The Untouchables - Hats You Won't Part With

[Rmccamey]

Nice!

Aside from my pile of custom hats, which are replaceable (with a great deal of effort), I would never give up my Borsalino Angora in Misto Grigio. To say this hat has a wonderful hand is a gross understatement.

View attachment 140615 View attachment 140617

 

[31 Model A]

What's in the block. It came from an estate sale, the guy came up through the enlisted ranks which has an enlisted original hat yellow Cavalry hat cord with 1930's 5th cavalry Regt DI. He had the money to private purchase an officer quality campaign hat. It's my size too!!!!

 

[Rockwater]

The ('40s) Cavangh is simply irreplaceable, especially its condition and color, and is my grail hat.

Sounds like this should be in the Cavanagh club thread!
I’m envious of the color already,
but would love to see the pics.

 

[scottyrocks]

Sounds like this should be in the Cavanagh club thread!
I’m envious of the color already,
but would love to see the pics.

This hat has been posted in a few places, including the Cav thread.

But you're right. There should be pictures here.

 

[31 Model A]

Sounds like this should be in the Cavanagh club thread!
I’m envious of the color already,
but would love to see the pics.

It's a goal of mine to have a Cavanaugh.

 

[Zombie_61]

...The Penman is certainly replaceable, but I love everything about it, as well.

Aside from my pile of custom hats, which are replaceable (with a great deal of effort)...

"Replaceable" definitely factored into my choice, but was something I forgot to mention in post #11. My Akubras might do a better job of protecting my head from the elements and would possibly be more durable, but I can replace them with little effort and probably wouldn't notice the difference. I know Tim could make another hat for me, and it might even be better, but it wouldn't quite be the same.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I know this isn’t what this thread intended, but as I thought of my own small collection and some of the hats I covet I eventually decided that I didn’t have anything I couldn’t part with. I really like hats, but they’re just things and sooner or later all our things really just don’t matter. I was very impressed when Moon divested himself of a large collection of vintage hats. In the end hats are just stuff.

Things and stuff don’t bring us happiness, at least that’s been my personal observation. I’m still interested in hats and I still enjoy them and enjoy looking for hidden gems but there’s not a one I couldn’t bear to part with.

Sorry to get all metaphysical.

 

[Zombie_61]

^ Not at all--I think it's a rather astute and insightful observation.

"The things you own end up owning you."
Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt) - Fight Club (1999)

 

[Hurricane Jack]

^ Not at all--I think it's a rather astute and insightful observation.

"The things you own end up owning you."
Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt) - Fight Club (1999)

When things have been with you long enough & have served you well thru thick & then, they sometimes take on a life of their own & become a part of you. They deserve to live out that life.

 

[Frunobulax]

When things have been with you long enough & have served you well thru thick & then, they sometimes take on a life of their own & become a part of you. They deserve to live out that life.

Analysis: TRUE

 

[deadlyhandsome]

^ Not at all--I think it's a rather astute and insightful observation.

"The things you own end up owning you."
Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt) - Fight Club (1999)

Inanimate objects, no matter how rare or perfectly made, are just things. I guess I feel that If something can’t love you back there’s no use in loving it. Just speaking for myself.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Old Trader Horn]

View attachment 140529 View attachment 140530 View attachment 140531 View attachment 140532 View attachment 140533 Right off the bat i’ll go with this one.
Be well. Bowen

I see you have William Boyd's hat, and will likely never part with it. Well, there goes one of my Holy Grails.

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

I see you have William Boyd's hat, and will likely never part with it. Well, there goes one of my Holy Grails.

Sorry man!
In all honesty it deserves to be in a museum it’s so pristine, instead of hanging around my place.
Bowen

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

Aside from my pile of custom hats, which are replaceable (with a great deal of effort), I would never give up my Borsalino Angora in Misto Grigio. To say this hat has a wonderful hand is a gross understatement.

