Jaxonbilt Hats

[Art Fawcett]

Roy Jackson makes a great hat..highly recommended and a good guy!!

 

[The Good]

I have handled only one Jaxonbilt hat--a 100% beaver just like the one Clint Eastwood wore in "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly," (sans the bullet hole) that a friend of mind bought some years ago. The style was spot-on, and it was one of the five nicest hats I've ever personally inspected--and that includes vintage.

I forget what he paid, but it was A LOT. Later, I, being a major Eastwood fan, was interested in getting a GB&U hat for myself and did a bunch of research. The actual movie hat was a beaver/rabbit blend that Clint himself picked out as an 11th-hour property just before leaving to film in Spain. Bottom line--the original hat was not nearly as nice as my buddy's Jaxonbilt! In addition to Jaxonbuilt, there are quite a few vendors offering classic movie hats at various quality/price points. Knowing none could compare with my friend's stupendous but astronomical GB&U from Jaxonbilt, I decided to pass.

As for the unrelated Jaxon hats sold by Village Hat Shop, they are an excellent value for the dollar and make a fine entry-level purchase for the newbie testing the headgear waters.

That's very interesting, thanks! I am definitely a fan of Clint Eastwood westerns and westerns in general, especially the Italian variety known as "spaghetti." I have to admit though, on the Jaxonbilt website, their Open Road looks fabulous, great color and a good cattleman shape, but I am concerned about crown height.

 

[1961MJS]

That's very interesting, thanks! I am definitely a fan of Clint Eastwood westerns and westerns in general, especially the Italian variety known as "spaghetti." I have to admit though, on the Jaxonbilt website, their Open Road looks fabulous, great color and a good cattleman shape, but I am concerned about crown height.

Hi, I didn't talk to Roy very long, mainly finding out that the conformers were out, and getting my card number. From my understanding, you want an Open Road with a 5.25 inch crown, you get one, 5.5 inch crown no problem. Same with brim, color etc. He's a custom guy, but is willing to copy movie cowboy hats. I think he'd do movie fedoras, but he's in Idaho where the actually are cowboys so his business is from cowboys.

I like the looks of his John Wayne and Tom Selleck movie hats, but I'm no cowboy and so far I shoot like crap. Maybe we'll look at the movie stuff when I get up to Sharpshooter in Bullseye.

later

 

[msm007]

I just received a bunch of color swatches from him. Very nice feel to them and quite a range of colors. He has a very nice dark grey called steel.

 

[vintage68]

Hi

I'm in line for the next conformer back to the shop. Lets' hurry up out there. I'm getting the Not exactly traditional Campaign Hat I discussed earlier. The Stratton didn't fit, and I want to go a little more ostentatious than the Boys Scouts and Stratton.

Thanks

In my opinion Jaxonbilt's conformer kit really makes it worth paying the extra coin to go custom. First of all I'm afflicted with a 7 /78 Long Oval head to begin with (comes complete with its own weather system), and all the little bumps and whatnot really made getting a proper fit next to impossible for me. You'll be glad you found Jaxonbilt, and you'll be even happier with the hat which should last you the rest of your life if you take care of it.

 

[The Good]

I'm curious, what exactly is the quality of Jaxonbilt's basic quality fur felt (mostly rabbit with a little beaver blend?) when compared to say, Akubra, or even Stetson? Anybody have an experience they would like to share on this?

 

[Neophyte]

I'd like to know that as well, as the basic blend rivals the prices of Akubra's Heritage line of hats. If I can get a custom for the same price as a modern production hat I'm considering, I might as well consider going custom .

 

[monbla256]

I'd like to know that as well, as the basic blend rivals the prices of Akubra's Heritage line of hats. If I can get a custom for the same price as a modern production hat I'm considering, I might as well consider going custom .

WHY are you waiting ? You know you WANT to He's only 1 hour behind you time zone wise, so during your longest break btw'n classes tommorrow, pull out your Droid and give 'em a call ! Have 'em send you his coformathing and felt samples and 'git with it !

 

[Neophyte]

Ah, but there are two problems with that (though it's a great idea ). One is that I do not have the money yet, but it's gathering steadily. The second is that I'd like an answer to J.B.'s question.

 

[1961MJS]

Hi Neo

One avenue for working out what hats you want to get is to buy a Sunbody in the crown and brim size you THINK you want. You're out Under $50.00 and you have a decent reasonably indestructible hat. I bought a Sunbody Fedora with a 5.5 inch crown and 3 inch brim (which is a LITTLE large) and I'm saving for a new Beaver fedora after I get the Campaign hat.

Just a thought.

