Ask a question, get an answer

[RJR]

I’m not sure if you have experience with Penman’s Everyman hat, but would you say that that or a Rabbit Garrison would be better?

I have not handled one of John's Everyman hats so can't help.There are several pics of an Everyman above in Doug's post.
The above discussions are why I suggested phoning one or more makers.

 

[The Renegade Time Lord]

I got a message back from garrison saying that they currently aren’t making hats. So now I’m down to deciding between the Everyman and Mikael Einarsson‘s hats, does anyone here have experience with his work?

 

[GHT]

Frunobulax has hit the nail on the head, nothing much to add to that. Welcome to The Lounge. But let me extend a point, Fruno points out that there is a thread called: "Ask a question, get an answer," he adds that you weren't to know this, quite right. So don't go thinking that you might get criticised in the future if you start a thread on a topic that has been previously covered. A way to avoid that is by using Google, it's much more effective than The Lounge's own search facility.

For example, you might own a vintage or classic car, but you're not sure what threads, if any, have gone before on that subject. if you Google: Fedora Lounge Classic Cars, this lot comes up: https://www.google.com/search?q=fed...ome..69i57.10366j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
I do hope that you find that helpful and I look forward to seeing your posts. Again, welcome.

 

[tropicalbob]

Hi, Bcraig. I'd say, from reading your posting and seeing your photos, that you might want to take a look at the Akubra Campdraft. Reasonably priced, well-made, good-looking hats. If you're not too experienced in buying hats, they're a great place to start. I think the Bluegrass Green Campdraft from Everything Australian would suit you to the ground. Just Google "Akubra Campdraft" and the hit "Images."

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

^^^all the best advice Bcraig. If you’re set on hats by all means just wander through the mentioned threads and i guarantee you are gonna stop dead on some hats and say “that’s the one”!! Most folks tell what the hat is. If you google that hat with fedora lounge after, you’re very liable to find dedicated threads for that hat or type. By then you are hat familiar and can hopefully save some $$ without trial and error. Your welcome. Ha
The hat that looks best on you will always be the one YOU like best. You’ll know when you get there. Over and over and over!!
Welcome to the Lounge enjoy the adventure.
Bowen

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I got a message back from garrison saying that they currently aren’t making hats. So now I’m down to deciding between the Everyman and Mikael Einarsson‘s hats, does anyone here have experience with his work?

Hufvud has its own thread here on the Lounge:
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/hufvud-hatmaker-lund-sweden.93584/

I’m my opinion, and based on a sample size of one, he makes good serviceable hats, but I’m not sure they are the best value for money. It it were me, I’d commission a custom in beaver from a US hatter and be happier, but then I like the Indy hats but I’m not an Indy guy...know what I mean?

If you do go with Hufvud then pay the extra for a beaver blend or all-beaver hat; the more time I’ve spent with my rabbit/hare blend Hufvud the less satisfied I’ve become.

Good luck.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Mark70]

I'm pretty new around here and have been doing a lot of reading/information absorption/searching. I'd like to ask what might seem like a dumb question that even after a few weeks of reading up is still elusive.

My head measurement is between 58.5 and 58.9cm (7.33 - 7.38in.)

Based on members' experience, would I be best suited buying a 7 3/8 and expect shrinkage or a 7 1/4 and expect it to stretch. Do most fur felts stretch or shrink or is it really variant on the manufacturer or age of the hat?

As a NEWP I'm contemplating an Akubra Sydney in charcoal, and am looking at a vintage Stetson or Dobbs. Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

Mark H

 

[belfastboy]

My experience and rule of thumb is to buy up in size. Depending on the amount you sweat the leather sweat can shrink with head time....very rarely if ever do they stretch. AND it is so much easier to shim a hat that is a touch too large than to try to stretch one that is too small. Now the wild card are vintage hats as they often (but not always) shrink with age and as a 7 3/8 I often will buy a 7 1/2, they tend to work out best for me. I have had spotty results trying to stretch vintage lids.

 

[Frunobulax]

My experience and rule of thumb is to buy up in size. Depending on the amount you sweat the leather sweat can shrink with head time....very rarely if ever do they stretch. AND it is so much easier to shim a hat that is a touch too large than to try to stretch one that is too small. Now the wild card are vintage hats as they often (but not always) shrink with age and as a 7 3/8 I often will buy a 7 1/2, they tend to work out best for me. I have had spotty results trying to stretch vintage lids.

^^^^^What he said. Plus, leather sweats will grip and conform to your head with wear. I have some hats that feel a bit roomy when I firdt put them on, but within 15 minutes or so, feel like they're just my size.

Sent directly from my mind to yours.

 

[Mark70]

^^^^^What he said. Plus, leather sweats will grip and conform to your head with wear. I have some hats that feel a bit roomy when I firdt put them on, but within 15 minutes or so, feel like they're just my size.

Sent directly from my mind to yours.

I sweat a lot during the summer, compound that with by the end of the workday my forehead is very oily. How do oils affect the leather band, does it moisturize the leather and make it stretch or does it act like sweat and make it shrink? How does this combination affect the leather bands inside vintage lids, does it make it more brittle and susceptible to damage?

Mark H

 

[drmaxtejeda]

I'm pretty new around here and have been doing a lot of reading/information absorption/searching. I'd like to ask what might seem like a dumb question that even after a few weeks of reading up is still elusive.

My head measurement is between 58.5 and 58.9cm (7.33 - 7.38in.)

Based on members' experience, would I be best suited buying a 7 3/8 and expect shrinkage or a 7 1/4 and expect it to stretch. Do most fur felts stretch or shrink or is it really variant on the manufacturer or age of the hat?

