M.C. Gannon Hat Company

[Bill Hughes]

I just picked this hat up. It deserves more effort for its debut, but I’m off to work and I couldn’t wait.

Cobalt blue 100% nutria felt (one of the new 160 gram felts from Sunrise). Open crown is just under 6 1/2 inches! The bound brim is a full three inches wide and the binding and crown ribbon/bow are in the color “blue metal.” The crown is super thin and very soft. Farther down the crown the felt thin lens and forms up. The brim is quite firm and substantial. The hand is very nice on the crown and brim, but there underlying firmness of the felt varies a great deal between the two. I like it a lot, and it encourages one to doff and don it by the brim rather than the crown. Like my other Nutrias from Gannon, the top of the crown is so thin and soft that you can blow a crease into it, but the felt has a lot of spring back and will take steam to get the shape right. This is an area where Gannon’s beaver hats are better than the nutria.

I think this hat wants to be brim up and I’m fine with that. I’m completely happy with how the hat turned out. It’s just quickly dry creased right now and it will take some time and effort to shape it how I want, but it’s a jewel and the color is even nicer than I hoped. Maybe even approaching Eric’s @Short Balding Guy cadet blue?


View attachment 377480 View attachment 377481 View attachment 377482 View attachment 377483 View attachment 377484 View attachment 377485 View attachment 377486 View attachment 377487 View attachment 377488

Nice, the color is outstanding.

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Question: what crown would you guys take? An open crown or a creased one? And why?

Open crown on my last couple of hats. Pre-creased before. Letting the crease happen has been growing on me. The crease not being exact (symetical, even, or like something I imagine) I have learned to let go of. It is a part of my day I were I can let go.

I just picked this hat up. It deserves more effort for its debut, but I’m off to work and I couldn’t wait.

Cobalt blue 100% nutria felt (one of the new 160 gram felts from Sunrise). Open crown is just under 6 1/2 inches! The bound brim is a full three inches wide and the binding and crown ribbon/bow are in the color “blue metal.” The crown is super thin and very soft. Farther down the crown the felt thin lens and forms up. The brim is quite firm and substantial. The hand is very nice on the crown and brim, but there underlying firmness of the felt varies a great deal between the two. I like it a lot, and it encourages one to doff and don it by the brim rather than the crown. Like my other Nutrias from Gannon, the top of the crown is so thin and soft that you can blow a crease into it, but the felt has a lot of spring back and will take steam to get the shape right. This is an area where Gannon’s beaver hats are better than the nutria.

I think this hat wants to be brim up and I’m fine with that. I’m completely happy with how the hat turned out. It’s just quickly dry creased right now and it will take some time and effort to shape it how I want, but it’s a jewel and the color is even nicer than I hoped. Maybe even approaching Eric’s @Short Balding Guy cadet blue?


View attachment 377480 View attachment 377481 View attachment 377482 View attachment 377483 View attachment 377484 View attachment 377485 View attachment 377486 View attachment 377487 View attachment 377488

Dang! Ok, I just emailed Michael and am starting the process of standing in line for a hat in a felt like yours Brent. That is a terrific felt hue. Brent that is really a special hat.

Gannon hats are the cat's meow. I love my vintage hats, but worry about giving them hard wear. My Gannon's "take a lick'n and keep on tick'n.

Cheers, Eric -

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Nice, the color is outstanding.

Thanks, Bill. I think the only reason to go with nutria over beaver is if you need the larger dimensions possible with the nutria or if you want it for the color.

Open crown on my last couple of hats. Pre-creased before. Letting the crease happen has been growing on me. The crease not being exact (symetical, even, or like something I imagine) I have learned to let go of. It is a part of my day I were I can let go.



Dang! Ok, I just emailed Michael and am starting the process of standing in line for a hat in a felt like yours Brent. That is a terrific felt hue. Brent that is really a special hat.

Gannon hats are the cat's meow. I love my vintage hats, but worry about giving them hard wear. My Gannon's "take a lick'n and keep on tick'n.

Cheers, Eric -

Thank you, sir. This is a moment I’m going to remember: I inspired you! Your Gannon tree is still something that I refer to regularly when deciding on colors etc.

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Thank you, sir. This is a moment I’m going to remember: I inspired you! Your Gannon tree is still something that I refer to regularly when deciding on colors etc.

Back at you Brent. I try to stay out of the fray of many discussions, but I have watched and read your adventures with the nutria hoods. I am pushed over the top tonight. The nutria, as I understand from following your posts about, hatters have been getting better results from. I can not imagine that the hoods are dramatically different and summarize that the hatters are learning how to use the resource. I am pleased to see other hood providers expanding upon the standard felt hue offerings. I was always impressed that Art Fawcett (VS master hatter) had worked magic with Winchester for some custom hues (eg: blue-mist, dove Etc). Those felts gave an extra uniqueness to the custom hat.

The blue, on my MacBook Pro, is not quite Cadet Blue (like the US Airforce academy blue), but close enough for me. I am imaging a Playboy clone would be gorgeous in your felt.

As to the tree, we should get you to post up a family pic of the serious custom hats you have commissioned. You do have breadth of hatters and felt selection. As I watch, read and see your hat rack must be getting to the enormous stage.

Cheers sir, Eric -

 

[Belkar]

Finally got a moment to snap a couple pictures. I have a few skills in this life, but photography is not one of them. I apologize.

I also have a question, just how durable is a western weight 100x hat? Am I going to kill it with some rain? I’ve quite literally never touched a hat of this quality before. (I have purchased a brush and a dark felt cleaning kit. YouTube university may have to help me there. )

Also, as I told Michael after having this for a whole 48 hours, I’m probably going to send him a deposit for a Dark Moss one in the next few months. Once my finances have recovered from the holidays.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Finally got a moment to snap a couple pictures. I have a few skills in this life, but photography is not one of them. I apologize.

I also have a question, just how durable is a western weight 100x hat? Am I going to kill it with some rain? I’ve quite literally never touched a hat of this quality before. (I have purchased a brush and a dark felt cleaning kit. YouTube university may have to help me there. )

Also, as I told Michael after having this for a whole 48 hours, I’m probably going to send him a deposit for a Dark Moss one in the next few months. Once my finances have recovered from the holidays.

As long as you take care of it there’s no reason to avoid rain. Like all things, it will eventually wear out, but it should provide decades of service if you take reasonable care. Of course, the best thing is to have a few dozen so no one hat gets used that much…sounds like you found that track all on your own.

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Finally got a moment to snap a couple pictures. I have a few skills in this life, but photography is not one of them. I apologize.

I also have a question, just how durable is a western weight 100x hat? Am I going to kill it with some rain? I’ve quite literally never touched a hat of this quality before. (I have purchased a brush and a dark felt cleaning kit. YouTube university may have to help me there. )

Also, as I told Michael after having this for a whole 48 hours, I’m probably going to send him a deposit for a Dark Moss one in the next few months. Once my finances have recovered from the holidays.

Rain - I would not seek to wear them in a soaking rain. If soaked they fair well. I have included some pics of a Gannon Wanderer in a granite beaver felt. I got caught in a soaking rain. The hat did it's job and protected me, but it truly got soaked with over an hour hike back to my vehicle. At home I set it on a block with the leather sweat popped open. After it was nearly dry I pushed it out to open crown, firmly brushed the felt crown and brim, lightly conditioned the brim. I put it back on the block and flange just to make sure that the hat id not distort at all. After dry I did wipe the ribbon with a moist clean cloth and then wiped any conditioner off the leather sweat. To my relief the hat was fine. The episode I am typing about is a couple years ago. The hat has gotten wet several more times.

Here is a pic of the same hat worn last week.

My Gannon's get worn during my everyday escapades. They do keep going. Tonight we are expecting our first measurable snow. In the morning I will don a Gannon beaver felt to move snow (if we have measurable accumulation) without hesitation. Here is a pic of a Gannon Wanderer (charcoal beaver felt) that I wore working to remove snow last winter. The hat is fine.

Cheers, Eric -

 

[Zombie_61]

...I have included some pics of a Gannon Wanderer in a granite beaver felt. I got caught in a soaking rain...

I really like that first photo--the way it reveals the moisture on and in the felt, it shows off the contours of the hat beautifully.

 

[Rmccamey]

Finally got a moment to snap a couple pictures.
Also, as I told Michael after having this for a whole 48 hours, I’m probably going to send him a deposit for a Dark Moss one in the next few months. Once my finances have recovered from the holidays.

GoodGodYouGotAGreatGannon!

 

[Belkar]

Rain - I would not seek to wear them in a soaking rain. If soaked they fair well. I have included some pics of a Gannon Wanderer in a granite beaver felt. I got caught in a soaking rain. The hat did it's job and protected me, but it truly got soaked with over an hour hike back to my vehicle. At home I set it on a block with the leather sweat popped open. After it was nearly dry I pushed it out to open crown, firmly brushed the felt crown and brim, lightly conditioned the brim. I put it back on the block and flange just to make sure that the hat id not distort at all. After dry I did wipe the ribbon with a moist clean cloth and then wiped any conditioner off the leather sweat. To my relief the hat was fine. The episode I am typing about is a couple years ago. The hat has gotten wet several more times.

