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[T Jones]

Just for confirmation, when did Stetson first change their sweats from the wide caramel colored ones to the narrow black sweats?

 

[Rick Blaine]

Straw cleaner

I am in need of a product/technique that will safely clean a number of nice monti's.

Johnson's baby shampoo on a damp rag? [huh]

 

[John Galt]

I think not for heavy soiling at least. Better check out the Ermatinger book. Several methods, but usually dry treatment. They are originally treated & cleaned with sulfur, I believe. I have not tried to clean one yet. A water/salt paste and sun drying would probably bleach them white again (works for canvas), but I don't know how it would effect the straw. Oxalic (I think that's right) acid was the old cheapie method (better double-check this in one of the old books - I didn't look it up again), but the good books say it is not the preferred method. Some research is in order, I think...

http://books.google.com/books?id=FE...a=X&ei=sSunU97JBYOZyASetYHQCg&ved=0CB4Q6AEwAQ

 

[Rick Blaine]

I just gave away my sulphur cabinet & am fresh out of oxalic.
Baking soda, salt and toothpaste all seem too abrasive.
I going to try Bickmore Nu Straw.
I'll let you know.

 

[LuvMyMan]

After reading some posts regarding the "newer" Stratoliner hats (premier) that seems a few people have some issues regarding the felt body of the hat...due to wet/damp conditions.

My question is, for those that purchased a batch of hats a while back, Biltmores that had open crowns looking similar to Open Road hats....how would you compare the Biltmore hats to the new Stetson hats? Any issues or even which hat seems to have a better felt body?

 

[fedoracentric]

That's an interesting question, really. I hope someone can answer it.
But, I have to say that Biltmores are not much mentioned on the Lounge.
There are a few threads talking about Biltmores, of course, but on the whole few here seem to pay much mind to the Biltmores.

 

[T Jones]

After reading some posts regarding the "newer" Stratoliner hats (premier) that seems a few people have some issues regarding the felt body of the hat...due to wet/damp conditions.

My question is, for those that purchased a batch of hats a while back, Biltmores that had open crowns looking similar to Open Road hats....how would you compare the Biltmore hats to the new Stetson hats? Any issues or even which hat seems to have a better felt body?

I think there was some discussion about the Open Crown Biltmores on the lounge....

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?54852-Miller-Biltmore-quot-Open-Door-quot-review

 

[John Galt]

I found a vintage one once that was very good quality. It seems to me that like any hat company that has been around (Bailey is another example) they have and can produce quality hats if they put their mind to it.

 

[fedoracentric]

I found a vintage one once that was very good quality. It seems to me that like any hat company that has been around (Bailey is another example) they have and can produce quality hats if they put their mind to it.

... or perhaps like every other hat company that made it through to today they just cut quality to the bone even though the used to make fine hats?

 

[gtdean48]

I have some of the last Canadian made Biltmore open crown/Open Road clones (2, 1 in silverbelly & 1 in tawny) & one of the last Beaver Brand open crown/OR clones. I compared them to my Akubra Campdrafts, both Heritage & Imperial, at the time. My mink Premiere Stratoliner is on par with these hats but I haven't had it on in foul weather & only dry creased it. It's felt body seems a tad lighter than all of these, sweatband just as nice. I'll have to take closer look at home to compare ribbon stitching. Having the tawney Biltmore & kangaroo Beaver Brand kept me from getting the tawney/Cornhill Premier Stratoliner....

 

[LuvMyMan]

I think the Biltmores were from the last "in stock" from Hats Plus....Daniel wanted one, they had already sold out of 7 1/2 sizes...but Mike (Landman) had one in Black and he never wore it, so...we have that hat here now. It is not getting any head time...sadly. Seems to be a really nice hat!

 

[Joao Encarnado]

I've been searching for biltmores western but it seems they are not very common...

 

[LuvMyMan]

I've been searching for biltmores western but it seems they are not very common...

I do not think we have seen one here in our home....but maybe? The Biltmore hat I am speaking of is really more like an open road hat than a true western style. I was just looking at the hat, took it out of the box,,,it just seems like such a nice hat. High crown, not too bad feeling the felt.

 

[WideBrimm]

How do you distinguish wool felt from fur felt? Is there a reliable way to test?

I've been trying to figure this out for the last ten years or so, ever since I got seriously interested in hats! Experience is right! I'll look over the hat, smell it, feel it, and decide I know the answer. Then, if I can somehow find an identifying label, almost inevitably I'm wrong :eeek: :eusa_doh:. What a fun game .

