vintage vs. custom

[fmw]

Felt bodies coming off the line are probably similar but in the past, these bodies were aged for at least a year before being used. Today, they can't afford to have the cash tied up that long. The felting of that aging process DID produce a better quality felt body to start with in the processing.
I'm not going to touch the possible global warming effect on animal fur because we all know where that will lead....

I can understand that. It is akin to aging wine or whiskey. Since the average global temperatures have been cooling for the past 11 years, I would assume animal furs would have gotten even thicker but probably not enough to matter.

 

[scooter]

I gotta say, you guys are a veritable wellspring of information. I never realized that the older felts were aged for any time, nor did I truly comprehend the difference there might be between 100% beaver and clear beaver.

If I could start all over again, I would love to learn to make hats and make it my vocation.

 

[Edw8ri]

I don't own any vintage hats. Perhaps because I don't have a vintage head. The few hats I have seen in my size just don't appeal to me. But I love custom hats. You get exactly what you want in precisely your size. What is not to love?

 

[pfisto22]

New custom vs vintage

ok since i dont have a real good understanding of the quailty of these hats yet. My question is would I be better off getting a custom hat made like VS hats or pick up a vintage hat
Thanks in advance Mike

 

[nerkg]

I think you have the wrong thread. This is classified

 

[jlee562]

Well, yes, this should be in the hat forum. But since we're here anyway....

The first thing to consider is size. If you have a smaller head, a vintage hat will, in all likelihood, be a cheaper purchase. That having been said, there is the patience factor.

The second thing to consider is, do you really know what you want? If you're unsure about a hat's proportions and how it may look on you, I would suggest that getting a custom hat right off the bat may not be the best option.

In terms of quality between the two, it's a hard comparison. While the felt used by custom hatters is superior than that used in many production hats, there are some vintage felts that are just better (specifically thinking of things like clear beaver, long hair, heather finish, etc).

 

[Mulceber]

The second thing to consider is, do you really know what you want? If you're unsure about a hat's proportions and how it may look on you, I would suggest that getting a custom hat right off the bat may not be the best option.

Well, that could be circumvented by going to Art and sending him some mugshots, as well as a description of the type of clothes you tend to wear. On all the other points though, I think you gave a good assessment.

 

[singlechange]

For what its worth, after three years buying hats and wearing them, my go-to, regular wears are a vintage Cavanagh silverbelly fedora 2 3/4 inch brim bought for less than $50 and a vintage black Resistol Twenty-Five with 2 1/2 inch brim for again the same price. I also own a couple of custom VS and a couple of custom Optimo of Chicago. If I had to grab and save one hat from my burning home I would grab the vintage circa early 1950's Stetson 7X Clear Beaver with a 2 1/2 brim because it is made with the best felt I have laid my fingers on. So pliable and so soft to the touch.

 

[pfisto22]

Yes some very good points, I actually have a big head 7 1/2 but I really love the custom option and all the good vintage I see for sale here are not to far from a custom price point. Every chance I get I look for a good used hat but there are not many places to go to see vintage hat hence ebay and places like this where everyone knows what they have and want top dollar so I keep looking

 

[Mulceber]

If (like me) you have a relatively large head size (at least, larger than most people did back in the day), custom is probably your best option. You do see vintage hats in 7 1/2, but it's way more of a hunt and the competition is fierce. And if you happen to find one that is exactly what you want, you can bet it's exactly what someone else wants too. Optimo is excellent and if price is no object, by all means call them up (or, ideally, visit - it's heaven for hat wearers). Art will give you something of roughly equal quality for half the price. And he's a joy to deal with as well. -M

 

[scotrace]

New thread begun in the Classified section moved here, and merged into two existing (among several) threads on the same topic.
Scotrace