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Messages
12,384
Location
Albany Oregon
Has anyone had experience with Scala Hats? I am looking at a boater hat from their company. What is the quality like on their product? The price is quite low at $30.49 on sale for brand new so if the quality is lacking a bit its not the end of the world.
They are off the rack, not suited for your tastes as a hat aficionado. I started out with a wool Scala fedora, after I got my first vintage felt, I never looked back. I'm sure their boater is OK, and for 30 bucks it will do until a good vintage boater floats your way. Just remember, you get what you pay for. Patience Grasshopper...
 

Jeremy T Garner

Practically Family
Messages
794
Location
Post Falls, Idaho
They are off the rack, not suited for your tastes as a hat aficionado. I started out with a wool Scala fedora, after I got my first vintage felt, I never looked back. I'm sure their boater is OK, and for 30 bucks it will do until a good vintage boater floats your way. Just remember, you get what you pay for. Patience Grasshopper...
Thank you so very much for your honesty and advice. I have a Great Gatsby themed summer garden party to attend next month and am desperately trying to source a decent example of a boater. I have been striking out thus fur for vintage however I did come across a boater from the UK made by Olney. That appeared to be a very solid looking hat and that was only about $60 on eBay. Any tips on where I could look for vintage in a 7 1/2-7 5/8?
 

Nolucker

New in Town
Messages
22
Hi, I have a couple of questions about beaver felt.
1. How many pelts does it take to produce a fedora hat body?
2. Are the beavers farmed, and where are they from?
3. What do the X designations on hats refer to?
4. In modern-day hat production, including from custom makers, are there significant differences between different beaver hat bodies?
I realize that the above have probably discussed , so if someone can point me to the right links, I would be grateful. Thanks in advance
Jack
 
Messages
12,384
Location
Albany Oregon
Thank you so very much for your honesty and advice. I have a Great Gatsby themed summer garden party to attend next month and am desperately trying to source a decent example of a boater. I have been striking out thus fur for vintage however I did come across a boater from the UK made by Olney. That appeared to be a very solid looking hat and that was only about $60 on eBay. Any tips on where I could look for vintage in a 7 1/2-7 5/8?
I think I noticed that Olney. There is a dedicated threat here called the Boater Faction, it has not been on the first page for a while. There are boaters floating around the Bay on a regular basis right now. Some people want crazy money for theirs. Larger sizes are always a premium, but beware. I like an auction that has good detail shots of the crown top and edges, that is where you will see damage most often. Interior shots usually show a logo with hair oil stains pretty often. The key is to look for a good sweat attachment all around, you can fix them though. If you have the time before the garden party, I'd hit Ebay hard for one (I have been needing another boater myself, but I'm a 7 1/4LO) Vintage is always better, and with a boater, I would want to examine a modern production in person for QC Issues. My 2 cents. I bet there are more knowledgeable folks that will chime in as well. Boaters are cool, you need one.
3Jun17 Boater side.jpg
 

Andykev

I'll Lock Up
Bartender
Messages
4,118
Location
The Beautiful Diablo Valley
[QUOTE="Nolucker, post: 2261329, member: 38281"]Hi, I have a couple of questions about beaver felt.
1. How many pelts does it take to produce a fedora hat body?
2. Are the beavers farmed, and where are they from?
3. What do the X designations on hats refer to?
4. In modern-day hat production, including from custom makers, are there significant differences between different beaver hat bodies?
I realize that the above have probably discussed , so if someone can point me to the right links, I would be grateful. Thanks in advance
Jack[/QUOTE]

1. as many as it takes. Seriously. Google the felting process and you will see comments like "more beaver = better quality", but that doesn't include blends of other furs, such as Nutria. Then you need to know "how many hats are we producing?" or, "are we making stingy brim bodies or full sized westerns?" and "what is the capacity of the equipment", and what quality product do we want?..etc. This is an impossible question, and perhaps better sent to Winchester or Stetson..since they run "batches" of felt of all degrees depending on the run.
2. probably both. But from where? Europe has much of the fur production.
3. not a darn thing. X to one company is XXX to another. It was a marketing tool. No set standard, like 1 X = 10%, or XXXXX = 100%. It's all what the company decides to call their product. No regulation whatsoever.
4. absolutely. You only have to handle different batches, from the same company..or compare modern to vintage to tell. It's all in what you pay for and the process.


Most of these questions have been asked before so you might take a bit to search the HATS forum. There is a LOT to sift thru.
 
Messages
10,580
Location
Boston area
Hi, I have a couple of questions about beaver felt.
1. How many pelts does it take to produce a fedora hat body?
2. Are the beavers farmed, and where are they from?
3. What do the X designations on hats refer to?
4. In modern-day hat production, including from custom makers, are there significant differences between different beaver hat bodies?
I realize that the above have probably discussed , so if someone can point me to the right links, I would be grateful. Thanks in advance
Jack

Welcome aboard, NoLucker!

