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[alanfgag]

I guess the answer varies. There are heavy modern hat boxes that have no intrinsic value and there are old vintage hat boxes that are of value and made from lightweight chipboard. There are also different senses of what constitutes a well packaged parcel.

If the hatbox is not original to the hat and shipping it safely would require an outer box with dimensions that will result in a priority mail up charge, it might be best not to ship the hatbox and focus on packaging the hat with ample space around it so it arrives safely.

 

[Captain Lex]

So wool hats: one gets the impression from some that they are cheap knock-offs of the real deal, and are never worth the initial savings. Is this true facts? What are the real, demonstrable disadvantages of such hats? What makes fur felt the better option?

 

[Dinerman]

So wool hats: one gets the impression from some that they are cheap knock-offs of the real deal, and are never worth the initial savings. Is this true facts? What are the real, demonstrable disadvantages of such hats? What makes fur felt the better option?

Those are the facts.
Wool felt will get wrecked in the rain, fur felt holds up much better. Because of the nicer material and longer expected lifespan, fur felt hats also generally have much nicer sweatbands, and higher quality workmanship. A wool felt is a hat that will last you a year or two before you need to re-buy. And while it may take one or two re-buys of a wool felt hat to equal the initial outlay for a fur felt. But if you're planning on buying a hat as something that will actually be worn regularly, not just as a sometimes costume piece, the fur felt will be less expensive long term.
A fur felt can last a lifetime. And vintage hats prove that. Just like today, there were tons of inexpensive wool felts made in the first half of the 20th century, and while there are a lot of vintage fur felts on ebay at any given moment, the woolies just didn't make it that long.

 

[jlee562]

So wool hats: one gets the impression from some that they are cheap knock-offs of the real deal, and are never worth the initial savings. Is this true facts? What are the real, demonstrable disadvantages of such hats? What makes fur felt the better option?

Well, there's two reasons for the bias against wool felt here on the lounge.

The first is that most of us prefer a different style of hats. Aside from the fact that modern fut felt hats simply don't match the quality of those from yesteryear, the vast majority of hats made today have smaller brims and smaller crowns. This goes for wool hats too.

The second is that the difference in quality is very real between wool and fur felt. While not considered "rain proof," a good quality fur felt hat should be able to stand up to the rain. Most wool hats simply will not. They will shrink and/or taper in the crown. Even wool hats with water repellent fall to this fate. Now, this in and of itself wouldn't be so bad, certainly fur felt hats, can fall victim to rain as well. But a fur felt hat can be reblocked and restored. Wool hats cannot.

Another difference is that fur felt is simply much more "moldable" than wool felt hats allowing the wearer to change the crease to his own liking. Doing so on wool felts necessitates steam (which can taper the hat) and stiffener, and often the felt doesn't "remember" the crease as fur felt hats do.

 

[Captain Lex]

Thanks, gentlemen! You may well have saved me from making a mistake! I'll keep it in mind.

 

[danofarlington]

Fur felt hats also look better than wool hats in my opinion. The felt is thinner and give a crisper look, unlike the sweater or mitten look of a wool hat. Not that wool hats are bad--but there are a lot of fur felt hats available, and somehow they look more authentic. However, any hat is better than no hat.

 

[Connoisseur_BP]

How much is good price to pay for a vintage Stetson Whippet? I recently seen one for $100.00. Is this a fair price or would it be considered too much? The hat is in good condition, but is also brown. Not sure if this is a less desirable color for hats or not, or if it would make it worth less money.

 

[Dinerman]

It all depends on the size. The bigger the better. Brown is a desirable color.

 

[Connoisseur_BP]

It all depends on the size. The bigger the better. Brown is a desirable color.

Size is 7 1/4.

 

[Dinerman]

Yeah, you could sell that for good money.

 

[Connoisseur_BP]

Yeah, you could sell that for good money.

So would $100.00 be a good price to pay from a buyer's standpoint?

 

[Dinerman]

You would turn a profit, yes.

 

[Connoisseur_BP]

You would turn a profit, yes.

Thank you for your help.

 

[danofarlington]

Here's a question: Does anyone who does those online surveys at TFL want to do a poll about which kinds of fedoras women prefer on men, with a menu of ten to fifteen choices? They could run the gamut from stingy brims, to Open Roads, to Whippets, and other representative kinds; select "new" or "vintage" hats; and then disclose the state where the woman lives. That way you get to sort out a heavy preference for cowboy hats in the West and Southwest, from an Eastern preference for stingies, for example.

 

[Landman]

Sounds like an interesting idea for a survey. I'd like to see the results.

 

[Captain Lex]

Survey seconded!

Back on the subject of wool hats, many eBay listings simply list their hats as "felt", without identifying whether they are wool felt or fur felt. Is there a way a careful observer can tell from the pictures of the item? Are there perhaps brands for which it is unlikely to be one or the other? Might one infer that if the seller doesn't want to specify, it's because the specific information reflects badly?

 

[jlee562]

Most ebay sellers simply don't know the difference, so it's more out of ignorance than a specific attempt to withhold information. There have been plenty of fur hats labeled as wool.

You can usually tell wool by the knap of the felt, although not all ebay sellers take good photos.

 

[danofarlington]

Survey seconded!

Back on the subject of wool hats, many eBay listings simply list their hats as "felt", without identifying whether they are wool felt or fur felt. Is there a way a careful observer can tell from the pictures of the item? Are there perhaps brands for which it is unlikely to be one or the other? Might one infer that if the seller doesn't want to specify, it's because the specific information reflects badly?

Wool just looks thicker than fur felt, and the brim edges are thicker. The nap is coarse, whereas fur felt is fine-grained. Compare one wool fedora with a fur felt in person and you'll always be able to tell in photos.

 

[Captain Lex]

Compare one wool fedora with a fur felt in person and you'll always be able to tell in photos.

I will do just this thing! Thanks for all the advice, everyone!

 

[JonnyO]

Looking for assistance from anyone who has used Scout felt cleaner. Last night I used it on a hat and started brushing it off, after a few brushings there is still powder left on there, how do I get the left over off?