Introducing both "Journeyman" and "Hitchhiker"

[jlee562]

A brown braid would look really sharp on the natural felt. I like the braids though.

 

[The Good]

Both hats are great, but the Hitchhiker looks awesome... it's a good color combination, and I like the leather band.

I'm talking about this image:

 

[Ordinary Guy]

I like the idea and the both the hats with the Journeyman being my main preference....

Like most others the idea of leather band seems like winner but the buckle is a bit much for me......

Once the what to do without the buckles is figured out, I don't know if possible but with a few choices of different colors of leather the hat could change to match just about anything anyone would want.....

 

[srserl]

I love both of these, especially the Journeyman. The only thing I would change is the shiny hardware...maybe tone it down with a bronze colored hardware or something. The leather braid treatment could also look good, or just an Open Road style ribbon. I think I will put the Journeyman in the queue of hats I want to get...just need to decide which position it gets.

Scott

 

[DavidJ]

I like both hats with the leather bands they have in the first pictures. And while the buckles look great on the hitchhiker, I agree with those saying the journeyman's buckle should be brass or the like. I agree with Cliff on the horsehair braid, I just love how they look.

 

[hatophile]

Both are very nice, one could even change the band to one of their preference as I have done with some of my mass production cowboy hats. Would either be available in a different color?

 

[1961MJS]

Hi Art

I think that the addition of a nutria / bunny fur felt hat to your line would be a great addition. PERSONALLY I think that a 1 inch ribbon would look good on a tough outdoors hat. If you get the ribbon too thin, you're just making a higher quality Campdraft.

You might check the ribbon treatment on the 1898 Campaign hats in that section. Mike Moore made me a roughrider hat, and I need to get pictures up. Hatman Jack's (son?) put together a similar model in a Sunbody also.

I know I don't like the little buckles on a hat. I'm pretty sure that it's because most of the more expensive, but production line cowboy hats have the thin felt strap with a little silver buckle. If you want to go leather, Madri leather has some interesting leather hat bands. I've never purchased these.

http://www.madrileatherworks.com/

I've purchased both a leather double loop stampede string and a horse hair stampede string from Out West Saddlery:

http://www.outwestsaddlery.com/

Out west also carries leather braided hatbands, horsehair braided hat bands, and rawhide braided hat bands. I also think that some for of off shoot from a Matthew Quigley hatband might look good on these hats.

Just my $0.02 and well worth what y'all paid for it. Happy New by the way.

 

[Art Fawcett]

Both are very nice, one could even change the band to one of their preference as I have done with some of my mass production cowboy hats. Would either be available in a different color?

At this point Perry I'm not sure they are going to sell at all so different colors would be in the future.

 

[Art Fawcett]

Hi Art

I think that the addition of a nutria / bunny fur felt hat to your line would be a great addition. PERSONALLY I think that a 1 inch ribbon would look good on a tough outdoors hat. If you get the ribbon too thin, you're just making a higher quality Campdraft.

You might check the ribbon treatment on the 1898 Campaign hats in that section. Mike Moore made me a roughrider hat, and I need to get pictures up. Hatman Jack's (son?) put together a similar model in a Sunbody also.

I know I don't like the little buckles on a hat. I'm pretty sure that it's because most of the more expensive, but production line cowboy hats have the thin felt strap with a little silver buckle. If you want to go leather, Madri leather has some interesting leather hat bands. I've never purchased these.

http://www.madrileatherworks.com/

I've purchased both a horse hair double loop stampede string and a horse hair stampede string from Out West Saddlery:

http://www.outwestsaddlery.com/

Out west also carries leather braided hatbands, horsehair braided hat bands, and rawhide braided hat bands. I also think that some for of off shoot from a Matthew Quigley hatband might look good on these hats.

Just my $0.02 and well worth what y'all paid for it. Happy New by the way.

