Phoenix Hat Company

[Woodtroll]

Pecan in Beaver.
The color shifts quite a bit depending on the lighting: indoor, natural indirect, natural direct:

I couldn’t be happier. Rick puts a lot of time and effort into his hats and it shows. I like everything about this hat and it was made to the exact specifications I requested. I did a side-by-side comparison last night to some big name customs and this Phoenix is the equal, or better than, any of them. Rick is incredibly responsive and accessible and a pleasure to deal with.

I switched up the order and the Willow is next on the block!


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Very nice hat, Brent. The pure-beaver pecan hat Rick delivered to me a couple months back has quickly become my favorite go-to hat. It went through several days of Hurricane Florence without batting an eye and turned out just fine.

Rick really makes some fine hats! I’m looking forward to seeing what he turns out on a mid-weight natural beaver body that is a ways down his list yet.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Very nice hat, Brent. The pure-beaver pecan hat Rick delivered to me a couple months back has quickly become my favorite go-to hat. It went through several days of Hurricane Florence without batting an eye and turned out just fine.

Rick really makes some fine hats! I’m looking forward to seeing what he turns out on a mid-weight natural beaver body that is a ways down his list yet.

Thanks, Regan. I think you’ll really like your hat in natural; it’s a wonderful versatile color. I’m pondering a few more hats from Rick as I have a feeling that demand will drive his prices up at some point. I currently have a Willow, Sahara, Dark Moss, Sand, and Silvermist in queue and I’m looking to add Navy, Forest Green (with the leather band copied from you), and Granite. I haven’t really considered commissioning hats from other hatters since I received my first Phoenix.


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[humanshoes]

Very nice hat, Brent. The pure-beaver pecan hat Rick delivered to me a couple months back has quickly become my favorite go-to hat. It went through several days of Hurricane Florence without batting an eye and turned out just fine.
Hey Regan. I sincerely hope that you and yours weathered the storm without loss or harm. I'm also happy to know you're getting good service from your hat and that's it's proven itself to be "hurricane resistant". I'm itching to get started on your first "real" fedora.

 

[humanshoes]

Thanks, Regan. I think you’ll really like your hat in natural; it’s a wonderful versatile color. I’m pondering a few more hats from Rick as I have a feeling that demand will drive his prices up at some point. I currently have a Willow, Sahara, Dark Moss, Sand, and Silvermist in queue and I’m looking to add Navy, Forest Green (with the leather band copied from you), and Granite. I haven’t really considered commissioning hats from other hatters since I received my first Phoenix.


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Continued thanks for your kind words Brent. You've definitely taken the top spot for "most hats commissioned by a single customer" and it's always a pleasure helping your hat visions become reality.

 

[Woodtroll]

Thanks, Rick, we came through okay, although some friends in NC are still trying to clean up the damage. I know the rains went further into SW VA, so I assume y'all got some too. I hope you all came through okay, as well.

Yes, the hat did great, just as we had planned for it to. I couldn't ask for any better service. It is starting to earn its patina just a little now. It truly is a great outdoors hat, and I hope anyone reading this thread that needs a hat will look you up; I couldn't be more pleased. Brent may become a sole-source customer if this keeps up, but hopefully you can squeak one out here and there for the rest of us! For him to say he didn't usually care for leather bands, but then liked it well enough to ask for one on one of his hats because of how well it looked, I think really speaks to how well you put the whole package together. (And Brent, I do think that same color would be perfect for a green or greenish felt - really looking forward to seeing that!)

Take care, all,
Regan

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Won’t be long now.


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[Woodtroll]

Won’t be long now.


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Looking good! Really interested to see the finished product.

 

[Woodtroll]

Rick, the "Trekker" got to go out and play in the rain today, and it is performing beautifully! I love this hat!

Please pardon the scruffy beard; I am off from work for post-op recovery from a hip replacement, and have found it a real joy not to have to shave every day! Sadly, the beard is much more white now than it was when I shaved it off almost 30 years ago to enter the fire service, but that's a small price to pay to get to live a good life...





Y'all take care, best wishes and prayers to those hardest hit by Michael!
Regan

 

[humanshoes]

Rick, the "Trekker" got to go out and play in the rain today, and it is performing beautifully! I love this hat!

Please pardon the scruffy beard; I am off from work for post-op recovery from a hip replacement, and have found it a real joy not to have to shave every day! Sadly, the beard is much more white now than it was when I shaved it off almost 30 years ago to enter the fire service, but that's a small price to pay to get to live a good life...





