Brent,
I provided the Fepsa body. I understand Michael can get Fepsa bodies if a client request those (thus saving on 2x shipping costs).
Raul
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M.C. Gannon Hat Company
- Thread starter moontheloon
- Start date
I provided the Fepsa body. I understand Michael can get Fepsa bodies if a client request those (thus saving on 2x shipping costs).
Raul
- Messages
- 19,001
- Location
- Central California
I’ve sent him a few FEPSA felts for projects. He prefers Winchester’s felt, but he’s made some fantastic hats from FEPSA beaver and Sunrise nutria felt too.
I see. I know that when I watch those old timey westerns, their hats are noticeably thinner, almost like a dress weight. The brims bend somewhat with ease during a strong gust of wind or when the cowboy handles his hat by the brim. That's something that would never happen with a modern western hat.
- Messages
- 19,001
- Location
- Central California
Absolutely. Many (most?) modern western hat buyers would not like even the best vintage hats from the golden era. Tastes and expectations seemed to have changed over the years. I think it was more a matter of hat companies making inferior felt, albeit some was/is pure beaver, and the customers gradually coming to think it was good quality as there wasn’t anything better to compare it to. I’m sure modern western felt is ideal for some, but it leaves me disappointed. Michael has done some great work trying to replicate the qualities of vintage felt using what’s currently available.
mullitt
One of the Regulars
- Messages
- 100
I got my hat! And to add to the discussion, one thing I wanted was a soft, hand moldable crown like vintage felt. Michael delivered:
Rmccamey
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 5,867
- Location
- Central Texas
Rmccamey
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 5,867
- Location
- Central Texas
I may have to buy one of those Flagstone bodies from you, Brent. That's one of the nicest greens I've seen.
- Messages
- 19,001
- Location
- Central California
Thank you Randy! I actually asked Michael to shape the brim of the hat similar to one of yours (a silverbelly westerner fedora with a ~1" dark brown ribbon).
Best regards (my fellow Texas compatriot),
Raul
Is your 6oz steel beaver a homburg? I just saw that Michael posted one on IG.
- Messages
- 19,001
- Location
- Central California
That’s a great hat, but it’s the standard dress weight beaver. Mine is a western felt and a western style. I’ll know soon after Michael receives the felt as we have details to discuss.
mullitt
One of the Regulars
- Messages
- 100
I decided on a shape for the crown of my new hat:
Now I just need to decide if I want to keep the brim flat or curve it slightly on the sides. I’ll wear it as-is for awhile and see how it feels.
I’ve learned a lot about hats in the past decade, and since it’s all self directed there’s some obvious stuff that I was in the dark about for a long time. I bought an Akubra Woomera 3 or so years ago because I wanted to shape it in a similar way, but I could never get it exactly how I wanted but didn’t know why.
The quality of the felt, the taper of the crown and the brim and even slight differences in height or width can change so much. It’s hard to make this hat into something I don’t like, whereas other hats I’ve had I had to work hard to make them into something I do.
All that to say: it’s worth it to get a custom hat. Especially working with someone like Michael who really knows his stuff.
Now I just need to decide if I want to keep the brim flat or curve it slightly on the sides. I’ll wear it as-is for awhile and see how it feels.
I’ve learned a lot about hats in the past decade, and since it’s all self directed there’s some obvious stuff that I was in the dark about for a long time. I bought an Akubra Woomera 3 or so years ago because I wanted to shape it in a similar way, but I could never get it exactly how I wanted but didn’t know why.
The quality of the felt, the taper of the crown and the brim and even slight differences in height or width can change so much. It’s hard to make this hat into something I don’t like, whereas other hats I’ve had I had to work hard to make them into something I do.
All that to say: it’s worth it to get a custom hat. Especially working with someone like Michael who really knows his stuff.
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- Messages
- 19,001
- Location
- Central California
I have a similar Gannon in natural. The felt is easily shaped and re-shaped. Gannon works magic with modern felt.
- Messages
- 19,001
- Location
- Central California
My latest Gannon:
100% beaver FEPSA felt. Tim at Pure Beaver calls the color Pale Whale.
