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[Hurricane Jack]

One of Rand's Custom Hatters most popular styles in the Tom Horn...modelled on McQueen's hat from the movie.

And no one does it better. Classic lines.

 

[belfastboy]

And no one does it better. Classic lines.

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I love that!

 

[ILB Frank]

Is a 100% rabbit hat hotter on your head than a 100% beaver hat?

I haven't been wearing hats long enough to come to a definitive conclusion but in the short time I have been wearing hats it seems to me that my head gets warm/hot under the rabbit fur but stays comfortable under the beaver fur. It could be circumstantial but, what do you long time hat wearers think/know?

 

[Frunobulax]

Is a 100% rabbit hat hotter on your head than a 100% beaver hat?

I haven't been wearing hats long enough to come to a definitive conclusion but in the short time I have been wearing hats it seems to me that my head gets warm/hot under the rabbit fur but stays comfortable under the beaver fur. It could be circumstantial but, what do you long time hat wearers think/know?

You'd never be able to tell the difference.

 

[hatsRme]

Is a 100% rabbit hat hotter on your head than a 100% beaver hat?

I haven't been wearing hats long enough to come to a definitive conclusion but in the short time I have been wearing hats it seems to me that my head gets warm/hot under the rabbit fur but stays comfortable under the beaver fur. It could be circumstantial but, what do you long time hat wearers think/know?

it’s all on your head.

 

[Galgofriend]

I`m not an experienced hat wearer also. But some hats Borsalino hats from a certain time period have a plastic layer that protects the hat inside. I have no idea what they did that for. But it does effect the wearing comfort and gets warm quickly. Does anyone know why they did this and in what time period they did this?
Galgofriend

 

[glider]

At that time men used hair dressing, oily hair dressing that would stain the felt. The plastic lining protected the felt from the oil.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I`m not an experienced hat wearer also. But some hats Borsalino hats from a certain time period have a plastic layer that protects the hat inside. I have no idea what they did that for. But it does effect the wearing comfort and gets warm quickly. Does anyone know why they did this and in what time period they did this?
Galgofriend

Good felt is dense and almost completely impermeable to air and water so there isn’t any real airflow through the felt even without the plastic. The plastic liner protector doesn’t seem to make my hats appreciably warmer, but others have different experiences. The Borsalinos I prefer are of a vintage where plastic wasn’t used and the liner is either plain or has the onion skin type of protector…in fact, I can’t recall owning a Borsalino with a plastic liner protector.

 

[Blare]

Good felt is dense and almost completely impermeable to air and water so there isn’t any real airflow through the felt even without the plastic. The plastic liner protector doesn’t seem to make my hats appreciably warmer, but others have different experiences. The Borsalinos I prefer are of a vintage where plastic wasn’t used and the liner is either plain or has the onion skin type of protector…in fact, I can’t recall owning a Borsalino with a plastic liner protector.

Probably correct on plastic liner not making the hat hotter to wear…. However being from a not just warm.. but also very humid climate… if you start to sweat the plastic liner can exacerbate the humidity issue.

Definitely agree on preferring the oil skin liners to plastic even if it is just for the reason that on many hats it points to the hat being a decade earlier give or take. (Also I don’t remember and borso’s I have with straight up plastic either).

 

[Galgofriend]

Many thanks for your knowledge.
Galgofriend

 

[regius]

And no one does it better. Classic lines.

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that is a beautiful hat, what's the maker?

 

[regius]

sorry, Rand's....

 

[regius]

my next question is about Herbert Johnson (their Indy line), I sensed that the Indy hat thing is regarded with a bit of a judgment among real hat lovers, but as far as a fedora's concerned, HJ is a good hat maker right? and I am pretty sure their indy series are accurate.

 

[jlee562]

my next question is about Herbert Johnson (their Indy line), I sensed that the Indy hat thing is regarded with a bit of a judgment among real hat lovers, but as far as a fedora's concerned, HJ is a good hat maker right? and I am pretty sure their indy series are accurate.

The current generation of HJs are made in-house and very nice hats. They are using FEPSA felts in custom specs. I haven't really worn mine as an 'adventure hat' per se, so no comment on long term durability, but everything seems well put together to me.

The blocks they are using for the Raiders hat are apparently duplicated from the originals. Looks that way to my eye...

 

[regius]

The current generation of HJs are made in-house and very nice hats. They are using FEPSA felts in custom specs. I haven't really worn mine as an 'adventure hat' per se, so no comment on long term durability, but everything seems well put together to me.

The blocks they are using for the Raiders hat are apparently duplicated from the originals. Looks that way to my eye...

Thank you! One characteristic of the Penman hat is you could fold it and throw it and it'd bounce back to shape. Wondering if the Adventure built or HJ could do that...

 

[regius]

I have this navy/blue beaver custom, it’s supposedly a Raider repro but would like to hear some opinions. Just out of curiosity.

 

[April Goettle]

Trying to figure out what style this Stetson is, based on the other posts about Stetson, I’m guessing it’s early 50s.

Has anyone found a way to identify a style or age of hat by reorder or block number?

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Trying to figure out what style this Stetson is, based on the other posts about Stetson, I’m guessing it’s early 50s.

Has anyone found a way to identify a style or age of hat by reorder or block number?

The 51 block was/is very popular and has been in use for a long time. There are clues that can help narrow it down to a range, but it’s rare we can be really specific unless it has something like an NRA, O.P.A, or O.P.S. label…or the sweatband with the date stamped on the back. I don’t see anything that’s not consistent with early 1950s, but that doesn’t mean it is. It could be late 1940s through late 1950s.

The good news is there are those here who know a LOT more about this than I do. Maybe one of them will see something I don’t. You also might lure the experts out by posting to this thread:

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/thr...uss-the-age-of-your-vintage-hat.30350/page-26

 

[jlee562]

Trying to ID specific models is hard. The block number in and of itself isn't particularly helpful, because as Brent points out, the #51 was used in multiple hats. Our best guesses at model names are usually derived from period catalogs which describe dimensions. Take note of the open crown height (that is, push out the crease from the inside of the hat and measure from the base of the brim to the top of the crown), and brim width. The other identifying features would be the bound edge and 6ply band.

 

[Impala5513]

So, a little while ago I posted about wanting a specific hat that’s akin to the stalker hat from red dead redemption 2. I’m going to be working with Mike from North wear hats to facilitate this, but because I’m extremely pedantic, I wanted to make sure that I could give him very exact specifications.
In that pursuit, I bought a hat from Bailey hats recently (because it is literally the only tear drop no pinch crown hat I have found)
Looking for some opinions. Which color is better? (I’ll post the intended hat for reference)
Any thoughts on brim width? I’m thinking to get the right look 3 1’4” with a 4 1’4 crown height
What I don’t want to have happen, is have it come out looking fedora-esque. Likewise, I don’t love the brim on the Bailey hat. I’m really looking for a cross look. Kinda half western, half not, if that makes sense.