HNC Hatworks (formerly known as Agnoulita Hats)

[Steve1857]

Giving Mr. P, with all his flakiness, some love. Wine colored antelope (suede) finish with an underwelt brim edge.

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Love that colour, Brent.

 

[Rmccamey]

Giving Mr. P, with all his flakiness, some love. Wine colored antelope (suede) finish with an underwelt brim edge.

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You won't mistake that one for a camouflaged hat! Nice, bold color.

 

[Lew Decker]

What a mixed bag of reviews.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

What a mixed bag of reviews.

If you came away with the opinion that our reviews of his hats are a mixed bag then I think you have an accurate assessment of our experiences.

I’d love to hear reviews of his 100% beaver hats from people with a lot of experience with other customs and vintage hats.

 

[Sincityhatcollector]

I just receive my Agnoulita Raider Fedora today. I love the feel and weight of the hat. I feel the color of the felt is spot on. I love that the Raider's turn was built in. I'm debating if I should adjust the pinch or leave it as its. It shipped a week early. I did not make any request for changes. So beyond confirming my Esty order with Mr. Pappa, there was not any real need for a lot of communication. I do plan on order from him again in the future.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

After a couple years away, I reached out to Mr. P today. He immediately answered my email and reminisced on our past collaborations. A couple of things he related I thought would be of general interest:

“I now finish my hats with cotton-viscose ribbon and a luxurious pure viscose duchess satin lining with a nice piping to keep the liner in place. I have invested laboriously in improving my materials and added a few features I am sure you'll love, e.g., my rolled edge sweatbands for added comfort and durability.”


“The fighting in Eastern Europe has messed up our supply lines as most fur farms are located in Ukraine. Tonak's processing times have increased from 6 to 12 weeks. So have their prices. Let's hope this war stops soon for the sake of all the families suffering there. Ukrainians used to live exactly as we do, a western style of life. It is shocking and alarming to see that things we take for granted can change overnight.”

 

[belfastboy]

After a couple years away, I reached out to Mr. P today. He immediately answered my email and reminisced on our past collaborations. A couple of things he related I thought would be of general interest:

“I now finish my hats with cotton-viscose ribbon and a luxurious pure viscose duchess satin lining with a nice piping to keep the liner in place. I have invested laboriously in improving my materials and added a few features I am sure you'll love, e.g., my rolled edge sweatbands for added comfort and durability.”


“The fighting in Eastern Europe has messed up our supply lines as most fur farms are located in Ukraine. Tonak's processing times have increased from 6 to 12 weeks. So have their prices. Let's hope this war stops soon for the sake of all the families suffering there. Ukrainians used to live exactly as we do, a western style of life. It is shocking and alarming to see that things we take for granted can change overnight.”

Yes, Ukraine supplies upwards of 30% of the beaver pelts to the industry. I think they largely come from the swampy lands along the Belarus border. Mill Whse just received his order of beaver felts from Ukraine so some is being produced....
All good vintage ribbon is cotton/rayon composition. Viscose is another term for Rayon so he is supplying a modern equal to vintage. Modern rayon is a bit stiffer and harder to work with than vintage but still so much better than Poly or cotton/poly blends.

 

[StoryPNW]

I just receive my Agnoulita Raider Fedora today. I love the feel and weight of the hat. I feel the color of the felt is spot on. I love that the Raider's turn was built in. I'm debating if I should adjust the pinch or leave it as its. It shipped a week early. I did not make any request for changes. So beyond confirming my Esty order with Mr. Pappa, there was not any real need for a lot of communication. I do plan on order from him again in the future.

Did you get the rabbit felt or splurge for the beaver?

 

[Sincityhatcollector]

Did you get the rabbit felt or splurge for the beaver?

I went with the rabbit felt. As I was trying to purchase a replica style hat. I plan on making another purchase from him this December and if funds allow will purchase beaver felt.

 

[StoryPNW]

I went with the rabbit felt. As I was trying to purchase a replica style hat. I plan on making another purchase from him this December and if funds allow will purchase beaver felt.

Thank you, how would you compare the felt and the finish to an Akubra? If you have had an Akubra. Are you still happy with the quality of the Agnoulita?

 

[Sincityhatcollector]

Thank you, how would you compare the felt and the finish to an Akubra? If you have had an Akubra. Are you still happy with the quality of the Agnoulita?

I have not handled an Akubra. I have handled various Stetson fur felts and would say its is of similar quality to their rabbit fur felts.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Thank you, how would you compare the felt and the finish to an Akubra? If you have had an Akubra. Are you still happy with the quality of the Agnoulita?

