Found a nice hat at a great price but....

[Stern-Hank]

The little white cord that runs around the base of the hatband is a bit of a dealbreaker unless it can be removed without damaging the hat. Can this be done? If they made the little cord grey or black at least I could ignore it, but white...ugh.

I'm possibly interested in the Steel Color:

 

[rmrdaddy]

Hank,
You could remove the wind cord easy enough. Some members have also successfully changed the color of these as well with dye and magic marker as well.
I do find it odd that a vendor would install a non-matching wind cord on a hat though. Who is offering that hat?

 

[rippy444]

New hat

Nice hat. What is the color, maker and type if possible. How much and where did you get it . Asking a lot? Thanks--RIP:

 

[Mr E Train]

You should be able to take off the wind cord pretty easily. Here is a thread about installing wind cords that should be helpful:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=29164

Most people here would recommend spending a bit more and getting a fur felt hat rather than a wool felt like that one. Not that it's a bad hat, but wool felt just doesn't last as long as fur felt, doesn't look and feel as nice, and can't be nearly as easily reshaped to suit your style. If money is tight, you might check eBay for vintage hats, because those can be found for much less than new fur felt hats a lot of the time, particularly if you're a smaller size. Or check http://www.johnnyphi.com, they have good vintage hats at reasonable prices, but mostly in smaller sizes.

For about $135 (that's including shipping from Australia), you can get an Akubra Federation IV from http://hatsdirect.com. It comes with an open crown, meaning that it's just round on the top like a bowler hat, but you can easily shape it yourself to look like that Untouchable hat or whatever style you choose. There are tons of threads on FL that offer help on how to bash a fedora, and you'll find it's easier than you thought it would be.

EDIT: This is the model here, the Untouchable made by Capas. http://www.hats-plus.com/p-127-wool-felt-untouchable-hat.aspx. It is a nice looking hat. If you only want a new fedora and you only want to spend $50, it wouldn't be a bad choice at all.

 

[ScionPI2005]

I do find it odd that a vendor would install a non-matching wind cord on a hat though. Who is offering that hat?

I find that odd as well. If I were to get that hat, I'd either have to remove the wind trolley all together, or dye it to match the hat. That just doesn't look right.

 

[Aureliano]

I once bought a wool hat from, now closed, Arnold hatters here in NYC. It was black, stiff as an old cracker and had a white wind troley. This thing wasn't even functional, not sewn to the hat. It was just a tight fake loop wrapped around the hat like a rubber band. Removing it was a question of just rolling it upwards.
Peter, one of the owners, told me it was fake, and gave me a handful of in case I lost the original one. [huh]

 

[donnc]

It is a nice looking hat. If you only want a new fedora and you only want to spend $50, it wouldn't be a bad choice at all.

I have their `wool felt derby', evidently made by the same manufacturer. It looks and feels pretty good, in my opinion.

 

[Not-Bogart13]

A wind cord is a snip away from gone, if need be. However, the image may be inaccurate. I have found many on-line store that change the colors of photos with a computer for visual sampling purposes, rather than actually taking a picture of every color. The wind cord may have been problematic to change. So, it is very possible that the real hat will have a matching wind cord.

 

[Mr E Train]

I have found many on-line store that change the colors of photos with a computer for visual sampling purposes, rather than actually taking a picture of every color. The wind cord may have been problematic to change. So, it is very possible that the real hat will have a matching wind cord.

Excellent point.:arated:

 

[S. Beagles]

The Brand

I was wondering what brand is the hat. It looks very similar to "The Designer Collection" from Western Express. They are made in USA but are wool felt and fairly inexpensive (under $30). I bought one about three years ago before I started buying vintage fur felt hats. Its an OK starter hat for the money, but once you get your hands on the fur felts you will seldom wear a wool hat. Very stiff, not lush and self conforming like fur. If your looking for a starter hat for little money it will do the job as mine did, but if you take to wearing a hat everyday, do yourself a favour and put about $40 or $50 with that and search Ebay for a good used fur felt like Dobbs, Knox, Stetson, etc.

 

[Mr E Train]

The brand is Capas and the model is the Untouchable.

 

[S. Beagles]

Very Similar

The Capas "Untouchable" looks so much like the Western Express Designer Collection "Gangster" I wonder if they are actually the same hat with different labels. Even the feather and hat pin are the exact same match.

