Borsalino Retoration by Baron Hats Burbank, CA

[John in Covina]

Here are some picturees in Case you did not see them in my original thread. To me they seem to have done an excellent job. I am very happy with their work and to have Dad's Borslino as one I can wear and treasure. Originally the Borsalino was a gift from my dad's cousin Charlie, who picked it up in Italy while in the US Navy. We estimate 1947 or so.
IMG]http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c109/john91722/4145aa76.jpg[/IMG]

 

[John in Covina]

 

[Wild Root]

Oh John, the hat looks good and I'm happy to hear that you're pleased with Baron's work. I however have been let down by their work and so have others here.

As a hat collector AKA die hard preservationist, I would have only brushed it, steamed it, and left it alone. I probably would have not worn it much at all. I may not know the condition of it when you received it but, I would have sent it to maybe Optimo and had them restore it. Since there no "Borsalino" markings on the hat, it has now been commandeered by Baron. Her name has been changed and her history erased.

I really don't want to sound like a wet blanket but, I would have had a meticulous restoration done on it to preserve its vintage integrity as to being some what of a family history piece.

=WR=

 

[John in Covina]

Oh John, the hat looks good and I'm happy to hear that you're pleased with Baron's work. I however have been let down by their work and so have others here. As a hat collector AKA die hard preservationist, I would have only brushed it, steamed it, and left it alone. I probably would have not worn it much at all. I may not know the condition of it when you received it but, I would have sent it to maybe Optimo and had them restore it. Since there no "Borsalino" markings on the hat, it has now been commandeered by Baron. Her name has been changed and her history erased. I really don't want to sound like a wet blanket but, I would have had a meticulous restoration done on it to preserve its vintage integrity as to being some what of a family history piece. =WR=

****
Prior to my sending the hat no one said anything negative about Baron, so I would have had to have had ESP to suss that out.

The sweat band started to fragment and had come almost completely out, it needed replacement. I doubt anyone could get a new Borsalino sweat band, & I believe this is roan leather a top quality sweat band. The old swaet band would not have survived resizing. The liner seemed fragile to me and was stained. Since I didn't want it to be ruined due to me wearing it, I replaced it, plus I don't think I could get a Borsalino brand specific liner. The hat had some spots and the crown was very mushed and indistinct, I wanted crisp and clean. So clean & reblock. The ribbon was not able to be retained since in order to fit me the hat needed to be resized up about one 1/8th, so the ribbon needed replacing.

I have all of the old components and I am not tossing them. The hat is a Borsalino in spite of the changes. It hasn't been hijacked. If you resole and put new heels on a shoe is it no longer a Floorsheim? If you change the upolstry in your Plymouth it doesn't become a Pinto. We are not talking archeology here but a hat that needed work and is now very wearable and in near new condition. I could have left it alone but then I could not wear it, and believe me this hat was begging to be worn. If I had done the minimum, it would need what I had done, soon enough. The resizing alone made it nessecary for the sweat band the ribbon stuff to be done and it made no sense to go piece meal after that.

I wanted to see and talk to the people who would work on my hat. I would not be a happy person sending it out even if it was my only option. However they are in Burbank and I am in Covina it is a 62 mile roundtrip and I only wanted to do it for a drop off and a pick up. So do everything needed to cut down on trips.

Your sensabilities would be fine if it was say LBJ's Stetson you know, somebody famous, but it was my Dad's and renewing it doesn't take away from the hat or from my dad or from me. As a matter of fact it brings me closer to my dad.

Now, I am saying if you had a bad time with Baron, you may wish to examine the transaction and the communication. I made it clear what I needed: resizing was not an option and what I wanted, was to be as close to new as possible but still being the hat it should be. I got what I wanted, it is hardly a detriment to the hat, it has a renewed life.

I prefer things that can be used most of the time over things the can only be looked at. I would probably never own a gun that was so pretty you shouldn't shoot it nor a gun that was so old you couldn't shoot it. Owning that type of stuff is for other people, I want things that do what they are supposed to do and effectively. This hat is in that condition.

Thanks again for your comments and I hope you may rethink your concept, as this hat doesn't deserve to be on a pedestal, only only on the top of my head and be loved for what it is, Dad's Hat!

 

[Biltmore Bob]

John...I started to say something about Baron...

