New Member to the Hat Forum

[The Lost Cowboy]

View attachment 525978

Thanks! Except now I’ll have that in my head all morning. And I only know the one line!

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Do you have a particularly large head?

So is Mike still making only firm felt hats? I was thinking to add another bespoke to my collection but would rather get a soft one.

I’m a size 7 ¾ long oval…sometimes a 7 ⅝ will also work, but it’s a crapshoot.

I have no reason to believe that the stiffness of Mike’s hats has changed. A lot of people like them that way too. I’ve used Gannon a lot because he makes a fedora that is way less stiff and has more of the vintage properties I’m looking for.


https://fb.watch/lc6VynLvvq/?mibextid=cr9u03

I should have a new Northwest western by the end of the month. I think I’m going to like it a lot, but it’s not going to much like vintage felt. I’ve found that I have a place in my rotation for a few very firm western hats, but they are not what I prefer outside of a few specific applications. Northwest makes a great hat as long as it’s the type of hat you want.

 

[The Lost Cowboy]

I’m a size 7 ¾ long oval…sometimes a 7 ⅝ will also work, but it’s a crapshoot.

I have no reason to believe that the stiffness of Mike’s hats has changed. A lot of people like them that way too. I’ve used Gannon a lot because he makes a fedora that is way less stiff and has more of the vintage properties I’m looking for.


https://fb.watch/lc6VynLvvq/?mibextid=cr9u03

I should have a new Northwest western by the end of the month. I think I’m going to like it a lot, but it’s not going to much like vintage felt. I’ve found that I have a place in my rotation for a few very firm western hats, but they are not what I prefer outside of a few specific applications. Northwest makes a great hat as long as it’s the type of hat you want.

I adore mine, it’s definitely my most worn hat. I travel a lot and it travels with me all the time.

But the color has also faded a lot over time - way more than any of my vintage hats. That actually gives it even more unique flavor that I like but, again, it’s not a quality I want to repeat in my collection.

 

[The Lost Cowboy]

https://fb.watch/lc6VynLvvq/?mibextid=cr9u03

Wow, that hat looks like summer felt quality - maybe even too soft. Does it stiffen up under steam? I have a wonderful Mallory summer felt from the early fifties but the bash will throw out if I blow on it hard.

Also, 7 3/4 doesn’t strike me a strange size. Is it the long oval part that keeps Mike from making a straw for you?

 

[The Lost Cowboy]

Testing. It is currently 11:12 am on Friday June 16. I am curious what time the forum will say this comment was posted.

 

[belfastboy]

Testing. It is currently 11:12 am on Friday June 16. I am curious what time the forum will say this comment was posted.

Testing. It is currently 11:12 am on Friday June 16. I am curious what time the forum will say this comment was posted.

my screen states 29 minutes ago!

 

[The Lost Cowboy]

my screen states 29 minutes ago!

I’m waiting until it gives a time, then I was going to delete it. I posted something this morning around 9am and the time stamp reads “Yesterday at 10:12pm.” ??

 

[The Lost Cowboy]

I’m waiting until it gives a time, then I was going to delete it. I posted something this morning around 9am and the time stamp reads “Yesterday at 10:12pm.” ??

Fixed it. I didn’t realize I had control of my clock in preferences - it’s accurate now.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Wow, that hat looks like summer felt quality - maybe even too soft. Does it stiffen up under steam? I have a wonderful Mallory summer felt from the early fifties but the bash will throw out if I blow on it hard.

Also, 7 3/4 doesn’t strike me a strange size. Is it the long oval part that keeps Mike from making a straw for you?

Mike makes felt hats in my size, but he doesn’t have a set of Panama blocks in 7 ¾. Gomez Hat Co. Also doesn’t make them in my size, and the same goes for others. I’ve actually bought blocks, and I’m ordering more, so my hatters can borrow them to make me hats. Crazy, right?

 

[The Lost Cowboy]

Mike makes felt hats in my size, but he doesn’t have a set of Panama blocks in 7 ¾. Gomez Hat Co. Also doesn’t make them in my size, and the same goes for others. I’ve actually bought blocks, and I’m ordering more, so my hatters can borrow them to make me hats. Crazy, right?

Yes it is crazy that they don’t have blocks. Is 7 3/4 that unusual of a size?