Y'all take care, best wishes and prayers to those hardest hit by Michael!
Regan

Hey Regan, That's freaking beautiful! I love it when a beaver (hat) gets returned to the wild. That hat was born for a rainy day and I'm glad it's serving you well. Speaking of well, my best wishes for a complete and speedy recovery from your surgery. Can't keep a good man down.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Rick, the "Trekker" got to go out and play in the rain today, and it is performing beautifully! I love this hat!

Please pardon the scruffy beard; I am off from work for post-op recovery from a hip replacement, and have found it a real joy not to have to shave every day! Sadly, the beard is much more white now than it was when I shaved it off almost 30 years ago to enter the fire service, but that's a small price to pay to get to live a good life...





Y'all take care, best wishes and prayers to those hardest hit by Michael!
Regan

I love it, Regan! A well-made beaver hat can take the weather without a problem. Rick makes hats equally at home in the woods and the boardroom.

Hope you have a speedy and pain free recovery.

Brent


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[Woodtroll]

I love it, Regan! A well-made beaver hat can take the weather without a problem. Rick makes hats equally at home in the woods and the boardroom.

Hope you have a speedy and pain free recovery.

Brent

Hey Regan, That's freaking beautiful! I love it when a beaver (hat) gets returned to the wild. That hat was born for a rainy day and I'm glad it's serving you well. Speaking of well, my best wishes for a complete and speedy recovery from your surgery. Can't keep a good man down.

Thanks, gentlemen, I appreciate the well-wishes. I feel so much better than I did pre-surgery that it is hard to behave myself and not overdo it.

Y'all take care,
Regan

 

[hatophile]

Rick, the "Trekker" got to go out and play in the rain today, and it is performing beautifully! I love this hat!

Please pardon the scruffy beard; I am off from work for post-op recovery from a hip replacement, and have found it a real joy not to have to shave every day! Sadly, the beard is much more white now than it was when I shaved it off almost 30 years ago to enter the fire service, but that's a small price to pay to get to live a good life...





Y'all take care, best wishes and prayers to those hardest hit by Michael!
Regan

That's a great hat, and wishing a speedy recovery Regan.

 

[Woodtroll]

That's a great hat, and wishing a speedy recovery Regan.

Thanks very much, sir, I really appreciate that!

 

[DesertDan]

A very fine hat ya got there Regan, Congrats!
Here's wishing you a full and speedy recovery,

 

[Woodtroll]

A very fine hat ya got there Regan, Congrats!
Here's wishing you a full and speedy recovery,

Thank you, it is indeed. Rick listened to what I asked for and turned out a hat that exceeded my expectations. I have ordered another, dressier hat (like the natural/navy ribbon hat posted a few pages back) that is still a ways down his list; I can't wait to see how that one turns out.

I also appreciate the well wishes. Thank you very much, sir!

 

[humanshoes]

My "new" luring stove in action. I really don't know if this little beauty was made specifically as a luring stove, however, it works just fine for that particular purpose. I suppose any hotplate with a solid burner surface would do the job, but I do love the old gear.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

My "new" luring stove in action. I really don't know if this little beauty was made specifically as a luring stove, however, it works just fine for that particular purpose. I suppose any hotplate with a solid burner surface would do the job, but I do love the old gear.
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The old gear just looks more sturdy and more authentic. I remember Art saying that in short order a hatter’s ability to make better hats comes down to what equipment they possess.


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[belfastboy]

The old gear just looks more sturdy and more authentic. I remember Art saying that in short order a hatter’s ability to make better hats comes down to what equipment they possess.


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I had the same conversation with Mike at NW Hats. "Hand Made" is an alluring term but for some things the hands just are not enough and you cannot beat a good piece of equipment.

 

[humanshoes]

All too true gentlemen, however, the lack of those big, beautiful machines (heavy sigh) can be compensated for, in large part, by hours of extra time hand working (pouncing, ironing, etc.) the felt. A sledgehammer can do what a jackhammer can do, albiet never as efficiently or effectively. At the end of the hatter's day it all comes down to the cost vs benefit ratio. Do I want those machines? Bet your ass I do. Can I invest in those machines and continue to make hats that most anyone can afford to buy and wear without fear of harming their investment? Not likely.

 

[steur]

My "new" luring stove in action. I really don't know if this little beauty was made specifically as a luring stove, however, it works just fine for that particular purpose. I suppose any hotplate with a solid burner surface would do the job, but I do love the old gear.
View attachment 141875

Very good get, Rick. Nice addition to the hatting business. Very underestimated I think by most hatters (and hat collectors too for that matter). So good on you for giving it the attention it deserves. Would be nice to see a comparison someday between a lured hat and an unlured one.