Phoenix Hat Company

[Robieman]

Thanks guys for all the input. It's appreciated. I think I have narrowed it down to Silverbelly, Bone, or Black. I think the Sahara looks a bit too dark for me in most lighting. Maybe I'm going to need some felt swatches.

I found one of Rick's hats in silverbelly that looks really close to what I have in vintage hats albeit the earliest being late 40's. This one belongs to @Robieman

View attachment 209279

Not sure how that pic looks on your computer, but on mine, it is a bit more gray than the hat actually is. The hat, in reality, is a little whiter than this pic. Not bone white, just a bit lighter than this. But it is a good color, and goes with everything, and I find myself wearing the hat quite often. I don't think you can go wrong with this color, but then that's just me.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

This looks very close to Winchester's Natural color.

Here's the Arizona hat in Sand.

In natural lighting would the Sand be closer to the Natural but a bit yellow?

There's no way, in my experience to date, to get to the dimensions you want with Winchester's dress weight felts.

Second confirmation as fact that I know of.

 

[humanshoes]

In natural lighting would the Sand be closer to the Natural but a bit yellow?

Sand is several shades lighter than the Undyed Natural. I don't see any yellow in the Sand, but we've already discussed my color deficient vision. Here's a great promotional picture (The Last Best West Hats) showing Winchester's basic colors in natural sunlight.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Sand is several shades lighter than the Undyed Natural. I don't see any yellow in the Sand, but we've already discussed my color deficient vision. Here's a great promotional picture (The Last Best West Hats) showing Winchester's basic colors in natural sunlight.

View attachment 209333

Maybe it's my deficient vision too but Sand often has a yellow cast, especially with a high contrast ribbon like brown.

 

[humanshoes]

Maybe it's my deficient vision too but Sand often has a yellow cast, especially with a high contrast ribbon like brown.

Could very well be Jack. I have a woman that often gives me the benefit of her perfect color vision.

 

[1961MJS]

Hi I find that Bone, Black, and Chocolate are more consistent across the vendors. I have several "tan" hats, but don't remember what Winchester color they are dangit. I do have 2 Undyed Naturals, but the others may be Sand or Sahara.

Later

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Could very well be Jack. I have a woman that often gives me the benefit of her perfect color vision.

Again I'm thinking only in terms of color matching vintage Westerns as is JW.

 

[humanshoes]

New addition to the hat shop. The elusive Singer 108W20 binding machine. It didn't come with any binder attachments, but, incredibly, College Sewing in the UK has most of the binder parts for sale. This old beauty was sold "for parts or repair", but after some quality time on the workbench it's now sewing like a champ. It may or may not make my life easier, but I do love the old iron.

 

[T Jones]

New addition to the hat shop. The elusive Singer 108W20 binding machine. It didn't come with any binder attachments, but, incredibly, College Sewing in the UK has most of the binder parts for sale. This old beauty was sold "for parts or repair", but after some quality time on the workbench it's now sewing like a champ. It may or may not make my life easier, but I do love the old iron.

View attachment 210624

Nice!

 

[belfastboy]

New addition to the hat shop. The elusive Singer 108W20 binding machine. It didn't come with any binder attachments, but, incredibly, College Sewing in the UK has most of the binder parts for sale. This old beauty was sold "for parts or repair", but after some quality time on the workbench it's now sewing like a champ. It may or may not make my life easier, but I do love the old iron.

View attachment 210624

It fits your company name....Phoenix....from the ashes....or in this case from the trashes!

 

[humanshoes]

Nice!

Thanks T. I've decided to fabricate a swing out plate to accept the binding attachments that I already have. We'll see how that goes.

 

[humanshoes]

It fits your company name....Phoenix....from the ashes....or in this case from the trashes!

Great poetry bb. Been reading Alan Sullivan again? Hah! Actually, I shudder at the thought of these old machines ending up on the scrap heap. My house has become somewhat of a rehab center/orphanage for broken and abandoned antique sewing machines. I'd save them all if I could.

