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[belfastboy]

Thank you. This makes me feel better about ordering a Gannon. How do you address head shape and not just circumference if you don't use a conformateur? One shop told me that I'm a long oval, but I'm not really certain.

a while back, early on in my hat collecting I used long pipe cleaners, joining two to form a circle. I then twisted them around my head at the level a hat would sit. This is my Prairie Home Companion conformateur. I did it purely out of curiosity to see the shape of my head. Turns out it is ovoid.....egg shaped with a pointy prow like a ship. It provided nothing of real value but satisfied my curiosity.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

a while back, early on in my hat collecting I used long pipe cleaners, joining two to form a circle. I then twisted them around my head at the level a hat would sit. This is my Prairie Home Companion conformateur. I did it purely out of curiosity to see the shape of my head. Turns out it is ovoid.....egg shaped with a pointy prow like a ship. It provided nothing of real value but satisfied my curiosity.

I'm a huge Garrison Keillor fan so your reference of Praire Home Companion brought a big smile. I suppose that Gannon or other makers can address my head shape concerns when I place an order and I can dispense with the pipe cleaner head shape o'meter.

 

[moontheloon]

Thank you. This makes me feel better about ordering a Gannon. How do you address head shape and not just circumference if you don't use a conformateur? One shop told me that I'm a long oval, but I'm not really certain.

If LO hats fit you more comfortably then chances are you are LO... you can just tell him that.

Maybe John Penman and Michael Gannon just have blocks the exact shape of my head ... I dunno...but their creations seem to be most comfortable straight out of the box and have never needed band block coaxing

If your head is very odd shaped maybe have a hatter measure you with the device so you have it just to be safe.

Nothing like spending a grip of money on a custom made hat that you don’t enjoy wearing

my VS fits quite well also... I should wear it more

strangely though I own a hat by a hatter who used the device on me himself and made one of my least comfortable hats from those measurements

Depends on the hatter I presume

You cannot go wrong with any of the guys around this forum

Gannon
Art
Bob at Black Sheep
Esther
Falcon Park
Brass Rooster
Wellema
Alley Kat
NW
Penman
Optimo
etc etc

You will be pleased with any of those


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[moontheloon]

Can you please tell me about these band blocks? Thank you.

This is one Art made for me from measurements taken with the device he sends out

It cost basically nothing and is absolutely priceless

It keeps any hat custom or off the shelf fitting perfectly

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[KarlCrow]

I'll look m kip

This is one Art made for me from measurements taken with the device he sends out

It cost basically nothing and is absolutely priceless

It keeps any hat custom or off the shelf fitting perfectly

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I see he put the hole in the right place. P-)

 

[johnnycanuck]

This is one Art made for me from measurements taken with the device he sends out

It cost basically nothing and is absolutely priceless

It keeps any hat custom or off the shelf fitting perfectly

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It is most fortunate you have such an even head shape. When you look at mine one side if my head is flatter that the other. I have used my block from Art to help break in most of my Akubras. Even when the hat starts to get a little too tight I just pop the block in and it fits fantastic again. I also have a hat stretcher but its pretty wide so pulls the hat away from the sides of my head when I use it. Hands down the best hat accessories I own is that little piece of wood from Art.
Johnny

 

[moontheloon]

It is most fortunate you have such an even head shape. When you look at mine one side if my head is flatter that the other. I have used my block from Art to help break in most of my Akubras. Even when the hat starts to get a little too tight I just pop the block in and it fits fantastic again. I also have a hat stretcher but its pretty wide so pulls the hat away from the sides of my head when I use it. Hands down the best hat accessories I own is that little piece of wood from Art.
Johnny

agree 100%

priceless item for a hat enthusiast

 

[Frunobulax]

If LO hats fit you more comfortably then chances are you are LO... you can just tell him that.

Maybe John Penman and Michael Gannon just have blocks the exact shape of my head ... I dunno...but their creations seem to be most comfortable straight out of the box and have never needed band block coaxing.
.


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Interesting, as we worship at the altar of the same Gannon block. I've never considered myself a LO.


Sent directly from my mind to yours.

 

[moontheloon]

Interesting, as we worship at the altar of the same Gannon block. I've never considered myself a LO.


Sent directly from my mind to yours.

very interesting

I only consider myself LO because vintage 1/4LO hats that I have fit just a touch better than any others ... that is literally all I go by

 

[deadlyhandsome]

This is one Art made for me from measurements taken with the device he sends out

It cost basically nothing and is absolutely priceless

It keeps any hat custom or off the shelf fitting perfectly

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What a great idea. Such a simple little thing too. I'll make certain to ask for one when I get a custom.