...but I thought better of it because I have had no direct contact with them. However, I have heard that some have had bad experiences with the hatter that has also supplied "all the hatsfor every movie and tv show in history". I wished you luck at the time.

 

[Wild Root]

My car does have new upholstery; it?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s still a Plymouth because it says Plymouth.

John, plane and simple, I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢m happy that you?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢re happy with it. But, my history with Baron and also a few others have been burned. I can go into details if you wish (I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢m no dummy, I told them what I wanted and got something I didn?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t) but, the hat is a new hat and like you say, you wanted a new hat so, there for, you?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢re happy. I have hats that are in worse shape then your father?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s hat was and I wear them. Some feel something has to be in Mint condition to wear, I feel quite the opposite. If it?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s old, it?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s old. You replace many thing, it becomes new. If it were my hat, I would have put in a ?¢‚Ǩ?ìNameless?¢‚Ǩ? sweat band and had kept the original liner in it and wear it only for special occasions. Now, remember, that?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s what I would do. The fact that it says Barons all over it now is different then putting new soles on shoes.

I have an old 40?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s Royal Stetson that I wear a lot. It?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s beat up, it?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s dirty, the liner is stained but, no one sees this and to me, it gives the hat caricature. I have some hats that are Mint and they are worn on nice or special occasions.

Bottom line is, I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢m happy that you?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢re happy. Don?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t pay attention to me, I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢m just some one who loves a vintage hat for everything it is. Bad liner or good liner, I love it. I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢m not as picky as some but, if you?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢re happy with your restoration, then please, enjoy the heck out of it!

Take care,
=WR=

 

[John in Covina]

... I have heard that some have had bad experiences with the hatter that has also supplied "all the hatsfor every movie and tv show in history". I wished you luck at the time.

Thanks for the good luck, I think it was effective.

I'd like to ask everyone that has actually, directly had a bad experience with these guys to step up and give a little disertation on what happened if they care to or just a " I wasn't satisfied would be fine.

Maybe we can have a file on the places to keep a running count on experiences with the vendors. Kind of like the feedback section of EBAY.

That would allow for a review and it could be a bit more first person as opposed to second hand.

"I heard of this guy that found a finger in the chili at Krusty Burger."

OKAY then!

 

[Wild Root]

Well, since I was the first to mention it in this room, I'll go for it.

Now, this was when I first started to collect and I had a good experience with a bad one to follow.

First, I'll list the good experience:

I have a green Royal Stetson (2nd vintage hat in my collection and 3rd fedora I owned) It got a small spot on the ribbon and I took it to get cleaned. They told me that it needed to be replaced so, I picked out a ribbon color that was as close to the original. They copied the original bow perfectly and gave it back to me looking good. I was satisfied by their work.

Bad experience:

Had an NOS Imperial Stetson from the early 40's. This hat was light gray, soft as a baby's bum fedora! Original price tag still inside! Got a small smudge on the liner from my stupid Gel I used to use in my hair. Took it to them to have spot treated. They took the liner out, didn't get the spot out, glued the liner back in (when originally it was stitched) cleaned the whole hat, blocked it with a C block and gave it back to me with a yellowish age to the outer brim. Then, they charged me 50 bucks. When I dropped off the hat, I stated that I wanted only the stain removed. They mentioned that they would have to take the liner out do work on the stain. I agreed to this if they would put it back the way it was. I did ask them to block it, but not with a C block! I wanted it open crowned so I could block it the way I wanted. The guy who took the hat seemed dead set on the C block for some reason, poor English skills on his part. Since then, I have not been back to them. They ruined a hat that was in brand new condition. I have no idea why the felt started to show a yellowish brown age color to the outer brim. That's just weird.

Matt Deckard also has some stories to tell. I'll let him give his own account.

=WR=

 

[PrettyBigGuy]

John,
The lid looks great and I can see why you would want to show it off in "the Display Case" but a thread like this belongs in the "Hats" section!
PBG

 

[vespasian]

Excellent work. I would be very pleased.

 

[MattC]

Looks great

Its a nice looking hat. I've had Optimo clean and restore quite a few hats. I always want to preserve the original sweat and liner, but sometimes, you just can't do that. Leather wears out, and sweats can get irredeemably soiled.

 

[Johnnysan]

Beautiful hat...regardless of whose name is on the liner! Wear it with pride! :cheers1:

 

[besdor]

Borsalino leathers and linings are available if you ask for them from the company .:cool2: :cool2: