Rabbits and Beavers

[Edward]

So the rabbit will never last if you use it everyday is just a bunch of crap? If so im not spending the extra

My MkIII Fed Deluxe is now ten or eleven years old, and has worn beautifully. I grab it by the crown, never baby it (nor abuse it), and the only signs of damage are a couple of moth nibbles and the yellowing of the white liner from my baldy hied. (I do wish Akubra would use DARK liners....).

IMHO, if you're sinking money into a custom, go for beaver.

I could see the sense in that too; if I as paying for custom, I'd most likely want to have a bunch of options that I couldn't easily buy off the rack for less.

 

[suitedcboy]

I have a custom on order and the color I want is only available in hare/rabbit. I would have gotten beaver but I'm not worried about it being bunny. I know several of my vintage hats are likely >90% rabbit and I like all of them and can't tell them from some that are mostly or all beaver. I know that the rabbit will likely not like being soaked but I would let my wash n wear head get wet before I let any of my cherished lids get a soaking in a downpour.

 

[Mustang Mike's Hats]

I used to date a bunnie, does that count???

 

[Zombie_61]

My MkIII Fed Deluxe is now ten or eleven years old, and has worn beautifully. I grab it by the crown, never baby it (nor abuse it), and the only signs of damage are a couple of moth nibbles and the yellowing of the white liner from my baldy hied. (I do wish Akubra would use DARK liners....)...

This is true of my Dark Brown Fed IV as well. I've had it nearly 10 years and it's been in my regular rotation most of that time, and the only "damage" is that the white liner has yellowed a bit. Otherwise, I think it has actually gotten better over the years as the felt has softened due to handling and re-creasing.

It's made from Akubra's Imperial Quality felt (i.e., rabbit fur). It's been soaked in the rain two or three times, and handled it just fine. Sure, it'll wear out eventually, but that's the nature of things; nothing lasts forever. Until that happens I'll wear it and enjoy it, give it a good brushing once in a while, and moisturize the sweat if I think it needs it.

 

[Mustang Mike's Hats]

...or did she say, bunny, can't quite recall ...

 

[deadlyhandsome]

This is true of my Dark Brown Fed IV as well. I've had it nearly 10 years and it's been in my regular rotation most of that time, and the only "damage" is that the white liner has yellowed a bit. Otherwise, I think it has actually gotten better over the years as the felt has softened due to handling and re-creasing.

It's made from Akubra's Imperial Quality felt (i.e., rabbit fur). It's been soaked in the rain two or three times, and handled it just fine. Sure, it'll wear out eventually, but that's the nature of things; nothing lasts forever. Until that happens I'll wear it and enjoy it, give it a good brushing once in a while, and moisturize the sweat if I think it needs it.

The hat looks great and is aging well. And how about you? I’m tempted to accuse you of fudging the dates because you don’t look a day older. Not fair!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[scottyrocks]

The hat looks great and is aging well. And how about you? I’m tempted to accuse you of fudging the dates because you don’t look a day older. Not fair!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No, there's one extra gray hair riiiiight there!

 

[TwelfthMonk]

How long did she last compared to other types

I used to date a bunnie, does that count???

Sent from my LG-H831 using Tapatalk

 

[Mustang Mike's Hats]

If my wife is reading this, her type was MUCH better!

 

[Mustang Mike's Hats]

I’m tempted to accuse you of fudging the dates because you don’t look a day older.

I think Deadly's right. Can't be more than a day or two apart!!! Must be Photoshopped.

darn nice hat though!

 

[humanshoes]

I thought I'd jump in here to share a past misconception of mine and some furry speculation. I used to think that rabbits and hares came from the same big, rapidly reproducing family. I later learned that they are two distinct and separate species. Rabbits live in burrows underground and hares nest above ground. Rabbits prefer a diet of soft leafy materials and hares prefer a more robust diet of twigs and bark, etc. I surmise (and I could be completely wrong) that diet must have a direct bearing on fur composition. Softer diet, softer less durable fur. Harder diet, coarser and more durable fur. Therefore, to me at least, it would stand to reason that hare will be a more similar fur to beaver as they have a more similar diet. After handling my new Fepsa hare blend hat body and a Tonak rabbit body I'm more sure than ever of this hypothesis. The hare blend body feels denser and more beaver-like than the rabbit body. Of course it could be just the different processing methods employed by the two manufacturers and this post could just be the idle ramblings of a mad hatter.

 

[Zombie_61]

The hat looks great and is aging well. And how about you? I’m tempted to accuse you of fudging the dates because you don’t look a day older. Not fair!

No, there's one extra gray hair riiiiight there!

I think Deadly's right. Can't be more than a day or two apart!!! Must be Photoshopped.

darn nice hat though!

You Gents are far too kind! To be honest, I was surprised myself by how little I appear to have changed. I'm obviously wearing my hair shorter now and have lost 35-40 pounds over the last year or so, but I think the hat and the shade it provided is hiding a lot of weathering.

And thanks to Mike for the hat comment! I'd like to take credit, but all I did was buy it, shape it, and wear it; definitely worth the money I spent.

 

[M Hatman]

This is true of my Dark Brown Fed IV as well. I've had it nearly 10 years and it's been in my regular rotation most of that time, and the only "damage" is that the white liner has yellowed a bit. Otherwise, I think it has actually gotten better over the years as the felt has softened due to handling and re-creasing.

It's made from Akubra's Imperial Quality felt (i.e., rabbit fur). It's been soaked in the rain two or three times, and handled it just fine. Sure, it'll wear out eventually, but that's the nature of things; nothing lasts forever. Until that happens I'll wear it and enjoy it, give it a good brushing once in a while, and moisturize the sweat if I think it needs it.

The shirt seems to have faded a bit.......but you nor your hat have not.....
M
P S.......great "then vs now" hat comparison!!! We need more of this to help us with our hat selections!

 

[Zombie_61]

The shirt seems to have faded a bit.......but you nor your hat have not.....
M

You're also too kind. I wish I knew which tee shirt that was in the 2008 photos; I probably still have it.

...P S.......great "then vs now" hat comparison!!! We need more of this to help us with our hat selections!

If there isn't one already, I think that would be an interesting topic for a thread: "How Have Your Hats Held Up Over The Years?" I'm not sure exactly how that would work considering there are lots of photos of vintage hats here on The Lounge that are decades old, so maybe it would have to be restricted to hats that were purchased new?

 

[mayserwegener]

I thought I'd jump in here to share a past misconception of mine and some furry speculation. I used to think that rabbits and hares came from the same big, rapidly reproducing family. I later learned that they are two distinct and separate species. Rabbits live in burrows underground and hares nest above ground. Rabbits prefer a diet of soft leafy materials and hares prefer a more robust diet of twigs and bark, etc. I surmise (and I could be completely wrong) that diet must have a direct bearing on fur composition. Softer diet, softer less durable fur. Harder diet, coarser and more durable fur. Therefore, to me at least, it would stand to reason that hare will be a more similar fur to beaver as they have a more similar diet. After handling my new Fepsa hare blend hat body and a Tonak rabbit body I'm more sure than ever of this hypothesis. The hare blend body feels denser and more beaver-like than the rabbit body. Of course it could be just the different processing methods employed by the two manufacturers and this post could just be the idle ramblings of a mad hatter.
View attachment 121254

Central European Hare produces the finest Velour and long hair finishes. See what I posted above. It can also be used for smooth finishes or blended. I have a lot of very detailed information that I haven't had a chance to post. There is also a lot information already on my website. I would highly suggest reading (it's a good translation) the following because it's not based on hearsay (also not available anywhere else).

Hair Velour / Real (Echter) Velour / Prime (Prima) Velour Fabrikation von Damen- und Herren- Filzhüten, Der Deustchen Hutmacher Zeitung (1933)

http://germanaustrianhats.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/216-hair-velour-real-echter-velour-prime-prima-velour-fabrikation-von-damen-und-herren-filzhüten-der-deustchen-hutmacher-zeitung-1933/

 

[scottyrocks]

so maybe it would have to be restricted to hats that were purchased new?

Oh yeah, that'll work! haha

 

[humanshoes]

Central European Hare produces the finest Velour and long hair finishes. See what I posted above. It can also be used for smooth finishes or blended. I have a lot of very detailed information that I haven't had a chance to post. There is also a lot information already on my website. I would highly suggest reading (it's a good translation) the following because it's not based on hearsay (also not available anywhere else).

Hair Velour / Real (Echter) Velour / Prime (Prima) Velour Fabrikation von Damen- und Herren- Filzhüten, Der Deustchen Hutmacher Zeitung (1933)

http://germanaustrianhats.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/216-hair-velour-real-echter-velour-prime-prima-velour-fabrikation-von-damen-und-herren-filzhüten-der-deustchen-hutmacher-zeitung-1933/

Thanks for that info mayserwegener. From your website, further evidence that hare fur will make a sturdier hat than rabbit fur.
"Hare hair is much sturdier and glossier than rabbit hair".