Your first question reminded me of an old Vermont story of a woman from NYC, visiting a mink farm. When she asked how many pelts they get annually from each mink, the farm owner explained that "if we skin 'em more than once a year, it makes 'em darned nervous..."

AndyKev did a better (great!) job of addressing your questions.
 
Messages
12,384
Location
Albany Oregon
Wlcm. Tried to upload a pic but couldnt. Nothing wrong with any of the Scala straw products.
Thanks for adding this, I have not seen any of their straws in person. Mike has some of the "plastic" straws in stock at NW hats, but I didn't get to see their boaters. For immediate gratification, off the rack Scala or Biltmore is probably the way to go.
 
Messages
12,384
Location
Albany Oregon
[QUOTE="Nolucker, post: 2261329, member: 38281"]Hi, I have a couple of questions about beaver felt.
1. How many pelts does it take to produce a fedora hat body?
2. Are the beavers farmed, and where are they from?
3. What do the X designations on hats refer to?
4. In modern-day hat production, including from custom makers, are there significant differences between different beaver hat bodies?
I realize that the above have probably discussed , so if someone can point me to the right links, I would be grateful. Thanks in advance
Jack
1. as many as it takes. Seriously. Google the felting process and you will see comments like "more beaver = better quality", but that doesn't include blends of other furs, such as Nutria. Then you need to know "how many hats are we producing?" or, "are we making stingy brim bodies or full sized westerns?" and "what is the capacity of the equipment", and what quality product do we want?..etc. This is an impossible question, and perhaps better sent to Winchester or Stetson..since they run "batches" of felt of all degrees depending on the run.
2. probably both. But from where? Europe has much of the fur production.
3. not a darn thing. X to one company is XXX to another. It was a marketing tool. No set standard, like 1 X = 10%, or XXXXX = 100%. It's all what the company decides to call their product. No regulation whatsoever.
4. absolutely. You only have to handle different batches, from the same company..or compare modern to vintage to tell. It's all in what you pay for and the process.


Most of these questions have been asked before so you might take a bit to search the HATS forum. There is a LOT to sift thru.
[/QUOTE]
+1
 
Messages
10,839
Location
vancouver, canada
Hi, I have a couple of questions about beaver felt.
1. How many pelts does it take to produce a fedora hat body?
2. Are the beavers farmed, and where are they from?
3. What do the X designations on hats refer to?
4. In modern-day hat production, including from custom makers, are there significant differences between different beaver hat bodies?
I realize that the above have probably discussed , so if someone can point me to the right links, I would be grateful. Thanks in advance
Jack
An advantage to going to a custom hatter is that if the felt body is not up to their standards....flawed felting, poor dye job etc, it will be rejected and a flawed hat will not be inflicted upon you.
 

Jeremy T Garner

Practically Family
Messages
794
Location
Post Falls, Idaho
IMG_452.jpg
IMG_453.jpg
IMG_454.jpg
Thanks for adding this, I have not seen any of their straws in person. Mike has some of the "plastic" straws in stock at NW hats, but I didn't get to see their boaters. For immediate gratification, off the rack Scala or Biltmore is probably the way to go.
I thought about calling Mike at NW hats to see if he could make me one with a vintage look and feel if my search fails. Granted it wouldn't be ready for next month. I'm tracking that Olney pretty hard right now and found another one that claims to be vintage from the 30s that I am doubting is that old from Italy. It was made by Ponte Rialto and is a pretty sharp looking boater. Im not sure if I'm allowed to share an active listing on eBay but I will post a few photos until I can find the rules on that.
 
Messages
12,384
Location
Albany Oregon
View attachment 76585 View attachment 76586 View attachment 76587
I thought about calling Mike at NW hats to see if he could make me one with a vintage look and feel if my search fails. Granted it wouldn't be ready for next month. I'm tracking that Olney pretty hard right now and found another one that claims to be vintage from the 30s that I am doubting is that old from Italy. It was made by Ponte Rialto and is a pretty sharp looking boater. Im not sure if I'm allowed to share an active listing on eBay but I will post a few photos until I can find the rules on that.
Both of these brands are discussed at length on the Boater Faction thread. Without further details is is hard to tell if it is 1930s, probably not, but still a quality boater. Only believe about 40% of an Ebay description, hats listed as 1940s are often a 1980s POS, and with boaters, patina often will show a hat's vintage. Ponte Rialto is a great maker, if the price is right, go for it. I haven't read the Boater thread for quite a while, it contains all of the information you could possibly need to make a decision. With your size issues, it is a strike while the iron is hot kind of thing.
 

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