Christy's of London

[jlee562]

FWIW, my camera ain't all that great. Here's the hat in natural lighting, which may be a better basis for comparison:

 

[Blackthorn]

why does the regular sable appear lighter than light sable?

this is not isolated to the photos here, but to a number of photos in the lounge and the net as a whole....peculiar no?

Sad to say, I think Christy's simply gets it wrong. A lot.

 

[Fedora]

find it odd that both I and Carl (carldelo) have recently posted our Christy's hats in the classifieds for the same reason: smaller than advertised. I've not seen any other company list a size 63 as 7 3/4, but that's definitely what mine was. I mentioned this and the color swatch discrepancy to Sarah at Hornets, and got a very polite "I will mention this" reply, just like everyone else.

Here is what I know, for sure. I have reblocked around 100 hats for another vendor, all brand new HJs, but made by the same company in Spain that makes the Christy. Almost every single one of these hats came to me, running smaller than the stated size on the tag.

It was this way until my last shipment. This shipment per the vendor's request, used a heavier weight rabbit felt, which I loved! We get em with no shellac, and although thicker, this felt was still very soft and easy to work with when the creasing stage was reached. Now, this shipment was dead on in the sizing, and the first HJ, that ever was! I hope the next shipment is the same!! Now, I don't know for sure, but I think when they used the heavier weight felt, it did not shrink up like the old felt did, prior to me recieving the hats. So, part of the size issue may be, the felt, instead of the size of the sweatband. If it shrinks at the opening to the hat, it is gonna force the sweat to be smaller. Now, not totally sure this is the culprit, but it could be. If the new shipment is dead on in sizing, I have to think my idea has some validity.

This heavier weight felt is the bees knees guys. So much more stable than the thinner felt they were using on both the HJ and the Christy. So much easier to work with too. I was so impressed, I told Magnoli, I want one of these heavier felted hats when the next shipment gets here! I mainly wear pure beaver and vintage rabbit, and blends, being the hat snob that I am, but this heavier felt, after working it up, impressed me, although it is modern rabbit felt. Up until now, I would only buy the Akubra felt when I wanted a rabbit hat. I have worked with this felt enough to know, it is good felt. On a refurb, I can pounce the Akubra felt out to a very, very fine finish, but this new Spanish felt on the HJ will pounce out as well. It impressed me, and I generally have not been at all impressed with the lighter weight felt that has been used in the HJs and Christys since both went with the factory in Spain as their hatmaker. Remember, this change of factories for HJ was a fairly recent change. They have used several over the years, and during 90's used a stiffer, different rabbit felt for their hats.

A few years ago when I was talking to HJ about buying some hats from them for reblocks into the Raiders fedora, that I would sell, at that time the lady buyer for HJ had just got back from China. She was searching for a new hatmaker for the HJ line. Well, she did not use China, thank god, and instead went with the old Spanish factory. Over the years, I am sure both brands changed feltmakers and hatmakers several times, as companies went belly up. I think at one time, HJ actually used the South African hatmaker, who also went out of business. Milan was using them too, and had to change to Portugal, at least at one time. Milan was buyin the S.A. bodies, while HJ was buying their hats. And since Milan was about quality back then, the S.A. feltmaker and hat factory must have been making some good felt.

But both HJ and Christy are ghosts of their prior glory, today. I have owned vintage HJs that were really, really great hats, in craftmanship and materials used, including the felt. A totally different hat than they sell today. I still hate the cowhide thick sweatbands in the HJ and Christy. They sure need to upgrade the sweats, and can do so, because the factory has a superb sweat they put in their higher end hats. Sheepskin instead of thick cowhide. Might cost ya a couple bucks more, but well worth it. And one of the most comfortable sweatbands I have seen, in factory hats. Fedora

 

[Methuselah]

I ordered a Foldaway with the tube in a 61. I wonder if the cloth sweatband may help me out in the end?

I'm still no closer to buying my first fedora - there's only 2 shops selling hats locally, they both stock Christy's, I measured myself to be 61cm, so size 7 1/2 I think.

At one shop it fitted around my head fine, but at the other one it was MUCH smaller. Sadly this was one of the few times I went out without a tape measure in my pocket, but the difference was too much to be acceptable.

EDIT: the hat being compared was the Epson, as the only hat that both shops had in common.

The crown height also feels too low to fit enough of my head in.

I'll have more time to hunt down more bricks and mortar hat shops over the festive period, as this thread is not filling me with confidence at the prospect of buying on the net.

For the time being I'm going to remain in tweed trilbies, even if it does look a bit too 'country' for inner city Manchester...

Any suggestions of hat shops in the North Staffs / Salop region would be welcome.

 

[cybergentleman]

This heavier weight felt is the bees knees guys. So much more stable than the thinner felt they were using on both the HJ and the Christy. So much easier to work with too. I was so impressed,

Hi Fedora,

as a guru on these felts- i want to know, where can prospective buyers find accurate swatches? the light sable here looks darker than normal sable...some shots make the light grey look blueish green, others a nice neutral grey..burma sometimes tan/green, others grey- what is the reality?

thanks for your post- very interesting

 

[Tone]

IF they follow through on them. Which they did not with me.

