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[Lt.Tom]

Does anyone know anything about "Manhattan Hats"? I just spotted this auction;

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1940s-Manhattan-Fedora-US-Mens-Size-7-3-8-Friedmans-Mens-Shop-Huntingdon-PA-/310373773348?pt=US_Hats&hash=item4843b7f024

Anything more experienced vintage hat shoppers can tell me about the hat, or the shape it's in would be appreciated.

Leave it to me to see it with 9 hours to go...........

 

[DougC]

I was hanging out at the local hat shop this morning and thought I would ask what the difference is between a modern 10x Stetson and a 4x Stetson...please don't say 6X!!! The reason I ask is that the hatter kinda inferred the 10x was a MUCH better hat...thanks for the answer.

 

[gtdean48]

I was hanging out at the local hat shop this morning and thought I would ask what the difference is between a modern 10x Stetson and a 4x Stetson...please don't say 6X!!! The reason I ask is that the hatter kinda inferred the 10x was a MUCH better hat...thanks for the answer.

Stetson has an undisclosed standard for what an X is. The more X's, the better that hat compared to other Stetson hats of the same category. X's are used on straw hats to compare to other Stetson straw hats, used on felt hats to compare to other felt hats.... What that X means could be felt content, finish quality, better sweatband, liner, ribbons, etc. only Stetson knows. A 10X is better than a 4X but is it 10 times less than a 100X????

 

[DougC]

I read a whole thread about the Stetson X's. I think I like your question better than mine--can we drag the 500x into the fight too?

Also, would I be better off getting a custom hat for the price (or a little more) than a 10x? Say, like Buckaroo Hatters or Art Fawcett?

 

[DougC]

I'm not familiar with Drake's cardigans, but if you're betting on it you could save $970 by gambling on a cardigan from Kohl's. I do it all the time, with derbies, homburgs, fedoras, and even westerns.

I picked up a cardigan from LL Bean--leather buttons and pockets even. I think it looks pretty good with a fedora.

 

[BR Gordon]

Also, would I be better off getting a custom hat for the price (or a little more) than a 10x? Say, like Buckaroo Hatters or Art Fawcett?

in my opinion there is no question, you'd be better off getting a custom hat from any of the hatters that are mentioned on this forum. I get my hats from Art Fawcett and I will continue to get them from him or one of the others spoken about here. There are exceptions, for example, when vintage hats that I like become available, I may attempt to get them.

BR

 

[DougC]

Thanks--I've got three vintage ORs and REALLY want a hat that I want to wear ALL the time. And for the cost, it would be an easy decision to buy a custom instead of the stock.

 

[jlee562]

Go for a custom, you won't regret it. In addition to Mr. Fawcett, there's Black Sheep Hat Works, Penman Hat Co, Tumwater, and Falcon park. I would highly recommend Black Sheep Hat Works.

 

[RBH]

I read a whole thread about the Stetson X's. I think I like your question better than mine--can we drag the 500x into the fight too?

Also, would I be better off getting a custom hat for the price (or a little more) than a 10x? Say, like Buckaroo Hatters or Art Fawcett?

I will be on my way to visit Mike at Buckaroo Hatters on Saturday.
I hope to have a few photos for the FEDORAS AFIELD thread.

 

[gtdean48]

...Also, would I be better off getting a custom hat for the price (or a little more) than a 10x? Say, like Buckaroo Hatters or Art Fawcett?

No doubt about it = get a custom!

 

[Ralphin Ormond]

by bowlerman:

I'm not familiar with Drake's cardigans, but if you're betting on it you could save $970 by gambling on a cardigan from Kohl's. I do it all the time, with derbies, homburgs, fedoras, and even westerns.

by DougC:

I picked up a cardigan from LL Bean--leather buttons and pockets even. I think it looks pretty good with a fedora.

Thanks for your advice, gentlemen. Having listened to the wisdom on the Fedora Lounge,I think the cardigan is going to work out ok. Part of what made it a tricky call is that, in this area where I live, I don't think I have ever seen anyone besides myself wearing a quality fedora. Nor, so far as I can recall, anyone wearing a real cardigan jacket. So putting these two articles together and wearing them is a little hard to imagine. As far as Drake's goes, I really like the Borders cashmere. It seems to me that when I buy quality things I end up, after a few years, thinking the price was well worth it, a screaming bargain. Best Regards, Ralph

 

[Pinkcoke]

Hi I've found another hat to research - has anyone heard of a hat maker called 'Brave' (logo is a crosshatched globe with plant fronds behind either side and something like a trefoil? atop the globe with Brave in 40's / 50's style type slanting across the middle. I believe the label says 6 Montera 6 Madrid underneath though it's hard to tell. The only sizing is 58 in cm I guess so would that make this a Spanish hatter? I will be posting some photos when I get daylight here to see what sort of hat it is. Pale grey soft felt with a wide black ribbon with bow and wide curled up brim with cream ribbon around edge.

 

[ButteMT61]

What are tonight's winning CA Lotto numbers please?

 

[Benzadmiral]

I know, it's odd to think about straw hats now, but The Dreaded Steambath Time (aka, Loozyana Summer) is coming, and I'll need to switch to straw. I have two shantungs that I like, but here are two Panamas I'm looking at:

http://www.bencrafthats.com/product.php?pid=480&subcname=Borsalino

and
http://www.millerhats.com/genuinepanama_index/panama2.html

Has anybody ever bought one of these? And more important, since I like a nice front brim swoop, is it possible to shape a Panama with a little sprayed-on water, or steam?

 

[Aerol]

benz-
Have you checked out Meyer the Hatter on St. Charles?

 

[VultureKulture13]

Does anyone know what brand fedora Jesse James wears?

 

[gtdean48]

Does anyone know what brand fedora Jesse James wears?

My money says it has his brand, West Coast Choppers, on it somehow. I don't think he wears anything w/o an endorsement deal around it, but you never know.
From Monster Garage, it looks like he shops with Kid Rock....

 

[Benzadmiral]

Aerol,

Oh, of course; I started my hat-wearing career with Meyer's. The two straws/Shantungs I have now, a Biltmore and a Dobbs, came from there, and I intend to keep 'em. But it's easier for me to check out, and sometimes to order, hats online than it is to get to their store on a Saturday. (Believe it or not, this third-world-quality city actually expects you to pay the parking meters downtown -- on Saturday! And they wonder why the downtown area is declining. . . .)

 

[Duper]

Miler Milan

Summer is coming and the following milan hat intrigues me. It is a bit more than I want to spend as well, but maybe it is worth the few extra bucks. I was thinking of more the $75 - $100 range for a summer hat.

http://www.millerhats.com/milam_fedora_hats/milamfedorahats8.html

I would want it in the natural colour. I want a medium size snap brim around 2 1/2 - 2 5/8 . I currently have a Sunbody hat (pressed palm), a Tilley LTM5 hat(vented nylon fabric), an Akubra Capricorn(polystraw) and a Panama hat I ordered in from Hatsdirect a few years back as summer weight hats.

I was wondering about these Milan straws. Pros, cons, options? Is shantung better, more durable, breathable, can withstand a light rain shower better?

http://www.millerhats.com/straw_fedora_hats/fedorahats4.html

Thanks!

 

[job]

A milan straw hat breaths well and looks good. I would not want to soak it but a light rain has not effected mine. They are pretty stiff but tough for a straw hat.