Hatter Wanted!

[HNTrail]

Hello! I'm a bit new to posting here and I have a simple request. I would like the names of the best Hatters any of you know so that I can order two very different hats.

The first hat I want is one similar to the Rudswick from Crofut & Knapp made from Beaver. (I may have a Hatter for this project, but I will order more in the future)

The second hat I want is a larger version (I'm looking for a 5 3/4 inch brim on this sucker) of the Territory from Akubra made from Beaver.

Any ideas?

p.s. I've recently fallen in love with fedoras and hats in general, so I'm at The Fedora Lounge quite often!

 

[Mulceber]

Art Fawcett - the man makes...well...works of Art (pun definitely intended). -M

 

[Tomasso]

Hello! I'm a bit new to posting here

Really? Who knew.........

HNTrail
New In Town
Join Date
Jul 2010
Location
WV
Posts
1



I keed, I keed.




Here's THE best; no need to bother with the rest.....

 

[facade]

Hello! I'm a bit new to posting here and I have a simple request. I would like the names of the best Hatters any of you know so that I can order two very different hats.

The first hat I want is one similar to the Rudswick from Crofut & Knapp made from Beaver. (I may have a Hatter for this project, but I will order more in the future)

The second hat I want is a larger version (I'm looking for a 5 3/4 inch brim on this sucker) of the Territory from Akubra made from Beaver.

Any ideas?

p.s. I've recently fallen in love with fedoras and hats in general, so I'm at The Fedora Lounge quite often!

You can also try Bob at Black Sheep Hat Works. He is quite a creative hatter and he's offering a discount on orders through the end of the month.

 

[handlebar bart]

Hello! I'm a bit new to posting here and I have a simple request. I would like the names of the best Hatters any of you know so that I can order two very different hats.

The first hat I want is one similar to the Rudswick from Crofut & Knapp made from Beaver. (I may have a Hatter for this project, but I will order more in the future)

The second hat I want is a larger version (I'm looking for a 5 3/4 inch brim on this sucker) of the Territory from Akubra made from Beaver.

Any ideas?

p.s. I've recently fallen in love with fedoras and hats in general, so I'm at The Fedora Lounge quite often!

Take advantage of the best hatters doing what they do best. Get the first one from Art Fawcett and then get the 5 3/4" brim western from Mike Moore. Both are active members here with hundreds of amazing hats to see on this site alone and you won't find a better deal anywhere else. Welcome to the Lounge

 

[jlee562]

Bob from black sheep hatworks is currently working on one for me....his attention go detail is second to none. He will really go the extra mile to make sure you are satisfied. And he is no stranger to those wide brims.

 

[Greyfox]

Art Fawcett - the man makes...well...works of Art (pun definitely intended). -M

Take this to the bank.

 

[gtdean48]

:arated:

...Get the first one from Art Fawcett and then get the 5 3/4" brim western from Mike Moore.... Welcome to the Lounge

 

[warbird]

Take advantage of the best hatters doing what they do best. Get the first one from Art Fawcett and then get the 5 3/4" brim western from Mike Moore. Both are active members here with hundreds of amazing hats to see on this site alone and you won't find a better deal anywhere else. Welcome to the Lounge

What he said. Art makes a beautiful fedora. Mike Moore specializes in western hats and makes them for many finicky cowboy action guys. They both offer a tremendous hat and at costs better than most of their competitors.

 

[DRB]

Art Fawcett makes vintage looking hats that are very nice. If specialty hats is what you want, which is what it sounds like to me, check out Gary White of the Custom Hatter. http://www.custom-hatter.com He has a lot of mink and beaver fur blanks along with cavanagh edged hat blanks. He is currently working on some hats for the TV show HBO. He has the blocks that I am looking for that most hatters do no have. From now on, he's who I am going to. Check out my signature link below to see some examples.
Finding the right hatter is important if you take your hats seriously.

 

[Delthayre]

You could also consider Penman Hats, Tumwater Hat Company or The Falcon Park Hattery. The first two are operated by reputable members of the lounge. I cannot vouch for them personally (but I intend to commission a hat from the latter, when circumstances allow), although I can do that for Art Fawcett, who has made two fedoras for me that I'm quite pleased by. He's very easy to deal with, very responsive to communication and an excellent judge of color.

 

[jlee562]

I'll also vouch for Penman! John has his own blend of rabbit felt made for his hats which is really soft, yet durable. Although I can't personally attest to his beaver hats, I do know that he uses the same high quality felt that Adventurebilt Hats uses and used to make the latest Indiana Jones hat. John does everything by hand, and he's got great hands!

