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[Frunobulax]

If you remember the 70s - you were probably not there

Sorry, the horrible fashions are burned into my brain...even pharmaceuticals can't cure that.

Not even this will help...

 

[TheDane]

Sorry, the horrible fashions are burned into my brain...even pharmaceuticals can't cure that

 

[belfastboy]

The Fedora Lounge is populated by very different people - with just as different focus when it comes to vintage hats. Some like one model from one brand, but not some other models from same brand. Others would prefer a whole other brand, and so on.

The same goes for customs. The different hatters have different focus, and that focus should be as much in sync with yours as possible. It's not that one hatter is a whole lot better than the other, though differences in quality also exist. It's a little more complicated. Who was the best guitarist back in the 70s, Hendrix or Clapton? No easy answers to that question, either

Personally I never fancied Bob's (or any other's) ostrich sweat. It resembles me too much of my pimpled forehead during my puberty. I also (as one of the few) don't like Art's ribbon bows. He's draping (or turning) the "slack" in the center of the bow upward under the knot. All other hatters and factories, that I know of, turn(ed) it downward, which makes the upper edge of the bow drape a whole lot nicer to my eyes.

Things like that are personal preferences, that you can discuss with the hatter and find solutions for. On top of that there're differences to how they treat the felt, etc.

Whether one hatter is better than the other depends a lot on your personal set of preferences, and what the hatter has to offer. Peeled and cooked potatoes - hashbrowns - fries? It's all up to you

All that said, Drexler, Bob and Art are all very competent hatters - and in my mind among the best. I would anytime prefer them (and one or two more) over the cheaper custom hatters. But that's again based on very personal views

Thank you, I am just trying to get a feel for the opinions. The difficulty with Custom hatters is that I don't get to sample the goods before ordering due to the distance. I can listen to the various guitarists and form an opinion, I can eat the diff types of potatoes. The problem with the hats is that I can't do that and while I possibly will take a leap and order an expensive hatter's product like I have with Leon Drexler, do I do it again with another hatter or revert to my known hatters? Still in the question.

 

[TheDane]

I can listen to the various guitarists and form an opinion, I can eat the diff types of potatoes

Yes, but you will probably have some difficulties explaining the exact reasons why you prefer one guitarist or potato over the other. Taste can be as hard to explain to another person, as it is to explain a color to a colorblind. We think, see and feel so differently

Your own explanation:
"My Falcon is a nice hat, different in its way but not much nicer and they now charge almost twice that of Mike"
- is not particularly informative, when it comes to specific differences. I don't say that to criticize you - just to point out that these subjects are hard to explain, and it can be rather complex to justify your views

 

[TheDane]

Still in the question.

Coming from a country with next to no hat shops and not a single custom hatter, I know your problem - so you've been puzzling in my mind

Perhaps asking for Loungers with a VS and/or BSHW, living in a radius of two hours from your location would help. Then you could bring your own hats and compare them side by side to the VS/BSHW. As a bonus you get to meet a fellow Lounger irl

 

[belfastboy]

Coming from a country with next to no hat shops and not a single custom hatter, I know your problem - so you've been puzzling in my mind

Perhaps asking for Loungers with a VS and/or BSHW, living in a radius of two hours from your location would help. Then you could bring your own hats and compare them side by side to the VS/BSHW. As a bonus you get to meet a fellow Lounger irl

That is a great idea, combine two things I love, hats and travel!

 

[FedoraFan112390]

What size brims would you guys estimate are in the following two pix:

 

[Zombie_61]

What size brims would you guys estimate are in the following two pix:

Best guess, 2" in the first photo, 1-1/2" to 1-3/4" in the second. Maybe.

 

[Michael R.]

I think Al The Zom nailed it . (IMHO) Nice Pictures !

 

[g.durand]

Sorry, the horrible fashions are burned into my brain...even pharmaceuticals can't cure that.

Pharmaceuticals created that...

 

[Chamuco]

Hi there...

Just one quick question.

I have seen pics of older Stetsons that the size tag has only a 3/8, 1/2, 5/8. Etc what will the equivalent be today, like 1/2 will be 7 1/2?

Sent from my LG-D855 using Tapatalk

 

[Joao Encarnado]

Hi there...

Just one quick question.

I have seen pics of older Stetsons that the size tag has only a 3/8, 1/2, 5/8. Etc what will the equivalent be today, like 1/2 will be 7 1/2?

For what I have seen 1/2 usually is a 7+ size (7 1/2), the same for 1/8, 3/8, 1/4... now 7/8 or 3/4 can be a 6 or a 7

 

[Frunobulax]

Pharmaceuticals created that...

HAH!!

Hi there...

Just one quick question.

I have seen pics of older Stetsons that the size tag has only a 3/8, 1/2, 5/8. Etc what will the equivalent be today, like 1/2 will be 7 1/2?

Sent from my LG-D855 using Tapatalk

Normally, from what I've seen, the designations 7/8, and 3/4 would assume to be preceded by a 6. The designations 1/8. 1/4, 1/2 would be preceded by an assumed 7. Are you looking at the one on eBay with the 5/8 designation? If so, I'd query the seller to provide measurements of the oval. Hatmakers didn't anticipate we'd be buying hats by photos alone, so you would know if you were holding a smaller or larger hat. In this case, the seller somewhat adds to the confusion with his/her description. They have the hat; they should be able to tell the buyer whether it's larger or smaller than a 7.

 

[Frunobulax]

I have an old hat I'm rebuilding from the ground up. I removing the old sweatband and the like in preparation for a naphtha bath, the old reorder tag detached from the felt and came off. It's still in good shape, it just fell off. I would like to re-attach this tag during my rebuilding process.

Any suggestions on what type of adhesive I could use?

THX.

 

[Chamuco]

HAH!!



Normally, from what I've seen, the designations 7/8, and 3/4 would assume to be preceded by a 6. The designations 1/8. 1/4, 1/2 would be preceded by an assumed 7. Are you looking at the one on eBay with the 5/8 designation? If so, I'd query the seller to provide measurements of the oval. Hatmakers didn't anticipate we'd be buying hats by photos alone, so you would know if you were holding a smaller or larger hat. In this case, the seller somewhat adds to the confusion with his/her description. They have the hat; they should be able to tell the buyer whether it's larger or smaller than a 7.

Thanks a lot !!! I will,ask then !

Sent from my LG-D855 using Tapatalk

 

[alanfgag]

... I would like to re-attach this tag during my rebuilding process. Any suggestions on what type of adhesive I could use? THX.

Fabri-Tac is my choice for this type of thing. Available at Joanne Fabric.

 

[Xylophile]

This seems to work on other sites, so I figure that it deserves a shot here.

If you've got a quick hat question and don't see a thread for it, just post it here. Whether the question is about cleaning, anatomy of a hat, brands, etc., this is the place.

Here's one to break the ice.

Does anyone have one of these Penman hat jacks?

 

[Frunobulax]

Fabri-Tac is my choice for this type of thing. Available at Joanne Fabric.

Thank you, Alan. Perfect!

 

[TheDane]

Does anyone have one of these Penman hat jacks?

I'm not sure he makes them anymore - at least they're out of stock.

In my view the legs are definitely an issue. I don't know, if it's made to personal oval, or it's a "one size fits all". Being a Long Oval, the latter could be an issue for me too.

I like the idea of the bracket and adjusting nut, though

 

[FedoraFan112390]

Where can I get a hat like my father's?