Narrow brim binding
6 ¼” open crown
3 ⅛” brim
Diamond pattern venting on the side of the crown
I let Michael make a lot of decisions on this hat. He hand-dyed the ribbon to get the color he wanted and he chose the “bow” style. The felt on the crown is very thin and soft. It was all shaped dry.
Notice the larger branding:
100% beaver FEPSA felt. Tim at Pure Beaver calls the color Pale Whale.
Narrow brim binding
6 ¼” open crown
3 ⅛” brim
Diamond pattern venting on the side of the crown
I let Michael make a lot of decisions on this hat. He hand-dyed the ribbon to get the color he wanted and he chose the “bow” style. The felt on the crown is very thin and soft. It was all shaped dry.
Notice the larger branding:
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suitedcboy
One Too Many
- Messages
- 1,348
- Location
- Fort Worth Texas or thereabouts
Gorgeous! hat. Love the color. Give us a felt review, please.
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quikrick
One Too Many
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- Bay Area, California
That’s a real nice one Brent.
EXCELLENT!
- Messages
- 19,001
- Location
- Central California
For @suitedcboy and whoever else is interested in a review of the felt.
I procured the felt myself and sent it to Gannon. Gannon doesn’t normally stock FEPSA felt and he has told me a few times that he prefers working with Winchester beaver felt.
I have a few 100% beaver hats made from FEPSA felt. I’ll start by saying this latest hat in pale whale is my favorite as far as the felt goes. It has some spring back so not the “molds like clay” variety. However, Michael made the crown very thin and it shapes like a dream. All my shaping has been done dry and so far I haven’t had the remotest desire to steam it. The brim is more substantial in both thickness and firmness. The brim is not at all harsh or stiff, but it definitely adds structure and form to the hat. It has a fairly shallow flange and took a minute to get the shape where I wanted it (again, no steam or water). The hand is lovely. It’s very soft and doesn’t have the dry feeling that Winchester felt can sometimes have. There is a very slight and very tight waffle texture in the surface of the felt that Michael noticed right off. He’s also noticed it in other FEFSA felt. It’s hard to see and isn’t a detraction to me, but others may feel differently.
This is the first of my several FEPSA felt hats that I can say I really do see as superior to my favorite Winchester beaver felt hats. It’s not a clear winner, and it’s really just more different than better, but if I’m honest I do like it slightly more than my favorite Winchester felt hats.
I procured the felt myself and sent it to Gannon. Gannon doesn’t normally stock FEPSA felt and he has told me a few times that he prefers working with Winchester beaver felt.
I have a few 100% beaver hats made from FEPSA felt. I’ll start by saying this latest hat in pale whale is my favorite as far as the felt goes. It has some spring back so not the “molds like clay” variety. However, Michael made the crown very thin and it shapes like a dream. All my shaping has been done dry and so far I haven’t had the remotest desire to steam it. The brim is more substantial in both thickness and firmness. The brim is not at all harsh or stiff, but it definitely adds structure and form to the hat. It has a fairly shallow flange and took a minute to get the shape where I wanted it (again, no steam or water). The hand is lovely. It’s very soft and doesn’t have the dry feeling that Winchester felt can sometimes have. There is a very slight and very tight waffle texture in the surface of the felt that Michael noticed right off. He’s also noticed it in other FEFSA felt. It’s hard to see and isn’t a detraction to me, but others may feel differently.
This is the first of my several FEPSA felt hats that I can say I really do see as superior to my favorite Winchester beaver felt hats. It’s not a clear winner, and it’s really just more different than better, but if I’m honest I do like it slightly more than my favorite Winchester felt hats.
That's one fine looking hat, Brent! Mine goes into production tomorrow! I'm stoked!
- Messages
- 19,001
- Location
- Central California
Rmccamey
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 5,867
- Location
- Central Texas
Another nice one, sir. A very spring-like color that should look great all year long.
I'm glad the felt worked out to your liking. Your description seems to be very close to vintage felt and also similar to how Michael worked out my latest homburg with a very thin and moldable crown and a more firm and structured brim.
I'm glad the felt worked out to your liking. Your description seems to be very close to vintage felt and also similar to how Michael worked out my latest homburg with a very thin and moldable crown and a more firm and structured brim.
