New Hickory colored 25X Gladhatter

[myronw]

Hi Guys,

I just got a couple new hats from Charlie Swindal yesterday... One is a 25X Hickory color fedora. When I first contacted Charlie several months ago, I asked him if he thought that I could be proud to be seen in a lowly 25X hat, or would I be looked down on by the "hat snobs" for not wearing a more expensive hat. He told me at the time that I wouldn't even be able to tell the two apart from a photo, and probably not even in person without feeling the felt. I ended up getting a 500X for my first GH, and have since purchased a couple 1000X and a vintage bodied hat from him. I also bought a vintage Dobbs off ebay, and had Art make me a hat from one of his vintage bodies.

I feel like I can speak with some confidence now, and I have to say that I am VERY impressed with the 25X! Charlie made this hat just a tad less formal looking than the 500X and the 1000X's, and with a lower crown, which makes it easier to get in and out of my peeekup. The felt is not quite as baby's butt smooth as the higher grade hats, but it is every bit as nice as any of my three vintage hats. It is also a bit thinner and softer bodied than the 500X and 1000X. Now that I have a blended hat, I can see why many of the guys here like the Optimo felt so well.

I don't want to be too long winded, so I'll just say that I am pleasantly surprised at how nice the blended fur is, and suggest that any of you have been scared off by the price of a Sterling Beaver Gladhatter, you might want to give the 25X a try.

Keep smiling,

Myron

 

[gcollins]

Hey Myron, Congratulations. I think I saw the pics of that hat on SBS before it was shipped. Looked very nice with a real nice bow design and the thinner ribbon, if I remember correctly! Show us another pic with you wearing the hat! And the milan. :cool2:

Enjoy!
G

 

[Mycroft]

Good luck with it, and post pictures as soon as you can (please), it sounds like a beauty.

 

[android]

25X?? What's that, 250% beaver?

Who comes up with this rubbish?

 

[SHARPETOYS]

The X factor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

25X?? What's that, 250% beaver?

Who comes up with this rubbish?

The crook Gladhatter... Charlie Swindall...Big sales ploy all it is...

You are right its just rubbish. A hat seller uses the X factor to hype his hats its just a sales ploy or a way to charge more money for his product.

In the old days Stetson and others would use 10X It was to say the hat was 100% beaver. A 5X was 50% beaver etc.

I've seen a so called hatter say he has a million X hat!! Now he say 500X 1000X All it is just a way to hood wink his prospect into paying more money for his hat.

He will give you his song and dance this is the finest hat body he has ever seen. Of course every hat he sells is the best hat body he has ever seen. He may say he spent days and days sanding the hat (pounceing) You can only sand a felt body so much or you will be into the core of the hat.

Hat making isn't rocket science if it was he wouldn't be making hats!

Historically, X markings were only used in felt hats, and essentially indicated a manufacturer's opinion of the blend of fur used in forming the hat bodies. The more wild fur is included in the fur blend used to make the body, the higher the X marking for that hat. Generally speaking 2X was the lowest and 100X was the highest.

Since there is no industry standard for X quality markings, the assignment of X markings is very subjective. Today X markings are a "marketing gimmick". You can't compare a XYZ hat company with any other hat on the basis of the X mark alone.

Some hat sellers even use the X factor in straw hats, now thats a real joke.

I just bought a Stetson from 1950 and its marked 100X It has a 100% beaver fur felt. A new Stetson or others marked 3X "most common "hasn't seen any beaver in the felt in years.!!

I guess they could dip a beaver pelt in the vat and drag it thru the vat then say it has beaver in the felt!

This was on another site and this is what a X means to that company.
Quote!

An "X" is what hat makers and hat companies use to indicate the quality and material of a hat. The higher the "X" value the greater the percentage of beaver in the hat body. Our 100X hats are 100% pure beaver

So tell me now how can you get more than a 100% beaver in a 1500X hat???

I could write more but to keep it short most X factor is just plain everyday BULLSHIT.

The more X's does not make it a better hat.

Most of this X factor was for cowboy hats not for a fine fedora



The old Borsalino hat didn't have any beaver in its felt yet is one of the finest hats ever made! That is why many of us look for the real old Vintage Fedora's.





.

 

[gcollins]

I agree with Sharpeytoys on the X factor on hats. Either it's pure beaver or it is any variety of blend. But I have or have tried beaver hats that are also of varying quality--by quality meaning the combination of "body", thickness, softness, water repellency, with and without stiffeners or water treatment. So I've struggled with how to define the differences (and value) without using XXXs.

