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[zetwal]

Still hoping to get an answer to this question!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ligne

 

[scooter]

Thank you, Zetwal, I was off base I see, but isn't it interesting that we use such an archaic descriptive term in these times.

 

[zetwal]

Thank you, Zetwal, I was off base I see, but isn't it interesting that we use such an archaic descriptive term in these times.

It is interesting! I'm glad that cleared it up for you.

 

[Orangegrad]

Though not current production (recently discontinued), the Stetson Nostalgia is another alternative if you can find one. Similar in many ways to the Akubra Fed IV, it has a bit wider ribbon. Also comes open crown like the Fed IV, brim is 2 1/2 inches all the way around, different from the Fed IV's dimensional brim. Here's a pic of mine in Caribou, sort of similar to Akubra's Moonstone.

I haven't been able to find the Nostalgie in Caribou - and would purchase one if I could. There still may be a few brown and black Nostalgias available, but I'm thinking the Caribous are all gone. Pity, as I like the dimensions of this hat. A shame that it wasn't a big seller.

 

[David Conwill]

The Russians used lignes to describe rifle calibers until the advent of the Soviet Union!

-Dave

 

[Morte]

Ladies and gentlemen, I wonder if I might pick your brains about hats and rain.

My journey to work involves a 20 minute walk in the open, at a fixed time, and if there happens to be a thunderstorm at that time then I walk through said thunderstorm. Lately I have been thinking that I would like to wear a hat instead of using an umbrella. Whilst there are certainly hats in space age materials that would do the job, I would prefer to wear the sort of hat I see on this forum.

All the information I can find on hats and rain is relative -- fur felt handles more rain than wool, beaver fur more than rabbit, some cotton fabrics more than others, and so on. There are no specifics, no "this hat will take X amount of rain". So, I wonder if anyone might outline how a fur felt fedora would cope with these conditions? If that's unsuitable, might I assume that a leather cowboy hat or bush hat would take it on the chin? Is there anything else that you care to recommend?

Thanks in advance for any input.

 

[jlee562]

Ladies and gentlemen, I wonder if I might pick your brains about hats and rain.

My journey to work involves a 20 minute walk in the open, at a fixed time, and if there happens to be a thunderstorm at that time then I walk through said thunderstorm. Lately I have been thinking that I would like to wear a hat instead of using an umbrella. Whilst there are certainly hats in space age materials that would do the job, I would prefer to wear the sort of hat I see on this forum.

All the information I can find on hats and rain is relative -- fur felt handles more rain than wool, beaver fur more than rabbit, some cotton fabrics more than others, and so on. There are no specifics, no "this hat will take X amount of rain". So, I wonder if anyone might outline how a fur felt fedora would cope with these conditions? If that's unsuitable, might I assume that a leather cowboy hat or bush hat would take it on the chin? Is there anything else that you care to recommend?

Thanks in advance for any input.

Well, yes, what you say is generally true, beaver > rabbit > wool.

Beyond that, it's hard to say in particular unless you have a specific question about a specific hat.

I have no qualms about wearing my custom beaver hat in the rain, but my real go-to rain hat is my Akubra Fed IV. It's rabbit felt, but Akubras are made to withstand the rigors of Australia, they're tried and true hats for the elements. On the other hand, I would not get my Christy's near rain, even though it's also a rabbit felt hat.

 

[Saint-Just]

Wool felt does not usually withstand rain well. However woven wool will do very nicely. This opens up the tweed hats and caps spectrum.
Berets will do quite well as well.

For cotton, you can go the Tilley route, or see what Barbour offers, for example.

The other challenge to a felt hat in a thunderstorm is the wind...

 

[gtdean48]

Ladies and gentlemen, I wonder if I might pick your brains about hats and rain.

My journey to work involves a 20 minute walk in the open, at a fixed time, and if there happens to be a thunderstorm at that time then I walk through said thunderstorm. Lately I have been thinking that I would like to wear a hat instead of using an umbrella. Whilst there are certainly hats in space age materials that would do the job, I would prefer to wear the sort of hat I see on this forum.