 

[Landman]

I think the Biltmores were from the last "in stock" from Hats Plus....Daniel wanted one, they had already sold out of 7 1/2 sizes...but Mike (Landman) had one in Black and he never wore it, so...we have that hat here now. It is not getting any head time...sadly. Seems to be a really nice hat!

From what I remember, that hat came from a batch of old stock found about the time Biltmore was closing it's factory in Canada and moving to Texas. I remember it being a well made hat with a nice felt. I have never seen one of the new Biltmores made in Texas but I would bet the one made in Canada is a better made hat than what they are making now. Here is a link to an article about Biltmore moving to Texas.

http://www.therecord.com/news-story/2594093-biltmore-hats-production-moving-to-texas/

I also have a mink Premiere Stetson Stratoliner which is a nice hat but had some minor issues with the tacking of the ribbon. That was an easy fix for me but is something I should not have had to fix. The sweatband, liner and felt on the hat is nice but, like Tom, I haven't worn it in wet weather. This was one of the first Premiere Strats and may be a better made hat than the next few batches. There have been some felt issues reported on the newer ones. Here is a link to the felt issues.

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...-Retailers!!&p=1811456&viewfull=1#post1811456

 

[Jedwbpm]

Biltmore is being made at the Milano Hat factory now. We are very impressed with the quality of the felt that is coming out of Biltmore. At first after the move they did have some problems but have since then had some of the old Canadian people come down to give dress hat classes to the Western people at Milano. Mr. DelMonico looked at some of there new wool and said you would be hard pressed to tell it was not fur. Biltmore will also make one off hats with custom colors, ribbon and brim sizes still.

As far as the Premiere Stratoliners from Stetson goes the Caribou (grey) run was awful. From what Matt told me they used the wrong bodies to make the hats. We gladly took back any that wanted to be returned and Stetson also did.

What is great is that both Biltmore and Stetson have new innovative young men doing there design.

Jeff

Jeff

 

[gtdean48]

...
As far as the Premiere Stratoliners from Stetson goes the Caribou (grey) run was awful. From what Matt told me they used the wrong bodies to make the hats. We gladly took back any that wanted to be returned and Stetson also did.
...
Jeff

Thanks for the update Jeff. Seen any of the Silverbelly Premiere Strats?

My other question is why did HatCo Quality Control let those hats out of the factory? I understand some blems getting by but to have a "premiere" line come out that used the wrong hat bodies says somebody was asleep at the wheel....back to the reason we didn't get the FedFest Strat out of the gate....JMHO....

 

[jlee562]

Yah, apparently Matt was away from the factory when the wrong hats were used. My black strat was one of those hats, making the "Royal Stetson" die on the sweat not a misprint...they just used the wrong hat bodies. Matt has graciously offered me a replacement, so I'm eager to see what comes in.

 

[fedoracentric]

I think what this shows is a learning curve for the workers. It was clear they hadn't a clue why the bodies they were using weren't the higher quality bodies. They just blindly used them to make the hats without the first thought that they had the wrong bodies. What this tends to show is that the whole industry will struggle to improve quality because all the people that could tell the difference at a glance have been dead for 20 years or more. It is a re-training process, I'd guess. The old ways are long dead and they will be hard to re-implement. It isn't an impossible goal, mind you. Just not an easy one to revive better quality hatmaking in the modern factory setting.

 

[tonyb]

Biltmore is being made at the Milano Hat factory now. We are very impressed with the quality of the felt that is coming out of Biltmore. At first after the move they did have some problems but have since then had some of the old Canadian people come down to give dress hat classes to the Western people at Milano. Mr. DelMonico looked at some of there new wool and said you would be hard pressed to tell it was not fur. Biltmore will also make one off hats with custom colors, ribbon and brim sizes still.

As far as the Premiere Stratoliners from Stetson goes the Caribou (grey) run was awful. From what Matt told me they used the wrong bodies to make the hats. We gladly took back any that wanted to be returned and Stetson also did.

What is great is that both Biltmore and Stetson have new innovative young men doing there design.

Jeff

Jeff

This is how it should work. Very good.

Also very good to hear that the Milano brand hasn't diminished under Dorfman-Pacific ownership. The few of their hats I've handled were as fine a factory-made hat as we've known in, oh, a few decades. As more and more people are exposed to a truly high-quality hat, the greater the demand for them will be. Or so I like to think. It wouldn't take the world's most gifted salesman to convince a customer that a Milano of the quality I've seen is hugely superior to, say, a poorly finished rabbit fur hat of the sort we've seen too much of in the recent offerings from the major manufacturers.