Hi Lucky, so when you asked me in a PM a few weeks ago about how to order a custom Christys, you're saying you did that and they didn't respond?

What custom specs did you order on your hat, anyway? Just curious.

 

[Mr. Lucky]

Hi Lucky, so when you asked me in a PM a few weeks ago about how to order a custom Christys, you're saying you did that and they didn't respond?

What custom specs did you order on your hat, anyway? Just curious.

I had asked for a couple of things -
Slightly lower crown.
2 3/8 brim
Bound brim.
2" ribbon
I double checked with Hornet about all my requests and they said no problem. Upon receipt of the hat the only request that had been fulfilled was the width of the brim.

Now, don't get me wrong, I think it's a beautiful hat. And, in terms of sizing, I should have researched a bit more and found out that they run small. But, besides that, it seems that 1 of 4 requests being met is not a great start.

 

[Tone]

What does that mean..."slightly lower crown"?

 

[Mr. Lucky]

What does that mean..."slightly lower crown"?

A half-inch lower than the standard 5 3/4.

 

[Tone]

Hmm...

Next time you order you might give them the actual measurement rather than something like "a half inch lower than the standard 5 3/4". They work in centimeters.




Anyway, you have any shots of it. Those sound like some good specs!

 

[Mr. Lucky]

Hmm...

Next time you order you might give them the actual measurement rather than something like "a half inch lower than the standard 5 3/4". They work in centimeters.




Anyway, you have any shots of it. Those sound like some good specs!

I think I was pretty explicit. Here's exactly what I sent -

Sarah -

Here is the final order -hornetshats553597700 - and the final request for modifications.

Christy's Adventurer - Open Crown
Size - 61cm
Color - SABLE

Modifications -
Crown height - 5 1/4 inches
Brim - 2 3/8 inches
Band - BLACK 2 inches
Matching/BLACK bound brim

And, if possible, please remove reed from sweatband. If not possible, that is fine.

I look forward to wearing this lovely lid! Thank you for your help and patience.

Yrs,

Jeff XXXXXXX


I'll try to get some shots up soon.

 

[Tone]

That sounds like a very sharp lid! (No binding, though?):eusa_doh:

Still, looking forward to seeing that!

 

[Mr. Lucky]

So, I got my SECOND Christy's in a week today (from a fellow Lounger) and, although it's the same model, it is a very different hat! The felt on this one is much more pliable and softer than the one I got in Sable. Now, despite the screwups and omissions in my first order - and after doing some remodeling myself - I've come to like the first one. The second one I think I like more. It has that...feel of vintage felt, with all the creases and crevices I like when I just plunk the thing down on my head. It needs some work - a brim trim and such - but it should work out.

I'm just a little baffled and the differences. I know a darker hat is usually stiffer, but the differences in color aren't that great. So, if I go to order another, what will I get? Just scratchin' my head here!

 

[frussell]

Your Burma Adventurer?

Mr. Lucky - I take it you received your Burma Adventurer? I hope you are happy with it. I'm still bummed it wasn't big enough for my gorilla sized head. Hope you enjoy it. Frank

 

[Mr. Lucky]

Mr. Lucky - I take it you received your Burma Adventurer? I hope you are happy with it. I'm still bummed it wasn't big enough for my gorilla sized head. Hope you enjoy it. Frank

Got it last evening! Lovely hat. And you must have a HUGE melon, this thing is big on even me! Ah, more storage for the brains, right?

 

[metropd]

All three Christy's hats I've ordered have been dramatically different. [huh] You can get a really good production Christy's fedora, but beware of the problem of quality control, its an issue for Stetson, Borsalino, and all most all of the major hat brands.

 

[Tone]

Mr. Lucky - I take it you received your Burma Adventurer? I hope you are happy with it. I'm still bummed it wasn't big enough for my gorilla sized head. Hope you enjoy it. Frank

Frussell, in seeing where the Christys sizes stop, and your mentioned head size, it's understandable that you had to nab a custom. Yours is definitely a large order to fit.

Wait - you bought a Fed IV. How do you feel with that one on seeing it in the mirror? Any pics?

 

[frussell]

Fed IV

Akubra's size 63 is exactly what it claims to be, and what most companies would list as a 63. It fits a bit loose on me, which is what I like. Akubras seem to snug up a bit over time, and I've already taken the felt strips out after one week. And no, I don't usually have to order customs. I can usually make out with a 7 3/4, and a bit of Hat Jack action to give it a long oval. Thanks, Frank.

 

[Tone]

Akubra's size 63 is exactly what it claims to be, and what most companies would list as a 63. It fits a bit loose on me, which is what I like. Akubras seem to snug up a bit over time, and I've already taken the felt strips out after one week. And no, I don't usually have to order customs. I can usually make out with a 7 3/4, and a bit of Hat Jack action to give it a long oval. Thanks, Frank.

Yeah, I have a few Akubras. No urge for a Fed IV anytime soon, though.

Do we ever get to see you in your hat, Frussell?

 

[frussell]

Yeah, sure

The little one in my avatar is me, and I'm wearing a hat.