Those belly beaver hats of Charlie's sure are very very fine beaver though. That's all I know. He has some downright GREAT hat bodies, and makes a hat that is sturdy and substantial that will last a LONG time. And they don't seem to be readily available elsewhere. What Charlie calls 1000X is much finer, softer and tighter than TJ's "light weight" pure beaver hat. That's all I can say.

I look forward to see Fedora's or Art's Argintianian beaver hats to compare.
I would assume a Gladhatter 25X is a beaver blend of some sort, and Myron can probably tell a great deal of difference in the feel and substance between the 25X and the other premium beaver hats he has.

One of these days, I'm going to rural virginia and I'll be able to report back what I find in the differences between those felts. I'll report back to y'all.

 

[gcollins]

Hey sharpey, tell us more about that new Stetson! I'd be curious how you find that hat realtive to the other vintage and Optimo hats you have!

thanks,
G

 

[Dylanfan]

I couln't agree more with android and SHARPETOYS. The X's mean absolutely nothing in a new hat and you still have to be careful with older hats. It's like buying stereo equipment based on the specs instead of what it sounds like, ridiculous.
Cheers,
Jeff

 

[SHARPETOYS]

G Collins wrote,

I look forward to see Fedora's or Art's Argintianian beaver hats to compare.
I would assume a Gladhatter 25X is a beaver blend of some sort, and Myron can probably tell a great deal of difference in the feel and substance

G. The beaver felts are made right here in the USA. Art and Steve buy from the same factory. I would guess POS gets his beaver felts from the same factory.

I have two of Art's blends and three of Steve's beavers.Just excellent hats and they are such class acts to deal with. Unlike POS.

When you get back to Ca. check out Kevin's Imperial beaver from Art and for $275.00 a heck of a fine fedora. "Why buy Sterling when you can have an Imperial".

 

[gcollins]

Hi Sharpey, thanks. what's POS?

 

[Panamabob]

I believe it is Person Of Superiority.

 

[gcollins]

Person of superiority? I must be dense, I don't get it.

 

[Panamabob]

Point of Sale?
Person of Supremacy?
Paz o Sana?
Pure Oligarchial Sir?
Porky ol' sas?

Gee, I just don't know.

 

[Biltmore Bob]

I always thought POS meant Piece Of Sh_t.

 

[gcollins]

G Collins wrote:

G. The beaver felts are made right here in the USA. Art and Steve buy from the same factory. I would guess POS gets his beaver felts from the same factory.

I have two of Art's blends and three of Steve's beavers.Just excellent hats and they are such class acts to deal with. Unlike POS.

When you get back to Ca. check out Kevin's Imperial beaver from Art and for $275.00 a heck of a fine fedora. "Why buy Sterling when you can have an Imperial".

Hi sharpey, I get it now. Piece of sh_t refers to Charlie Swindall. I'm a little slow lately, bogged down with a heavy travel schedule.

But careful here. You have a personal issue with Charlie Swindall. That's fine, I respect that. I don't argue people on FL. You know where to find the Ring, my good man. :rage:

But let's not confuse the people who make the hats with customer service, and the quality of the hat. It's not fair to the newbys coming here looking for genuine advice on hats. Everyone has an opinion, but I have yet to ever hear that someone who has a GH Charlie Swindall hat ever claim that it is not among the very best hat they've put on their heads. His hats and service are best in class, whether you like him or not--top of the line beaver fedora I've seen so far and the unbelievable customer care from him and his wife, the dozens of e-mails and photos of the hat in progress..... Most people here with experience of those GH hats, however grudgingly perhaps, would agree. It's a done deal, and perhaps others are catching up. I don't shill for Charlie, though he's friend of mine, but he makes me some GREAT top of the line beaver fedoras for anal nitpicky detailed guys like me. All I want is the perfect hat.

Fedora and Art, two friends of mine, make great hats--the latter also one of my favorite hat "designers" and has influenced me greatly in the styles I like. I love Steve's Indys now, each better than the next. But both would also agree that they are both coming up the curve on hat making--there's a lot to learn and that takes time and experience. Very fast, mind you, and now that they are solving the supply chain issues, they can get up even faster. I'm not sure about Steve, but Art is working, say,on the bow work and the liner (tiny isssues)--two areas that will move him to the next level. Both are now using beaver, and both might become among the best around very quickly. I love what they do, and they charge great prices. Great guys, as well, as you mention, and a pleasure to support their business. I already get hats from Art and love to visit his store.

But Gladhatter, so far, has a very high bar, when it comes to quality, details, and fine customer service for a custom Sterling Beaver hat. You can buy cheaper, yes. Ask anyone who has one of his hats, or perhaps Steve or Art. Like Charlie or not for his sometimes wild streak or past indiscretions, but let's not confuse people we like with the product that is created and the rendered service. That get's us to the facts....now we can distort them.