 

[mayserwegener]

I have a unpublished 242 page book by the last Technical Director (Gustav Menschel who is now in his early 80s) of Ebsreichdorfer Felt Hat Factory S.J. Fraenkel Wien. It includes production and process information at the time of the closing of the factory in 1972. Here is the translated index for Fur Felt Body & Fur Felt Hat Production (the numbers are page numbers).

HAT FABRIC PRODUCTION 110
1 Hair Product 110
1.1 Hares Hair 110
1.2 Wild Rabbit Hair 111
1.3 Tame Rabbit Hair 111
1.4 Mixed Components 111
2 Hairdressing 112
2.1 Preliminary work 112
2.2 Pickling 113
2.3 Cutting 116
2.4 Quality Control 117
2.5 Internationally Agreed Quality Designations of Hat Fur Types 118
HAIR STUMP PRODUCTION 120
1 Raw Material Test 120
1.1 Analytical Testing Methods 120
1.2 Standard operations for pattern pumps 122
2 Mixing 124
2.1 Raw Materials 124
2.2 Mixing Devices 126
3 Bubbles 128
3.1 Blowing Machines 128
4 Times 130
4.1 Special Machines 130
4.2 Influence Factors 134
5 Felting / Fulling 137
5.1 Felting 138
5.2 Initiate 143
5.3 Fulling 143
6 Surface Treatment 157
6.1 Sprung Hat / Plumes 157
6.2 Brushed Velour 159
7 Coloring 163
7.1 Dyeing 165
7.2 Partial Dyeing 174
7.3 Bleaching 176
7.4 Equip 177
8 Dewatering / Drying / Forming 178
8.1 Dewatering / Drying 178
8.2 Shapes 179
Trimming 182
1 Stiffener 183
2 Surface Treatment 186
2.1 Grinding 186
2.2 Roughing 190
2.3 Scissors 191
2.4 Secondary Work 193
3 Men's Hat 194
3.1 Stiff hat 195
3.2 Soft Hair Hat 196
4 Ladies Hat 203
4.1 Hat Shapes 204
4.2 Ladies Hat Production 207

 

[mayserwegener]

Thanks for that info mayserwegener. From your website, further evidence that hare fur will make a sturdier hat than rabbit fur.
"Hare hair is much sturdier and glossier than rabbit hair".

Thanks. Yes that is the case. The problem is that the Fur quality (all types) is not the same as it was at the time of the writing. Also overall quality is not the same due to cost cutting and loss of technical knowledge / highly skilled labor. Here is an interesting section from the book by Gustav Menschel I mentioned above.

"Today only hydrogen peroxide pickling/carroting is used, although mercury-pickled hair, stored for half a year (matured), is second to none in quality."

In an email he told me that some European fur processors were using nitrate of mercury until the mid 1960s.

"From the middle of the 1960s, only mercury-free hair was processed."

Ebesreichdorfer / S.J. Fraenkel closed there Fur processing after WWII. Not having control over the Fur content was very problematic (supply + quality). Today only Tonak (up to WWII J. Hückel´s Söhne) process / cut their own Fur for Felting.

FEPSA also has a Fur process / cutting partnership with Cortadoria Nacional de Pêlo. By the way Mayser was instrumental in the development of FEPSA and Cortadoria Nacional de Pêlo (this is not known here). They moved all Felt production (machines and know how) from Ulm, Germany to FEPSA in the early 1990s (Mayser Ulm was the largest producer in the world) and their Fur Cutting / Processing to Portugal in the mid 1960s.

 

[quikrick]

This is true of my Dark Brown Fed IV as well. I've had it nearly 10 years and it's been in my regular rotation most of that time, and the only "damage" is that the white liner has yellowed a bit. Otherwise, I think it has actually gotten better over the years as the felt has softened due to handling and re-creasing.

It's made from Akubra's Imperial Quality felt (i.e., rabbit fur). It's been soaked in the rain two or three times, and handled it just fine. Sure, it'll wear out eventually, but that's the nature of things; nothing lasts forever. Until that happens I'll wear it and enjoy it, give it a good brushing once in a while, and moisturize the sweat if I think it needs it.

The only thing I noticed is that YOU DON'T AGE!!