Thank you for being willing to share your knowledge.

 

[moontheloon]

What a great idea. Such a simple little thing too. I'll make certain to ask for one when I get a custom.

Thank you for being willing to share your knowledge.

100% my pleasure

and you will not regret getting a band block ... maybe even do what I wish I did and get a few of them

they cost almost nothing

 

[Frunobulax]

very interesting

I only consider myself LO because vintage 1/4LO hats that I have fit just a touch better than any others ... that is literally all I go by

But is Michael using a LO? Or a regular oval. My other customs aren't LO. Nor is the 52 I've blocked some on.


Sent directly from my mind to yours.

 

[moontheloon]

But is Michael using a LO? Or a regular oval. My other customs aren't LO. Nor is the 52 I've blocked some on.


Sent directly from my mind to yours.

I have no idea ...

 

[Zombie_61]

...Maybe John Penman and Michael Gannon just have blocks the exact shape of my head ... I dunno...but their creations seem to be most comfortable straight out of the box and have never needed band block coaxing...

I think this is one of the reasons I like my Akubras so much--their size 60 blocks and my head seem to be almost the exact same shape, so their hats fit very well.

Just a thought--assuming the use of a conformateur isn't an option for whatever reason, couldn't someone with a "long oval" head take one or two of their hats that fit comfortably, measure the inside(s) of the crown(s) front-to-back and side-to-side, and send those measurements to their hatter? I know it wouldn't account for "unusually shaped" heads, but at the very least I would think it would result in a better fit than trying to put a "regular oval" hat on a "long oval" head.

 

[moontheloon]

I think this is one of the reasons I like my Akubras so much--their size 60 blocks and my head seem to be almost the exact same shape, so their hats fit very well.

Just a thought--assuming the use of a conformateur isn't an option for whatever reason, couldn't someone with a "long oval" head take one or two of their hats that fit comfortably, measure the inside(s) of the crown(s) front-to-back and side-to-side, and send those measurements to their hatter? I know it wouldn't account for "unusually shaped" heads, but at the very least I would think it would result in a better fit than trying to put a "regular oval" hat on a "long oval" head.

Absolutely


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[Redfokker]

This is one Art made for me from measurements taken with the device he sends out

It cost basically nothing and is absolutely priceless

It keeps any hat custom or off the shelf fitting perfectly

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

+1 I made my own from the head pattern Mike Miller gave me. I cut one out of the stiff foam insulation made for houses. It serves me well. I also cut a couple out of 1 1/4 wood like the one above, it could use some extra sanding to make it perfect.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

I built a couple of my own from my Mike Miller hat size pattern. They are a little fussy to make, still need to some sanding on one of them. I think I'll have Art make me one.

Shouldn't be a problem for an ol' setbuilder such as yourself. I traced the pattern from my original, both top & bottom because there is an ever so slight taper between the two. I tried to measure the difference between the two. I found it was so slight it was difficult to set the blade at such an angle, so I ended up approximating the taper with a spindle sander.

 

[FedOregon]

But is Michael using a LO? Or a regular oval. My other customs aren't LO. Nor is the 52 I've blocked some on.


Sent directly from my mind to yours.

When Michael made my first Gannon he told me he didn't have any LO blocks. He told me has has them now, though. So I would say only in the last few months did he make any hats from LO blocks.

I would say that most of the LO vintage hats I have fit best, but not all.

 

[MatthewPace]

Hello Gentleman,

I'm new here and am looking to purchase my first vintage fedora. I've managed to find a beautiful Royal Stetson 6 3/4 in Chestnut. It appears to be in decent condition and is close to the brim size I prefer as well. I am however unsure on the price. It's a '47 - '64 era Stetson that's made of felt. Being new to this game I am unsure if the price tag is worth it. It's listed as $299 or best offer. My birthday is this week and I'd love to grab it as a gift to myself. Any thoughts? The below picture is one of the photos of the fedora

 

[FedOregon]

Hello Gentleman,

I'm new here and am looking to purchase my first vintage fedora. I've managed to find a beautiful Royal Stetson 6 3/4 in Chestnut. It appears to be in decent condition and is close to the brim size I prefer as well. I am however unsure on the price. It's a '47 - '64 era Stetson that's made of felt. Being new to this game I am unsure if the price tag is worth it. It's listed as $299 or best offer. My birthday is this week and I'd love to grab it as a gift to myself. Any thoughts? The below picture is one of the photos of the fedora View attachment 89490

If you wear a size 6-3/4 then you can do a lot better than that. Look on ebay some more and you'll see what I mean. Are you sure that's your size?