All the information I can find on hats and rain is relative -- fur felt handles more rain than wool, beaver fur more than rabbit, some cotton fabrics more than others, and so on. There are no specifics, no "this hat will take X amount of rain". So, I wonder if anyone might outline how a fur felt fedora would cope with these conditions? If that's unsuitable, might I assume that a leather cowboy hat or bush hat would take it on the chin? Is there anything else that you care to recommend?

Thanks in advance for any input.

Any fur felt hat will need to be re-blocked after repeated rain soakings over time. Western & Outback style hats have more stiffener (shellac) in them than fedoras & will hold up longer to the elements. Steaming can rejuvenate the stiffener after the rain has broken it down. Hats when worn often in all types of weather need maintenance. How much it can take & how often it needs maintenance depends on what you start with & spend. Akubras are good, durable lids at an acceptable price & come in styles to suit most folks, even those of us that do have a horse or a whip....

 

[zetwal]

Lately I have been thinking that I would like to wear a hat instead of using an umbrella.

Welcome the the Lounge. Have you read the other threads related to this topic? The advanced search function will uncover quite a few. For example,

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/search.php?searchid=467626

 

[RBH]

Ladies and gentlemen, I wonder if I might pick your brains about hats and rain.

My journey to work involves a 20 minute walk in the open, at a fixed time, and if there happens to be a thunderstorm at that time then I walk through said thunderstorm. Lately I have been thinking that I would like to wear a hat instead of using an umbrella. Whilst there are certainly hats in space age materials that would do the job, I would prefer to wear the sort of hat I see on this forum.

All the information I can find on hats and rain is relative -- fur felt handles more rain than wool, beaver fur more than rabbit, some cotton fabrics more than others, and so on. There are no specifics, no "this hat will take X amount of rain". So, I wonder if anyone might outline how a fur felt fedora would cope with these conditions? If that's unsuitable, might I assume that a leather cowboy hat or bush hat would take it on the chin? Is there anything else that you care to recommend?

Thanks in advance for any input.

Welcome Morte, I use Scouts on many of my fur felt fedoras.
I have never had any felt loose color or suffer any ill effect from it.
Hope this helps.

http://www.petestown.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=589

 

[Tomasso]

I wonder if I might pick your brains about hats and rain.

For a moment I thought there was a poem coming.......

 

[T Rick]

For a moment I thought there was a poem coming.......

Cat in the hat? Don't know about that...

 

[Morte]

Thanks for the information everyone. I will now agonise between an outdoorsy felt hat requiring some care and a leather hat requiring less care, until I catch pneumonia and have to actually make a decision.

Or perhaps I'll simply choose the most pleasing hat that's reasonably suitable. That might be the saner course.

 

[hatophile]

Or perhaps I'll simply choose the most pleasing hat that's reasonably suitable. That might be the saner course.

That's what I would do.

 

[randooch]

Does Art Fawcett install ribbons on ribbonless hats?

 

[gtdean48]

Does Art Fawcett install ribbons on ribbonless hats?

Art does work like that as most hatters do.
They just have to work it in with their custom hat orders if they can or choose to.

 

[RBH]

At one time Art was doing such work only for customers that had bought a hat from him.
I am not sure how he does it now.

 

[T Rick]

Does Art Fawcett install ribbons on ribbonless hats?

At one time Art was doing such work only for customers that had bought a hat from him.
I am not sure how he does it now.

Spoke to him today about doing just that, on a 50's Stratoliner that came to me without a ribbon, and in dire need of cleaning. He's willing to do that one, and I've never bought a hat from him (yet... though it is practically inevitable!). Sending the Strat off tomorrow, the ugly "before" pics were just put up in the eBay thread here on The Lounge.

 

[randooch]

Good to have a precedent set, T Rick; now I can beg with expectations! It may even help that I'm a fellow Oregonian . . .