Optimo nutria natural revisited

[gcollins]

Hey folks:

I finally spoke to Graham today and ordered an Optimo. Inspired by the felt on Zohar's favorite hat, I managed to land Graham's last nutria natural body for medium size hats. He still has 2 bodies left for x-tra large hats, for you big headed fellas looking for a killer felt that will go with anything.

We'll see how it turns out in about three weeks. A fruitful trip to the US indeed!

Graham is indeed an awesome guy.

Regards,
G

 

[Nathan Flowers]

I think you'll like the color. In addition, there are only going to be 12 other guys with hats that color, as they only got a dozen hat bodies made in it. I have one, Andykev has one, and Rundquist has one reserved, if I recall correctly.

What style did you get?

 

[Zane]

I managed to land Graham's last nutria natural body for medium size hats. He still has 2 bodies left for x-tra large hats

I am confused. We used to only get XXL bodies for dress hats and then the same body could make up to 12 or more sizes. Is there some reason the xl bodies cannot make a smaller hat? It only takes an hour or so more to block out a larger body to a smaller size. Of course I am speaking of professional hatters like Fedora that make real custom hand made hats.

Does Optimo not make any custom hats or do they not make any hand made hats?

Aren't their hats almost 300.00 each? Are they getting 300 dollars for machine blocked hats ?

I often wanted to get one of the Michelangelo machines and those 18.00 bodies make 100 dollar hats. Now I can see a real incentive to try to save for one heck I could be a millionaire in no time. You can turn out beautiful formed hats in minutes. This is better then the ATM machines you see on TV just set one up and start collecting your money.

Well I still agree with Zohar the color is just a perfect neutral color and while there may be only 12 of them at Optimo, the color is not unique to them and the company making this color body produced over 300,000 of this body and also carroted enough fur for others to produce some several million more. So no fears on not finding that color. It is available in both Beaver nutria blends and this one color alone is available in 100% nutria as well. But not knowing any thing much about any thing but hats , I am not a big nutria fan.

Art and Panamabob you guys may want to know this same machine also blocks beautifully for most straws including everyones favorite on this forum.

Has any one ever seen one of these?

 

[gcollins]

Hey Zohar:

I asked Graham for a smaller crowned Bogie-esque lid to fit my size 7 long oval. 2-1/8 brim with underwelt with a black ribbon. Should be cool, and a prefectly flexible hat to wear with my black suits in summer smoke of Shanghai jazz clubs...or one that I can just kick back with drinking Kashkar whiskey at an outdoor bar in dusty alley of Urumuqi.

Rock and roll.

G

 

[Nathan Flowers]

Their hats are not machine blocked. Graham states that he buys hat bodies in different sizes depending on how large the hat is going to be (not just head size, but crown and brim size as well).

Yes, they make custom hats. No, their hats are not machine blocked.

 

[Nathan Flowers]

Originally posted by gcollins
Hey Zohar:

I asked Graham for a smaller crowned Bogie-esque lid to fit my size 7 long oval. 2-1/8 brim with underwelt with a black ribbon. Should be cool, and a prefectly flexible hat to wear with my black suits in summer smoke of Shanghai jazz clubs...or one that I can just kick back with drinking Kashkar whiskey at an outdoor bar in dusty alley of Urumuqi.

Rock and roll.

G

That will be very cool. Mine has this deep, dark brown ribbon, so it'll be interesting to see how a black one looks (probably good). The welted edge will be neat as well. So far the only welted Optimo I've seen is MK's Falcon hat.

2 & 1/8 brim is a little bit small for me. If you're a thin guy, you can probably pull it off great. One thing is for certain, Graham will make sure the hat fits your face/body shape. Please post pictures when you get it.

 

[Rundquist]

Actually the cheap hat in the picture looks more like a Gladhatter special than anything else.

 

[SHARPETOYS]

Art and Panamabob you guys may want to know this same machine also blocks beautifully for most straws including everyones favorite on this forum.

I know that Montecristi panama hats are not your strong suite. Thats a given . I have read your posts on Hatchat when you told them to buy 50 cent hats from China and its good as a Montecristi.

The Montecristi hats are hand blocked because a machine could and would break the fine fibers.

I love the way you try to sneak in your slams of other hatters and there product.

http://lists.topica.com/lists/hatchat/read/message.html?mid=1716571450&sort=d&start=4922

http://lists.topica.com/lists/hatchat/read/message.html?mid=1716813793&sort=d&start=5147

Hatchat is a good read it tells you alot!!

 

[Zane]

No Slams here my friends I love all hatters and hope them all well.

Hey G, had an interesting experience today while picking up a hat to make.


The man I had hears so much bad about called while I was getting the body and some tools. None other than your friend Mr. Brent Black. My friend ask his permission to put them on speaker so I could meet Mr. Black as well and he is a charming man. Truly a gentleman of all gentlemen . After he and my friend chewed the fat for a while about common interest and future endeavors ect. He broke the news for his call and sadly to say it was just a report of one of our elite forum members that had called him to try to stir up problems. He went on to tell how he had tried to help this individual with his hat business and how the gentleman had just continued to blast all he could and would not accept any help.

On a positive note Mr. Black did endorse Trent Johnson and out in Grealy and say he was a fine man and an upstanding business man.

When he learned of my being from KY, to my susprise he also is originally from KY. As Mr. Black says it is a small world and a smaller hat world. I guess it is just like you say, that once you get to know a guy or give him a little business, he may sing an whole 'nother tune.

Well I can say this for sure he and my friend and my self all agreed on one thing and that is there plenty of heads for all hatters and trying to slam one to make another look good never helps out any . I shall not go on to reveal any future plans of collaborations and such but suffice to say that the more the dynamic duo does to try to harm it seems the more they do to help. Amazing how things work out.

Here my friend was wondering if it would be fair to try to send any more of the hand full of Panama buyers to a man that constantly is Pm'ing and calling every one he can to try to cause him trouble and spreading lies on top of untruths and lack of accuracy's and here we find Mr. Black is offering hats that meet their budget and can take perfect care of them.

I never cease to be amazed to find how water is self leveling and how my friend is so correct when he says please do not advertise for me as my work will always sell its self. I now know it is just not his work alone but a multitude of long term friends that never have to brag in public about their connections or friendships and how truth like water just levels its self and how creme rises to the top just like honest hatters and no reason for me to slam any one or even repeat the horror stories I learned about some Johnny come lately hatters. But since you a re acquainted with Mr. Black you should give him a call learn a little history that it seems everyone already knew but me and the current forum viewers. WOW how some folks stay in business and some even grow with the methods they have used is beyond me. Can you imagine firing a salesman for selling his own hats in your shop when you was not looking then later hiring the same rich kid as your supplier?

This world has gone bizarre crazy and I for one cannot understand it. Do we support people due to them being from a wealthy family or because they make a quality product an are honest? Well that is self answering I guess.

I must ask you respectfully as you indicated you are a man of science and of higher education other day. Does any one on here know the difference between a premade hat you trim the brim on and sewn in a sweat and liner and custom hat ?

Does any one on this forum car to learn any thing about hats and how they are really custom made or the difference between a custom hat and what you folks current believe is a custom hat? OR would all prefer to remain in their current unlearned state and choose to believe popular tales?

I hope to soon publish a series of post on making a custom hat. if it has any interest.

 

[Panamabob]

Zane, I'm normally not this blunt...

What in the hell are you ranting about now?

Call a spade a spade for once in your life and stop the innuendo.

 

[gcollins]

Well Zane,

it is indeed a small hat world for sure. All I can say is the Brent Black is a cool guy doing his thing in Hawaii and able to sell his hats to any variety of people, mostly rich tourists, some famous. I love it. I'd love to do the same.

If he finds customers and satisfied them with some awesome hats....right on. If he makes a good buck at it and helps weavers and the monticristi art...even better. Live on small business, making a nice living and philanthropic efforts!

And as I said before: sometimes you just want an awesome hat, and I might be willing to pay premium, sometimes, I'm looking for a value, more for less. That's business and the nature of demand.

I am not really all that personally political about who is bad mouthing whom on an internet forum--kind of agnostic about it, but enjoy some good debate. I like to hear comments from people who like and don't like specific hats or materials, or styles or prices or the business practices of specific makers. That matters to people here, I would guess, and drives interest in the hat business.

I just stick to positive things...if positive comments offend someone, that's his problem. I don't attack people, flagrantly or veiled, on forums. I come to make friends, and learn from them--and sometimes argue a point with them. But I'll always want to share a drink with them afterward. But three things I don't do:

1. Polish apples of those that are popular here or anywhere to get on there good sides.

2. I don't triangulate. If I have something to say to someone, I prefer to say it directly and to him. But copy everyone so we can all enjoy the confrontation, before people tire of the acrimony.

3. I also don't like to be the straight man of a post meant to criticize someone else. So, if you please, can I get off your straight man list?

So bring it on...tell us about how to make a hat!

Regards,
G

 

[Rundquist]

Zane go away. It's only a matter of time before you get yourself thrown off this board, so why not stop wasting our time (and yours) and exit with dignity. Have a nice day.

PS - You could take all the extra time that you would have by not hanging around this board and take a grammar class.

 

[SHARPETOYS]

Zane wrote

Well he wrote alot more BS

.
I hope to soon publish a series of post on making a custom hat. if it has any interest.


__________________

My vote is no .
Please go to one of your yet uncompleted web sites and post away. I will not follow.

Zane, you just don't get it and whats so sad you never will!!

 

[Art Fawcett]

Zane,
I don't understand what the deal is. I'm glad you were able to talk to BB. As I said in another post, he is a good man whose work I respect, so I don't know who you are referring to in your slamming type post. Why not just comeout & say what you mean instead of leveling water & blustering about machine made hats? I have a luring lathe, does that make me a "machine made" hatter? I have a crown iron also, does that qualify me for the "stamping" club? Come on, just say it short & sweet.

 

[MK]

He can't respond. See my post under news.

 

[Andykev]

Art, it is obvious he is slamming Optimo "rich kid" and the "panama bob" vs Brent Black ........


I don't know if cheering is in order, or tears.

This is a fine board, members being able to ask and learn. Zane, a FORMER MEMBER, did nothing more than spew self justification, inuendo, personal attacks, allude to "friends" who are hatters, and the shopping list goes on.

Good Bye. I cannot understand how someone can be so evil. That is like the disruptive person who talks to themselves in a library, tears out pages in books, and ruins it for the next person who comes along. Those people are not amongst the class of people I have been able to call friend on this Lounge.

 

[Renderking Fisk]

It?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s not WHAT you say, it?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s HOW you say it. It?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s good to see the weasle?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s are routed out and extermenated when nessasary.