 

[EggHead]

I have been told that several of above mentioned American hatters use the same source for beaver felt. I wonder if anyone know if all American hatters, including Stetson use the same source for beaver felt.

 

[warbird]

Stetson does not. Nearly every single customer hat maker in the US buys their blanks from the same source. The difference would be in the styles and blocks each offer and the quality of their finishing. The pouncing, sanding and blocking as well as the quality of ribbon, sweats and how well they are all finished make the difference in how well made they are. It takes a good hat maker to make a wonderfully soft felt w/o ruining the felt with too much or too heavy a hand. Another difference would be in brim binding and how well it is done, if it is done at all by the hatter. I can tell you how important this is. I felt a hat made by a custom hatter that sold some hats to a few TFL members. He got his blanks at the same place most do. If you compared it to one of Art's or Mike Moore's hats you would have said this hat had inferior felt in every way. It didn't. This guy just didn't know how to properly finish the hat. I felt the hat again after it was refurbed by Mike and it was as though it was a completely different hat and different fur.

Most hatters that have been in business for a while have a large assortment of blocks, few have anything uber unique. But those that specialize in the old vintage styles will have more of the tall crown blocks often preferred by vintage wearers. Also many hatters specialize in one area and some do and some don't make hats in other areas. For instance Art specialized in fedoras. I don't know if he messes at all with western weight hats or western styles. Mike Moore specializes in western hats and western weights, especially the old vintage style cowboy hat styles that were actually used in the old west. But, he still makes modern westerns as well as fedoras.

Hence each hatter generally has their certain following. Art is dearly loved by those who like the hats made during what we refer to as the Golden Age. Mike has a legion of followers among the re-enactors of the war between the states and cowboy old west era and cowboy action shooters. I guess it would depend on where one lives and their own particular likes to determine what they specialize in. Art was a costume provider to Hollywood. Mike was a re-enactor and mounted shooting competitor.

I do know this most custom hatter in the US are western hat makers. I don't know what the ratio is, but I would guess it is enormous, the number of westerns sold for every fedora style hat sold today.

 

[jlee562]

I have been told that several of above mentioned American hatters use the same source for beaver felt. I wonder if anyone know if all American hatters, including Stetson use the same source for beaver felt.

Several do, yes. Penman and Adventurebilt definitely share the same source, which I think (keyword: think!) is the same that Art uses. That having been said, it does not necessarily follow that each receives the same formulation. John's rabbit felt is exclusive to him. What makes it special? Well, you'd have to ask him about the details, I'm just going on what he told me.

 

[gtdean48]

I have been told that several of above mentioned American hatters use the same source for beaver felt. I wonder if anyone know if all American hatters, including Stetson use the same source for beaver felt.

Optimo sources felt from Portugal I think. HatCo has its own felt plant like Stratton Hats does in Winchester. Lots of the hatters here get their blanks from Winchester which does custom blends & colors specific to the hatter's request as I recall. Winchester gets the fur from Portugal. Kills me that beaver pelts from the USA go there & then back to get felted in TN! This all subject to a spell of drinking while in Monteagle that could effect my recall....

 

[EggHead]

Stetson Pinnacle is beaver felt (I don't have one, but the web says so). I wonder how it would compare to custom beaver. It's a little above $300 on some sites and there is no wait.

 

[Alan-Eby]

So I have a question for my fellow Loungers. If you happened to want a custom Homburg who would you have make it. I haven't seen anyone advertising their homburgs on the custom sites I've been to.
I'm sure most of the custom hatters can make one, I'm just wondering who does it more and who the Lounge thinks does the best?

 

[gtdean48]

Stetson Pinnacle is beaver felt (I don't have one, but the web says so). I wonder how it would compare to custom beaver. It's a little above $300 on some sites and there is no wait.

I have 2 Pinnacles & 5 100% beaver customs = 1 Western, 1 Dress weight fedora, 3 featherweight fedoras (ArtLites).
I didn't pay retail for the Pinnacles, got both used & well below $300 combined.
Looking at the finish, the liner, the sweatband, the hatband & how all is done/sewn, I'd buy a custom every time if the prices were equal or close.

 

[gtdean48]

So I have a question for my fellow Loungers. If you happened to want a custom Homburg who would you have make it. I haven't seen anyone advertising their homburgs on the custom sites I've been to.
I'm sure most of the custom hatters can make one, I'm just wondering who does it more and who the Lounge thinks does the best?

I saw a Homburg custom on one of the hatter's websites earlier this week. Now to remember which one...