Here is a pic of the same hat worn last week.

My Gannon's get worn during my everyday escapades. They do keep going. Tonight we are expecting our first measurable snow. In the morning I will don a Gannon beaver felt to move snow (if we have measurable accumulation) without hesitation. Here is a pic of a Gannon Wanderer (charcoal beaver felt) that I wore working to remove snow last winter. The hat is fine.

Cheers, Eric -

You have a block? Wow. Should I get one if I’m serious about purchasing more of these? Also, what do you use to condition with?

 

[ILB Frank]

If you have a quality hat there is no need to go out and get all these tools of the trade to take care of it. These hats (not just a Gannon) are pricey because they are high quality... Not precious.
They will hold up to a LOT of weather for a long time (if you are concerned then set aside $1 per week. I'd bet that you will save enough for a replacement before you need it.)
I'm not knocking anybody that has blocks, flanges, etc. If you want that stuff, get it... But you don't need it.
Get a horsehair brush, some packing tape and you're good to go.

 

[Belkar]

If you have a quality hat there is no need to go out and get all these tools of the trade to take care of it. These hats (not just a Gannon) are pricey because they are high quality... Not precious.
They will hold up to a LOT of weather for a long time (if you are concerned then set aside $1 per week. I'd bet that you will save enough for a replacement before you need it.)
I'm not knocking anybody that has blocks, flanges, etc. If you want that stuff, get it... But you don't need it.
Get a horsehair brush, some packing tape and you're good to go.

I used to smoke a pack and a half a day, but quit in 2013. I should set that aside a day. lol

You use packing tape, and here I was thinking lint roller.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I used to smoke a pack and a half a day, but quit in 2013. I should set that aside a day. lol

You use packing tape, and here I was thinking lint roller.

You might not “need” tools, but they certainly help. I use my hat steamer the most followed by flanges and then blocks. Your hat is a western weight so you might have less need of a block etc., but even the best hats can get a bit wonky and trying to fix them without the right tools can be frustrating.

Of course, you have to remember that over 99% of hat wearers don’t have these tools and they still wear and enjoy their hats.

 

[belfastboy]

If you have a quality hat there is no need to go out and get all these tools of the trade to take care of it. These hats (not just a Gannon) are pricey because they are high quality... Not precious.
They will hold up to a LOT of weather for a long time (if you are concerned then set aside $1 per week. I'd bet that you will save enough for a replacement before you need it.)
I'm not knocking anybody that has blocks, flanges, etc. If you want that stuff, get it... But you don't need it.
Get a horsehair brush, some packing tape and you're good to go.

I got caught in a deluge of rain the other day while wearing a Tonak rabbit felt hat. It poured buckets for the 25 minutes it took me to walk back to my car......hat was thoroughly drenched with water pouring off the brim. I set it gently on the back seat of the car and when home placed it on the edge of counter. Dry the next day and you would never know it had been wet at all.

 

[daizawaguy]

Those Nutria felts have me thinking again…

This was my last order with the Fepsa beaver…(on the left)

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Those Nutria felts have me thinking again…

This was my last order with the Fepsa beaver…(on the left)

View attachment 378158 View attachment 378159

I am exceited to see what creative addition to your hat rack comes of your upcoming collaboration with Mr.Gannon. I do love to see your Fespa hats. Dynamite!

This evening I have been enjoying the first measurable snow of the year while wearing my Gannon Playboy (inspired by the Stetson fedora of said name) in a beaver bluemist felt.

Cheers, Eric -

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Good morning Gannon hat folks. My Gannon Wanderer has been doing outside chores. The hats are good for the country and town.

Enjoy your hat adventures. Cheers, Eric -

 

[Pellie]

Michael send me a picture of my whiskey with copper ribbon and open crown.
He will send it to the netherlands on monday, so i still have to be patience. Don't know how long it will be travelling, 3 weeks i guess? We will see, but actually i can't wait

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Michael send me a picture of my whiskey with copper ribbon and open crown.
He will send it to the netherlands on monday, so i still have to be patience. Don't know how long it will be travelling, 3 weeks i guess? We will see, but actually i can't wait
View attachment 380517

Nice! Those colors work really well together.

 

[Pellie]

Nice! Those colors work really well together.

Yes, i thought so either. I was in doubt with copper and rust, but copper it was!