As a NEWP I'm contemplating an Akubra Sydney in charcoal, and am looking at a vintage Stetson or Dobbs. Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

Mark H

I am the same size as you are, and even though I am still a newbie, I have bought many hats by now.
I took several vintage hats to be resized to my hatter, who used a conformer to make them fit the shape of my head.
He also gave me an actual-size drawing of the shape the conformer dictated. I took the drawing to a carpenter, who made 74 custom band blocks for me to that exact shape.

Nowadays, when I buy a 7 1/4 hat, I force it down on a custom block, wait a week, and the hat fits perfectly. When I am finished wearing it, I put it back in its block again, and keep it stored in it. You can only do it when the sweatband is still supple, though.

If you cannot have a custom block made, a hat stretcher works pretty well. It is easy to stretch a hat from 58 to 58.7, which is my size. Before I made my custom blocks, I used the hat stretchers a lot. I also stored the hats on the stretchers, to prevent them from shrinking.

When I have to shim a hat, I often feel uncomfortable wearing it, because I can feel a lump in the sweatband, so I tend not to use that hat as much. I used to take large hats to be conformed by my hatter, but several Loungers opined that I was altering the hat shape, so I haven't been doing it any more.
What you could try with a 7 3/8 hat (especially if it isn't 100% beaver) is to shrink it a little by steaming it and letting it dry over a hat stretcher you have previously calibrated to your size.

All in all, I prefer to stretch a hat a little than to pad it. The sweatbands wrinkle when you pad them, and it feels very uncomfortable to me.

Sent from my LG-H870 using Tapatalk

 

[The Renegade Time Lord]

Hufvud has its own thread here on the Lounge:
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/hufvud-hatmaker-lund-sweden.93584/

I’m my opinion, and based on a sample size of one, he makes good serviceable hats, but I’m not sure they are the best value for money. It it were me, I’d commission a custom in beaver from a US hatter and be happier, but then I like the Indy hats but I’m not an Indy guy...know what I mean?

If you do go with Hufvud then pay the extra for a beaver blend or all-beaver hat; the more time I’ve spent with my rabbit/hare blend Hufvud the less satisfied I’ve become.

Good luck.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

So you own one of his rabbits and it’s deteriorated over time?

 

[Frunobulax]

I sweat a lot during the summer, compound that with by the end of the workday my forehead is very oily. How do oils affect the leather band, does it moisturize the leather and make it stretch or does it act like sweat and make it shrink? How does this combination affect the leather bands inside vintage lids, does it make it more brittle and susceptible to damage?

Mark H

It's not the oils, it's the salts. The salts in your sweat draw out the natural oils in the leather, drying it out over time. Keep a hankie handy, mop your brow and wipe the sweat, and periodically treat with a leather conditioner.

Sent directly from my mind to yours.

 

[belfastboy]

This is my very unscientific opinion but my experience is it never lubricates and stretches. Oils and sweat always contribute to the deterioration of leather. The rate of effect depends on the ph of your excretions. When I attempted to wear leather watch bands I would rot them out very quickly, got tired of the expense and switched to metal. My wife on the other hand who appears to sweat lilacs and unicorns has never rotted a leather watch band in her lifetime.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

So you own one of his rabbits and it’s deteriorated over time?

The integrity of the felt has not deteriorated, but the hand has gotten worse. I suspect that his stiffening agent is the culprit. The workmanship and the sweat of the Hufvud is quite nice, but he’s short on non-petersham ribbon. Personally, I’d like to try the beaver or beaver blend. My bigger issue is the value proposition compared to other more established and accomplished hatters. I like Hufvud, and some day I might try a beaver.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Mark70]

Thank you very much for the sound advice gents, you've given me a solid foundation on which to delve into the world of fine headgear. I'll have to get a good head shape tracing but I believe in hat equivalent its a long oval. In your experience, are decent vintage hats in LO difficult to find? Thanks again.

Mark H

 

[belfastboy]

Thank you very much for the sound advice gents, you've given me a solid foundation on which to delve into the world of fine headgear. I'll have to get a good head shape tracing but I believe in hat equivalent its a long oval. In your experience, are decent vintage hats in LO difficult to find? Thanks again.

Mark H

To obtain an approximation of your head shape try using pipe cleaners. Take 3 of them, twist them together into a long line, wrap around head and then twist the open two to close the loop around your head. Gently slide off your head and voila you can see the shape. I was shocked at the weird egg shaped form that is my head ......kind of resembles an egg or a pear which I think makes me a mid oval.

 

[Mark70]

I'll have to give that a shot, in addition I'll take an overhead pic and use them both to attempt to make an accurate determination. I'll post pics when possible and solicit the boards take. Is there an industry standard offset (i.e. >2in. front to back/side to side) that constitutes LO v. standard?

 

[1967Cougar390]

Bcraig welcome to the Fedora Lounge. As others have mentioned using the google search is a great way to find information on this site. There are a lot of great threads with pictures and information. I recommend looking at this thread: https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/what-hat-are-you-wearing-today.94860/

In reference to your questions about style of hat and what you’ve described about yourself maybe an “outback” style hat and the Akubra will have you covered.

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/akubra-overload.33000/

Good luck with finding your hat, and just a warning..... you won’t stop at one .

Steven

 

[OldStrummer]

Welcome, bcraig. I asked the same thing when I first joined, about a year ago. There's a lot of good advice, and plenty of drool-worthy headgear here! I found that I had to experiment a bit, and surprisingly, some of the hats I thought not suitable have received the most compliments. I guess it turns out I'm not always the best judge.

But I'm getting better at it.