 

[Stern-Hank]

Nice hat. What is the color, maker and type if possible. How much and where did you get it . Asking a lot? Thanks--RIP:

Here's the link:

http://www.hats-plus.com/p-127-wool-felt-untouchable-hat.aspx

49 bucks looks like a steal to me...

 

[carldelo]

Not a bad looking hat, that Capas - the Jaxon wool hats at Village Hat Shop are probably equivalent quality and a bit less expensive. Also, the Jaxon Bogart or Detroit are proper fur felt fedoras for only 88 bucks, which is pretty hard to beat for a new hat. Worth the extra cost, in the opinion of most here, of course. VHS has a very generous return policy which is something to keep in mind when ordering your first hat.

http://www.villagehatshop.com/jaxon-c-crown-crushable-fedora.html

http://www.villagehatshop.com/jaxon_bogart_fedora.html

 

[Mr E Train]

Not a bad looking hat, that Capas - the Jaxon wool hats at Village Hat Shop are probably equivalent quality and a bit less expensive. Also, the Jaxon Bogart or Detroit are proper fur felt fedoras for only 88 bucks, which is pretty hard to beat for a new hat. Worth the extra cost, in the opinion of most here, of course. VHS has a very generous return policy which is something to keep in mind when ordering your first hat.

http://www.villagehatshop.com/jaxon-c-crown-crushable-fedora.html

http://www.villagehatshop.com/jaxon_bogart_fedora.html

:arated:

 

[Stern-Hank]

Not a bad looking hat, that Capas - the Jaxon wool hats at Village Hat Shop are probably equivalent quality and a bit less expensive. Also, the Jaxon Bogart or Detroit are proper fur felt fedoras for only 88 bucks, which is pretty hard to beat for a new hat. Worth the extra cost, in the opinion of most here, of course. VHS has a very generous return policy which is something to keep in mind when ordering your first hat.

http://www.villagehatshop.com/jaxon-c-crown-crushable-fedora.html

http://www.villagehatshop.com/jaxon_bogart_fedora.html

It's not my first hat but I have really enjoyed VHS. I want to get the Jaxon Crushable Safari Fedora in Grey, they said they were going to get more in in that color but they haven't yet. The Untouchable comes close as far as appearance.

 

[150719541]

Expensive hats

Hi brothers¡¡¡ to much people believe: "that hats are so expensive",of course,
all folks believe so , when buy in first time and most when superimpose the price over quality.
Most folks wish a soft and fine hat in "low price", in new hats, it is imposible, even more, if it is a famous trade mark.
In our land are suffering by chinese products, all MADE IN CHINA is being sold in low prices, but are usually made in bad quality, much Trade Mark Owners have began to manufacture his products in that land, because, pay minor money, in make all products.
Last december, I wished buy a wool felt hat in "x" trade mark, but, the mark wich i am talking about, time before, was MADE IN USA, with excellent quality, in DECEMBER 2009 was appearing: Made in China, with less quality in all components (ribbon, sweat band and wool).
Made in USA $ 45.00 american dollars, deep black color(wool, crushable, water repelent) or
Made in China $ 27.00 american dollars, opaque, no shine black color ( bad, but bad components)
What is your choose or elect?
I'm sorry boys, mine is quality Made in USA, my favourite hats are:
STETSON, BORSALINO, MAYSER, MONTECRISTI and some Mexican with high quality, whole in fur felt. Obvious, the quality has a cost.
" Ladies and Gentlemen buy only wich are made in own land."

 

[rippy444]

Amen to that sir. I am new in the hat ring, and I am starting to see the difference. Especially the oldies I bought vs some new brands. I think I will stick closer to home too. Hopefully we can post a goods and address list of the American goods or equal out there. You gave us a good a start. RIP :cool2: :cool2: :cool2: :cool2:

"You only hurt the one you love, the one you shouldn't hurt at all"
Fats Dominio

 

[rippy444]

New Hat

Stern-Hank-Thanks for the info. Didn't meam to be so pushy. RIP

 

[Mike in Seattle]

One thing I notice on the link the OP provided - the hat's $49, comes in a lot (and some scary) colors and they all have the white wind trolley. But I always veer away when hats only come in S-M-L-XL. A good starter hat, perhaps (and my first was a similarly price Bailey which did teach me a lot about what to look for in a better hat).