Thanks MS, I'll be exploring all options & you just can't have too many resources

 

[Rabbit]

Perhaps a poll here on the Lounge would help to roughly estimate if there is sufficient demand to go ahead? A poll that differentiates between "I'm definitely interested in buying 1,2,.." and "I think it's interesting/ I like it, but I won't buy one myself".
The prospective market would largely (?) consist of loungers anyway, wouldn't it?

 

[Link]

Art, the natural felt of the Hitchhiker looks like a very light gray/silver on my screen. Does the photo accurately show the color, or is it closer to the natural beaver included in your samples?

 

[Art Fawcett]

Art, the natural felt of the Hitchhiker looks like a very light gray/silver on my screen. Does the photo accurately show the color, or is it closer to the natural beaver included in your samples?

It's actually very close in color to your swatches Link. The swatches are pure beaver so the dye is a 1/2 shade different. Don't trust your monitor Sir

 

[Mulceber]

Sorry I got to this so late. I've been away from the forum for too long.

They look great Art! I can definitely see them being an appealing introduction to the hobby for the uninitiated. Good way to get them used to hats so that they might eventually drift into dressier models. If VS hats are addictive, these are the gateway drugs.

Maybe you should name this series of hats the "Gateway Series?"

My one question is, why rabbit/nutria? If you're looking to go for something durable, I was always under the impression that beaver was second to none in that department. -M

 

[Art Fawcett]

My one question is, why rabbit/nutria? If you're looking to go for something durable, I was always under the impression that beaver was second to none in that department. -M

Rabbit keeps the material cost down and nutria brings the durability up without adding too much to the overall cost of the body. Add additional weight to start with and a heavier core & it should compete with the more famous hats for durability. I have had a few Akubras pass thorough my hands recently and the finish of them is something that can be duplicated in minutes, not hours so again, keeping the cost down.

You are absolutely right, beaver is the most durable in the long run but I'm trying to reach out to the guys that can't justify $400 + for one of my hats. Also, I'm trying to keep my own interest up by putting new twists on old ideas.
Make sense?

 

[VetPsychWars]

I would like a ribbon (as in the 1" previously mentioned) as an option specifically because it's damn near impossible to find a western-type hat with that sort of ribbon as it is. You find them on campaign hats and some other vintage westerns, but good luck getting that today without a special order. Lots of those funny cords with knots in them, though....

I personally would buy a Hitchhiker if I could get it with a ribbon, unlined, and ventilated. I was seriously considering a repro 1884 campaign hat for summer use but this Hitchhiker would be much preferred. If it doesn't come with a ribbon I can always have one added, I guess.

Tom

 

[Mulceber]

Make sense?

Perfect sense. I was just curious as to the reasoning. -M

 

[EggHead]

I would like to see a simple ribbon that can take various puggarees - various colors and various widths.
Something that can be easily clipped on by layman.
Also, maybe the "ribbon/bow" of this new puggaree can be redesigned from standard and will look more rugged or western.
Perhaps this could be a project for your assistant or an arts student?

These puggarees can then be offered with hats or sent to client for a trial. In person color matching with final product is always truer than in photos.

With respect,
Egghead

 

[kaosharper1]

Wow. I missed this thread. Both hats look great. I have to admit that I'd prefer a pungaree to a leather band, and I wouldn't mind a mass produced one (as opposed to one hand made by Art) if it kept the costs down.

 

[bowlerman]

IMHO they are both wonderful and extremely marketable to larger demographics. Although I'm also a ribbon band guy over leather or horsehair, I think I'd wear the Hitchhiker as shown, leather, shiny buckle and all.

 

[RBH]

Wow. I missed this thread. Both hats look great. I have to admit that I'd prefer a pungaree to a leather band, and I wouldn't mind a mass produced one (as opposed to one hand made by Art) if it kept the costs down.

Ahhh.. they would be made by hand by Art... not mass produced. Just some things would be the same on all hats... hat band, color, brim width, crown height, felt pouncing ect. Those are the things that would remain the same on all hats that would keep Arts hands on time down, and thus keeping the price down.
A slide on leather band would cost less in the long run than a hand sewn ribbon done by Art.

Less time by Art the lower his price point would be.