So whenever you want a new Panama, you intend to ship out the block to the maker?

That is a solution, no doubt, but those things can’t be cheap to buy, let alone ship!

 

[belfastboy]

Yes it is crazy that they don’t have blocks. Is 7 3/4 that unusual of a size?

So whenever you want a new Panama, you intend to ship out the block to the maker?

That is a solution, no doubt, but those things can’t be cheap to buy, let alone ship!

I have blocks up to 63cm which is about 7 7/8". Brent is my only client at that size. However they are open crown blocks. Panama hats to be done correctly need a block with the fedora bash carved into the block . I guess many hatters don't want the added expense of an expensive block so seldom used.

 

[The Lost Cowboy]

I have blocks up to 63cm which is about 7 7/8". Brent is my only client at that size. However they are open crown blocks. Panama hats to be done correctly need a block with the fedora bash carved into the block . I guess many hatters don't want the added expense of an expensive block so seldom used.

It’s an impressive relationship with a client to have him ship out his own blocks. That’s a lot of trust and also appreciation of the hat maker’s work!

I like my cappuccino made with ultra-pasteurized milk like they do in Italy and toyed with the idea of providing my coffee shop with cartons of said milk since they insisted on using the normally pasteurized kind.

But then I moved and stopped drinking cappuccinos so it doesn’t matter, but it was a similar idea.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Yes it is crazy that they don’t have blocks. Is 7 3/4 that unusual of a size?

So whenever you want a new Panama, you intend to ship out the block to the maker?

That is a solution, no doubt, but those things can’t be cheap to buy, let alone ship!

A lot of the blocks hatters have are vintage sets and the larger sizes are less common. The blocks I’ve bought have all been for fur felt fedoras and it’s not just for my hat size but for my preferred shape and height(s). I figure $60 shipping for the block to a hatter and then back to me. It’s not ideal, but it’s better than nothing.

For Panama blocks, you not only have the size, height, and “ovalness” of blocks, you also need to have them in the crown shapes you want to offer. I like the Havana the best, but not everyone has the same preferences. I don’t blame these smaller volume hatters for not having all the tooling/blocks. It’s a big investment if you’re willing to pay, and lots of what they are looking for hasn’t been made in decades.

 

[The Lost Cowboy]

A lot of the blocks hatters have are vintage sets and the larger sizes are less common. The blocks I’ve bought have all been for fur felt fedoras and it’s not just for my hat size but for my preferred shape and height(s). I figure $60 shipping for the block to a hatter and then back to me. It’s not ideal, but it’s better than nothing.

For Panama blocks, you not only have the size, height, and “ovalness” of blocks, you also need to have them in the crown shapes you want to offer. I like the Havana the best, but not everyone has the same preferences. I don’t blame these smaller volume hatters for not having all the tooling/blocks. It’s a big investment if you’re willing to pay, and lots of what they are looking for hasn’t been made in decades.

Great information about blocks!

I am only starting to learn about them. In fact, I recently conducted my first “reblocking” experiments on a beat up Akubra.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I have blocks up to 63cm which is about 7 7/8". Brent is my only client at that size. However they are open crown blocks. Panama hats to be done correctly need a block with the fedora bash carved into the block . I guess many hatters don't want the added expense of an expensive block so seldom used.

I may be your only customer who uses that block but I do my best to keep it in constant use!

 

[belfastboy]

I may be your only customer who uses that block but I do my best to keep it in constant use!

Yes, I should have added that it is my most used block!

 

[Blare]

Thanks! Except now I’ll have that in my head all morning. And I only know the one line!

There are more? LOL

 

[The Lost Cowboy]

There are more? LOL

I vaguely recollect there being an actual verse, but I never knew the words.

 

[Frunobulax]

I vaguely recollect there being an actual verse, but I never knew the words.

Three or four verses. It was a #1 Billboard hit when it came out.

Back when all TV shows had themes.

 

[Rmccamey]

I do love my Northwest hats. Mike is very adept at brim curls and replicates the D'Orsay curl about as close to vintage as I've seen. That said, Michael Gannon is at the top of my list for making the best vintage style soft felt hats these days.

Northwest Cambridge bowler



Gannon Homburg

Do you have a particularly large head?

So is Mike still making only firm felt hats? I was thinking to add another bespoke to my collection but would rather get a soft one.