Later

 

[theinterchange]

Sunbody or a Stetson or Resistol straw. They have some decent looking Resistols in the $20 range. This one in particular is a nice looking, inexpensive hat. I keep aiming to order one, but don't.

Randy

 

[1961MJS]

There are a number of colors, I am currently waiting for the shipment of color swatches to arrive in the mail - he is sending them to me free of charge to Sweden. Nice guy!

Hi

Did you get the conformer also? If you did, PLEASE discuss how using it went.

Thanks

 

[msm007]

No, there was a hick-up. He does not want to send the conformer overseas as it has been lost in the post a number of times. Not optimal for me but he gave me another solution. It is low tech, but will work just as well - I believe. His words, "Copper wire is rigid enough yet flexible enough and will hold the shape of your head until you can trace it on a heavy paper. Stout electric wire may serve the same purpose. A piece of heavy leather strap will also hold, if you keep it pinched with the fingers until the tracing. The very best is copper or a string of lead. I will still need the tape measurement of your head, measured just above the ears."

I got the color swatches and they look great - 16 different colors!! I like the steel best so far.

 

[1961MJS]

Hi, that's a great idea really. 12-2 with ground is stiff enough to work great, and out of the box it's already round, you can just put it on your head and have someone twist at the back until it's comfortably tight.

Thanks

 

[msm007]

Let me know how it works for you.

 

[1961MJS]

Hi

I didn't take a picture, and I should have. The conformer Roy sends is a hand made job and it works, but you have to have a willing participant. My son (who is 23) was cranky like a 2 year old with Teething pain. The goal here is to get a tracing of your head where the hat meets your head. I got a tracing and used my copier to make several copies of the tracing. I cut one out, and it fits my head.

I think that if you're doing this yourself, buying number 12 housing wire with two leads and a ground wire (three number 12 gauge wires in a single row covered by plastic) and wrapping that around your head is easier. You could look in the mirror wrap the wire from back to front and mark where the overlap is. Tracing that would be just as easy. Trace onto a piece of very heavy paper or better yet cardboard and "try on your new hat".

Wire like this would work pretty well:

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...ode=cii_9324560&locStoreNum=3011&marketID=109

It IS possible to use the conformer without help. You have to set all of the screws out as far as they will go first, put the conformer on your head, then fit the front and back. After those fit, loosening and re-tightening the rest will be easier.

I'm pretty sure I can buy my hat from Roy and start saving for discussions with both Art and the Major. Art is way to far for me to do a road trip, but the Major lives in one of my favorite parts of the country, so he might get a visit some time in the next few years.

Later

 

[msm007]

Hi

I didn't take a picture, and I should have. The conformer Roy sends is a hand made job and it works, but you have to have a willing participant. My son (who is 23) was cranky like a 2 year old with Teething pain. The goal here is to get a tracing of your head where the hat meets your head. I got a tracing and used my copier to make several copies of the tracing. I cut one out, and it fits my head.

I think that if you're doing this yourself, buying number 12 housing wire with two leads and a ground wire (three number 12 gauge wires in a single row covered by plastic) and wrapping that around your head is easier. You could look in the mirror wrap the wire from back to front and mark where the overlap is. Tracing that would be just as easy. Trace onto a piece of very heavy paper or better yet cardboard and "try on your new hat".

Wire like this would work pretty well:

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...ode=cii_9324560&locStoreNum=3011&marketID=109

It IS possible to use the conformer without help. You have to set all of the screws out as far as they will go first, put the conformer on your head, then fit the front and back. After those fit, loosening and re-tightening the rest will be easier.

I'm pretty sure I can buy my hat from Roy and start saving for discussions with both Art and the Major. Art is way to far for me to do a road trip, but the Major lives in one of my favorite parts of the country, so he might get a visit some time in the next few years.

Later

Thanks for the very good information!

 

[scottyrocks]

Hi

I think that if you're doing this yourself, buying number 12 housing wire with two leads and a ground wire (three number 12 gauge wires in a single row covered by plastic) and wrapping that around your head is easier. You could look in the mirror wrap the wire from back to front and mark where the overlap is. Tracing that would be just as easy. Trace onto a piece of very heavy paper or better yet cardboard and "try on your new hat".

What a great idea! Kudos!

 

[The Good]

I haven't read too much on the website, but how long does it take to receive an order from them? Does anybody know if there is an exact estimation of the time it takes? Would be much appreciated.

 

[msm007]

I haven't read too much on the website, but how long does it take to receive an order from them? Does anybody know if there is an exact estimation of the time it takes? Would be much appreciated.

I sent an email to him and he promptly replied - 12 to 16 weeks on delivery.