View attachment 140615 View attachment 140617

Hey Red:
I kinda hoped you’d put this sweetheart up. One of my very favorite of all times on the lounge. Do you hear little sweet whispers when she’s up top?
B

 

[Tukwila]

I really appreciate the remarks by Brent and Hurricane Jack. I am conflicted with both feelings in that regard.

I love my hats, but if it came down to it I'd sell them if needed. I'll point out that Anthony did keep about 10 hats IIRC.

This Royal Stetson is one I'll keep. It's not as tall as I like, and the brim is on the stingy side, but I love the colours and the felt is amazing.

 

[Redfokker]

Hey Red:
I kinda hoped you’d put this sweetheart up. One of my very favorite of all times on the lounge. Do you hear little sweet whispers when she’s up top?
B

Purrrrs like a kitten. The weather is going to be getting just right for this floppy wonder.

I really appreciate the remarks by Brent and Hurricane Jack. I am conflicted with both feelings in that regard.

I love my hats, but if it came down to it I'd sell them if needed. I'll point out that Anthony did keep about 10 hats IIRC.

This Royal Stetson is one I'll keep. It's not as tall as I like, and the brim is on the stingy side, but I love the colours and the felt is amazing.

View attachment 141106

I would have to agree with you Doug, but it would be so hard to part with them. This Stetson is a keeper for sure.

 

[Tukwila]

This second hat is a custom Michael Gannon made for me. But choosing it for this category has more to do with the natural 100X beaver felt and the vintage slate crown ribbon than who made it for me. I think my other custom hatters could have made this hat, too. I feel like I just found my color felt, basically. Yes, the pouncing is superb and the construction is world class. But I love the natural felt and how versatile it is. I can wear this hat with most anything and it will work. IMO, natural felt is highly underrated.

The above posted Royal Stetson was a big inspiration for this hat. The colorway, mostly. But the twisted bow keep is something I saw in custom Gannon hats commissioned by both @moontheloon and @Frunobulax . It's also seen on older Dobbs and Knox hats, and it's just a special touch that makes a big impression on me.

The natural hats that @Frunobulax and @Short Balding Guy had made by Michael Gannon also made me change my mind about this hat... I was originally asking for a moss green hat from Michael, another "Rodolfo" hat cloned from the stylings of @Chamuco . But the moss hat body had issues and that gave me a chance to change gears. I still want that moss green hat, though; maybe next year.

.

 

[T Jones]

Off the top of my head, here's a couple I couldn't part with...

Black Borsalino refurb...

Longhair Resistol Stagecoach 'Whippet / Stetsonian' clone conversion...

Before on the right and after on the left

 

[Hurricane Jack]

I really appreciate the remarks by Brent and Hurricane Jack. I am conflicted with both feelings in that regard.

I bought this Rand new in ~1990. It doesn't look as good today as it did then. Here is a crop from a post I made today about traveling with hats:

"My Rand Tom Horn I call Blackie has been out of country on 5 jobs in 3 different countries."

"Those trips are just some of the reasons this hat would top my "Untouchables" list."

It withstood days of solid rain on the job in WY. When it finally soaked thru I went to town & bought a Rodeo King which didn't last a day. Besides on the job I have worn it in some of the finest steakhouses & restaurants in the country (Mike Shanahan's in Denver comes to mind), & it was on my head at the hospital the day my first granddaughter was born. You better believe I love this hat! Not to mention the beaded hatband by a friend I met too late in life.

Just to make the point on inanimate objects, there is a wealthy & successful TX criminal defense attorney who posts on one of the cowboy boot forums, who owns some of the nicest custom made boots & custom one-off boots money can buy. I won’t post his real name or even his screen name but most here probably have heard of him. BB can probably vouch for me. You better believe he owns pairs of boots he loves & every time he pulls them on they bring a smile & memories of cases he won while wearing them in the courtroom.

I've toned this down, because I realize for some YMMV. And that's sad.

 

[Tukwila]

This hat has been posted in a few places, including the Cav thread.

But you're right. There should be pictures here.

View attachment 140642

I can see why it's a keeper, Scotty. I've been admiring that lid since @moontheloon acquired it.