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[Corky]

My son just registered to become an FL member and I cannot for the life of me add a photo of him for his avatar? What changed?!!

Try using a different Browser. I can't post photos in Chrome, but I can in Firefox.

 

[rrd]

Few different newbie hat questions

Hello new to the forum,

I would purchase a Stetson Whippet. Unfortunately, the price tag may be a little out of my price range. What other hats I could look at that are similar?

I am specifically looking for a medium gray c crown or tear drop fedora with black ribbon, bound 2 1/4-2 1/2 snap brim.

Is the whippet considered crushable or are hats with snap brims not crushable?

From what I have read so far it seems like buying a used older hat will be the best route, I also saw a demonstration of how to create a teardrop. Can you create a teardrop from a fedora that is I guess more traditional center crease?

Thank you for your help.

 

[jbucklin]

If you are talking about the modern Whippet, no---they are not crushable (and I also doubt that the vintage ones are). Also, it is made with their "Sovereign" felt, which is their highest quality of felt, and is more expensive than what they call the "Royal" line of felt hats. Try looking at the Stetson Downs---it is of the Royal variety and has the same dimensions as the Whippet and the Chatham. Also, you could try an outlet store such as the Resistol Outlet Store in Garland, TX which sits right next to the factory where Setsons are now made and find a new Whippet for $100.

Of course, if it's vintage you're seeking, then disregard most of my reply.

 

[gtdean48]

Any hat is crushable. The question is whether it is uncrushable.... Seriously, the only crushable hats I have encountered are wool felt. Borsalino, Akubra, & Christy's have foldaway, travellers, etc. there are very lightweight fur felt designed for short periods of storage while traveling.
Depending on how much crown you have to work with, you can put a teardrop in a hat. It depends on how deep you go & if you can dome the inner portion to keep the top of the crown off your noggin when wearing it.

Welcome the Lounge....

 

[Historyteach24]

Hey man welcome to the lounge! I have only been into proper hats for about two years so I know where you are coming from! I think with your budget that your best bet would be to look on ebay. You are NOT going to find vintage stetsons for cheap but Dobbs and other such brands can be had. Depending on your hat size vintage fedoras are available daily. Now the crown question is yes, you can put a bash in yourself and there are multiple tutorials on here and youtube. I suggest if you go with a teardrop that you have some crown to work with. I have a Stetson Saxon that only looks good in a center dent because the crown is low. Hope I helped.

 

[Benzadmiral]

rrd,

Welcome to the Lounge! Depending on your size, you can find a vintage Stetson on eBay for less than $100. I just landed a medium gray Royal Stetson, which looks much like the old Whippet, with tallish crown and 2 3/8" bound brim, for $82 with shipping, and a dark brown one earlier this fall for about $70. I'm a size 7, though, so your mileage may vary.

 

[rrd]

Thanks everyone for answering. I really appreciate it. I wear a 7 1/4 and have been looking for awhile. I think I am really just looking for the whippet or something similar so I have limited my selection.

Can anyone comment on the new whippet? Is it worth their enough quality in the materials and handling to make it comparable to the older offerings?

 

[jlee562]

Thanks everyone for answering. I really appreciate it. I wear a 7 1/4 and have been looking for awhile. I think I am really just looking for the whippet or something similar so I have limited my selection.

Can anyone comment on the new whippet? Is it worth their enough quality in the materials and handling to make it comparable to the older offerings?

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?52967-Modern-Whippet <-- whole thread on the modern Whippet. No modern Stetson will be able to measure up to a vintage Whippet, but it seems as if many are satisfied with their modern Whippets.

 

[rrd]

Thanks I tried a search figuring there would a thread but didn't see it.

 

[DavidJ]

About how much would it be to get a sweatband replaced by optimo with shipping from OK?

 

[zetwal]

About how much would it be to get a sweatband replaced by optimo with shipping from OK?

Why not contact Optimo and ask them?

http://optimohats.com/alt/hat_services

 

[DJH]

DavidJ, you can use the prices on the page Zetwal linked to as a good guide.

When you send your hat to Optimo, you'll get a call from the lovely Tiffani and she'll tell you exactly how much based on what you want an the condition of the hat.

 

[rrd]

Does anyone know when Biltmore used a red circle logo on their hats?

 

[Tommy]

So I have a question... I have recently started wearing a nice fedora on a regular basis and find myself wanting more. I do have one hat store which I can go and try on different hats and enjoy doing it, but outside of the style and feel, I don't know what else to be looking for. Is there any tips to be offered up to buying nice quality hats? How do I tell the good vintage hats from something that really isn't vintage, just worn? Also when searching eBay, is there a science to finding a good hat, or is it really just hit or miss?

If a nice fedora is what your looking for, and you seek to understand the attributes and qualities of a nice fedora, take the time to look through the entire Art Fawcett Hall of Fame thread http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?13023-Art-Fawcett-Hall-of-Fame. It will at least provide you many examples of quality and what to look for in a hat.

 

[rrd]

Is there a thread that discusses what repairs are possible to hats? It seems like sweatbands, lining, stretching, changing the form, adding or changing ribbon color, cutting the brim down are all possible. I am guessing that changing the color, repairing moth bites are not. What about something like this?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/330661307943?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

 

[jlee562]

Is there a thread that discusses what repairs are possible to hats? It seems like sweatbands, lining, stretching, changing the form, adding or changing ribbon color, cutting the brim down are all possible. I am guessing that changing the color, repairing moth bites are not. What about something like this?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/330661307943?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

Not knowing what made the mark, it's impossible to say. From the pictures, it looks like it may be able to be brushed out.

 

[JAVIER]

Sorry for my ignorance, what is a taper on a crown of a hat? images helpful...TY

 

[jlee562]

Sorry for my ignorance, what is a taper on a crown of a hat? images helpful...TY

Taper denotes, well, how tapered the crown is.

Which is to say how straight, or not, is the crown?

For example, the Akubra Federation IV has little to no taper:

See how the sides are basically straight up and down? Now, contrast that with say, a Stetson Temple:

This crown is tapered, the sides "lean" in towards the top.

 

[Chinaski]

Javier, the taper refers to the profile of the crown. To give two extreme examples, a witches hat or a dunce cap comes to a point at the top of the hat. This is some serious taper. Abe Lincoln's hat, aka a stovepipe hat, maintains the same width from the bottom portion that fits around your head to the top of the hat. That is zero taper.

Hope that helps.

 

[JAVIER]

Cool, I figured it was some type of fading effect per say as in hair cuts.