the AB and AB Deluxe are crafted entirely by hand by artisans completely dedicated to making a perfect product each and every time. The basic difference is the finer materials in the Deluxe, but a standard AB will last a lifetime. My avatar has a pic of mine.

 

[indycop]

Swisslet I believe Jimmy the Lid has a deluxe and posted a thread not too long ago.

Edit: here it is.
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=30836

 

[tonyb]

I don't have an Adventurebilt but I can confirm that Steve Delk is a straight-up kinda guy. Some time ago, back before he got all tied up in the movie thing and all that sprang from it, he was good enough to answer whatever questions about hats and their making that I threw at him. He didn't charge tuition, either. He took a lot of the mystery out of it and was quite candid in the telling of how he learned what he needed to learn to set up his hat-making business.

Now that he's so busy, I think it best to leave him be for awhile. But if I were ever in the market for a first-rate hat of the style he makes, well, he'd get my business.

 

[AlanC]

I've heard all about Steve already, but anyone here got anything to add on the deluxes that Marc makes in Germany? What's the difference? Is the waiting list any different? Over on COW they have nothing but good things to say about them both, but I'd love to hear if anyone here has a deluxe. I know with the US/Europe exchange rates at the moment, that 300 Euros is extremely prohibitive... but it's not too bad for me from the UK, so it's something I'd consider.

If you're in the UK you should certainly give Marc a look. As posted Jimmy recently got one, and I know that DOUGLAS has a couple as well as Paddy (an Aviator model). Marc sources the highest grade felt and custom made roo sweats. Everyone who has one raves about them. His waiting list is a little shorter than Steve's, I think, but it's still pushing around a year.