I can't wait to see Kevin's Imperial, as well as all his other hats! What fun that would be.

Cheers,
G

 

[SHARPETOYS]

g collins wrote,

But Gladhatter, so far, has a very high bar, when it comes to quality, details, and fine customer service for a custom Sterling Beaver hat. You can buy cheaper, yes. Ask anyone who has one of his hats, or perhaps Steve or Art. Like Charlie or not for his sometimes wild streak or past indiscretions, but let's not confuse people we like with the product that is created and the rendered service. That get's us to the facts....now we can distort them.

I can't wait to see Kevin's Imperial, as well as all his other hats! What fun that would be.

Cheers,
G



G, I'll never change your opinion about the person. You have yours and I have mine.

I'll stick with men that treat me and everyone else I know with respect. They don't run down the competation { other hatter} or people that don't buy from him or agree with him with vile and ugly words!!

In fact Graham, Steve, and Art have always been most kind with remarks about your friend.

He may make a good hat and give good customer service, its just his method's I don't care for.

So you buy your hats from him and i'll buy mine from Optimo, Adventurebilt and Vintage Silhouettes.

They have something he will never have to me and its called "Class and Ethics."

Great deal for me!! I get two fine hats for what many pay for one of his hats.

Oh! by the way, a shill is:

Shill
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
A shill is an associate of a person selling a good or service, "who pretends no association and assumes the air of an enthusiastic customer". The intention of the shill is, using crowd psychology, to encourage other potential customers, unaware of the set-up, to purchase said good or service.

Usually, shills are employed by confidence artists. Their use is often illegal, though this varies as the precise definition of what comprises "shilling" is debatable.

The word "shill" is probably related to "shillaber", a word of obscure early 20th century origin with the same meaning.

G, Please re-read his posts. Who is the confidence artist? Not me.

I don't pretend no association and assume the air of an enthusiastic customer.

I am a customer of these men and so very proud of it.

PS. The Fedora Lounge doesn't have a boxing ring. We are gentlemen here.

 

[gcollins]

Hi Sharpey,

I can understand that, and respect that. I just choose to deal with everyone on their own terms--treat me fairly and honestly, then I do the same to him. What is it andykev says: ".....and not one moment longer." Especially since I don't know many internet friends in person.

I'm a little more demanding and nitpicky when it comes to their hats though. What I like about these guys--Graham, Art, BB, TJ, Steve, PB, Charlie--is that they appreciate hearing what the customer thinks they should improve on. All will do whatever it takes, if asked for in the right way, to please the customer. They are on an enviable journey, and we here, the most passionate people about those hats, have the opportunity to help move their skills, passion, and their craft forward by being friendly, open and honest with them and buyers of those hats. It drives improvement and sales for everyone.

But sometimes, the conversation can degenerate into hyperbole or politics, or just saying, "master hatter!" or "what a great guy," or veiled attacks on character as opposed to focusing on the hats themselves. But I am sure the hatters and those new to fine custom hats appreciate immensely the honesty and varying opinions--we all learn more that way and the craft hopefully moves forward. And as long as the comments and discussions stay on the hats and not our personal issues or differences in our values. Through that, hopefully truth and intelligent discussion of hats will prevail.

Thankfully, the FL and the Sterling Beaver Saloon (well, it's getting there...) have evolved to being good places to talk honestly about the hats themselves. There are other sections in forums to take the emotions.

Cheers, bro.

G

 

[gcollins]

Oh, one more thing:

We better not insult Steve here by calling him a gentleman!

Cheers,
G

 

[Fedora]

We better not insult Steve here by calling him a gentleman!


:cheers1: You got that correct my friend. I prefer to be known as a rascal. But, an honest rascal. regards, Fedora

 

[K.D. Lightner]

Thanks for your words, gcollins. Before I joined the FL, I acquired my first GH hat. The blue fedora is also "only" a 25X hat, but it is so fine to touch and wear and I am 1000X satisfied with it. Working with Charlies was a great and positive experience, I not only got a beautiful new hat, but an education in hat-making and (now) an obsession with good hats.

From what I understand of the designations above 100X is that is has to do with the quality of a beaver, where the fur was at on the animal's body and the quality and health of the animal itself when it was alive.

I understood it to be like beef -- you have good cuts that make filet minon and the stuff that goes into hamburger or gets fed to other animals. And then, there is the cow itself, how it is fed and raised, etc.

I once said to a friend that if I paid for a 10,000X hat, I would expect the animal to waddle in the door and sit on my head. For a millionX I expect to acquire the entire beaver pond!

karol