Agnoulita offers various finishes. I’d say the felt is different but in the same general quality range as Akubra. Then again, I don’t find Akubra to be consistent with their felt even when comparing the same grade.

I really like the antelope/suede finish rabbit fur felt Agnoulita offers.

 

[belfastboy]

Thank you, how would you compare the felt and the finish to an Akubra? If you have had an Akubra. Are you still happy with the quality of the Agnoulita?

I have purchased a great many Tonak felts from MrP at Agnoulita. If I am correct in thinking these are the felts he uses in his hat making ....I really like them The felt is a mid weight 140gr dress weight. It is on the soft side and often will have to stiffen some but the felt has a very nice hand to it. I would buy more but the felts are on the small side and if the client is 7 1/2 or larger and wants a 3" brim or better then it is very hard to achieve those dimensions with his felts. I have some Tonak beaver but not from him...from another Tonak supplier. Same description. .....nice plush hand, very soft and quite small felts.

 

[jeff]

I'm curious if anyone's tried the "rolled sweatband" option? It's a bit pricy at $25, but if it's a dramatic improvement, I'm game. But first I'm curious if anyone's already taken the plunge and can give their opinion.

 

[belfastboy]

I'm curious if anyone's tried the "rolled sweatband" option? It's a bit pricy at $25, but if it's a dramatic improvement, I'm game. But first I'm curious if anyone's already taken the plunge and can give their opinion.

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It would be interesting to hear their explanation of the 'how' it makes a difference. Looking at the picture they just roll the leather over and I cannot see how that would make any difference to the comfort. A distinction without a difference? Marketing? A way to increase the revenue on each hat?

 

[jeff]

Looking at the picture they just roll the leather over and I cannot see how that would make any difference to the comfort.

I'm wondering if the extra leather folded over allows a bit more "self-conformance"-ability? That's the only thing I can think of.

 

[belfastboy]

I'm wondering if the extra leather folded over allows a bit more "self-conformance"-ability? That's the only thing I can think of.

That edge of the sweat normally has no treatment so it is naturally self conforming. If it is good quality roan leather it is by nature super soft, super malleable. It is the reed and reed tape on the outer edge of the sweat that holds a modicum of rigidity but if the sweat is sewn in properly the reeded area does not touch the forehead.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Mr. P also tried to up-sale me on the new sweatband. I honestly can’t remember if I went for it. I do remember him saying he thought they were more comfortable, but he didn’t explain how. If my hat arrives with it I’ll be able to make an assessment.

 

[M Hatman]

I have at least three hats with rolled sweats....all 1930's or before. Many (if not all) of the Stetson "Fray" sweats are so finished.

They certainly look nice, and they have none of the splits, chipping or cracking often seen on vintage raw edge sweats. I always assumed that was their reason for being.....the finished appearance.

I believe I have at least one ad that mentions such a sweat treatment as a feature of the quality.

Now as far as wearing them.....I have seen no appreciable difference to the feel (other than the ones that are unreaded. I ALWAYS find unreaded sweats more conforming and comfortable)...........YMMV.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

My last new Agnoulita was from October 2019. I decided to order another for three reasons:

1. I wanted a lords hat and those are tough to find on the vintage market in my size.

2. I wanted to see how his beaver felt compared as all my other Agnoulitas have been rabbit or hare (they didn’t used to offer beaver).

3. I wanted to see how Mr. P’s hat making has changed in the last three years.

This hat took an extra four weeks to complete as we had to wait on the specific ribbon I wanted. The curl wasn’t what I wanted when I received the hat. Mr. P had minimized the curl to give me the widest possible brim that he knew I wanted. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t the style I wanted. He sent a DHL driver to pick it up and within 10 days I had the hat back and the curl was fixed. Great service!

Mr. P calls the felt color Pewter. The hat has an open crown height of just over six inches and the brim is just under three inches before the curl. The felt is nice and an immediately obvious step up from the rabbit or hare felt. It isn’t as nice, in my opinion, as FEPSA or Winchester, but it’s not at all disappointing. It has some spring back and needs steam to hold its shape, but it’s dense and has a nice hand. I have no hesitation recommending the felt.

The hat has his new curled edge sweatband and I can’t say I can tell a difference yet. Maybe over the years? It’s certainly comfortable and super thin and supple…it’s the nicest leather sweatband I’ve seen on any of my custom hats. The the fit (size 62cm) is perfect too. I did find it interesting that the sweatband was sewed on differently from any other hat I have, including my older Agnoulitas. The stitching to the felt is usually right at the stitching where the reed is sewed to the leather. It doesn’t make a difference on feel, but it’s different (see last photo). Nice to see that he is now sewing in the liners too.

It’s a win and a bargain at less than $300 with free shipping!