 

[belfastboy]

Great poetry bb. Been reading Alan Sullivan again? Hah! Actually, I shudder at the thought of these old machines ending up on the scrap heap. My house has become somewhat of a rehab center/orphanage for broken and abandoned antique sewing machines. I'd save them all if I could.

probably better than stray cats! I feel the same way about mountain bicycles. Had to stop when my garage was too full of them and no room for the car. I downsized about 15 of them to a more manageable 12 so now I can fit one car in at least.

 

[T Jones]

Thanks T. I've decided to fabricate a swing out plate to accept the binding attachments that I already have. We'll see how that goes.

I'm sure you'll have that figured out in no
time. I'd love to come across a binding machine like that, myself! That's a nice one!

 

[humanshoes]

I'm sure you'll have that figured out in no
time. I'd love to come across a binding machine like that, myself! That's a nice one!

I think you'll be able to do a fine job with that beautiful Singer 201 of yours T.

 

[T Jones]

I think you'll be able to do a fine job with that beautiful Singer 201 of yours T.

Thank you, Rick. With everything's that been going on around here at the ol' homestead over the last several months, I still haven't been able to sit down and learn how to use it yet. The wife went to her opthalmologist yesterday, and after examining her, he sent her immediately to a Retinal Specialist for emergency laser surgery. She was close to losing her sight in one eye. She has to go back again in two weeks to finish it. The wife said the laser surgery wasn't painless as advertised. She said the whole process was pretty uncomfortable. So now, I'm down with a little more back issues again. I'm down just a little but I'm definitely not out! Just a temporary irritation. No problem! I'll get that 201 going one way or another!

 

[humanshoes]

Thank you, Rick. With everything's that been going on around here at the ol' homestead over the last several months, I still haven't been able to sit down and learn how to use it yet. The wife went to her opthalmologist yesterday, and after examining her, he sent her immediately to a Retinal Specialist for emergency laser surgery. She was close to losing her sight in one eye. She has to go back again in two weeks to finish it. The wife said the laser surgery wasn't painless as advertised. She said the whole process was pretty uncomfortable. So now, I'm down with a little more back issues again. I'm down just a little but I'm definitely not out! Just a temporary irritation. No problem! I'll get that 201 going one way or another!

My best wishes for a speedy recovery for you and the Mrs. T. It's hard to keep a good man down. A good woman...impossible.

 

[T Jones]

My best wishes for a speedy recovery for you and the Mrs. T. It's hard to keep a good man down. A good woman...impossible.

Thank you, Rick! Definitely true!

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Well, the USPS tracking shows that Rick received my Sunrise Hat Supply nutria hat body today. I’m on pins and needles waiting for his impressions. My first reaction to the felt was disappointment, but the more time I spent with the felt the more hope I have that it can be made into a western hat that I’m going to love. I bought two of the nutria felts: I sent Rick the felt in the pewter color and I sent VS the felt in the almond color. I’m going with different specifications, but I’m excited to see the finished hats side by side. Now comes the waiting. I hate the waiting.

 

[humanshoes]

Well, the USPS tracking shows that Rick received my Sunrise Hat Supply nutria hat body today. I’m on pins and needles waiting for his impressions. My first reaction to the felt was disappointment, but the more time I spent with the felt the more hope I have that it can be made into a western hat that I’m going to love. I bought two of the nutria felts: I sent Rick the felt in the pewter color and I sent VS the felt in the almond color. I’m going with different specifications, but I’m excited to see the finished hats side by side. Now comes the waiting. I hate the waiting.

I received the hat body in good shape yesterday Brent. I, just like you I'm sure, was hoping for dense and pliable and, while it is certainly densely felted and nicely pounced, it's doesn't qualify as pliable. No more so than Winchester's. With your permission (please), I'll knock this one around a bit to see if I can get it closer to what I know we're both looking for. Of course, I may ruin it and have to buy you a replacement, but I just gotta know if it can be done.