What IS the best modern production fedora?

[WEEGEE]

I Agree, Fedora

One of my observations with your posts on this topic relative to Optimo is

as pre-1980's Borsalino's were of excellent quality but factory none the less

not custom.

fftopic: Fedora , I have not seen your Bogey style...i'll do a search.

Thank you for your concise thoughts and explanations.

WeeGee

 

[Fedora]

While this one is not exactly a Bogey, it is close except the brim is larger than his was.

And here was my first attempt at the Bogey fedora.

This one was made prior to discovering the proper number block to use. Gotta have the proper block, that is for sure!!Fedora

 

[Magus]

Clarification of Topic

The question posed by this thread asked, what is the best factory hat? If a factory hat is defined by mass produced hats relying upon high production equipment, then Optimo is a factory hat.

Since I started the thread I know what I was asking...welll...maybe....you know youthful moments do take their toll later in life...lol So...what I asked was what is the best modern PRODUCTION hat. By that I mean. The business/factory has different models and model numbers. For instance the owner/manager determins that this week we are producing model 123...they set the machines ...ready the line...and make 10, 20, 50, 100 of them in a "run". Those are then offered to the distributers as Model 123 or in our era on their website directly.

That is specifically what I was after. Based on Fedor's statements...its seems that Optimo would fall into this catagory, though I couldn't say for sure. It seems that they might be the "Bently" of production hats. Seemingly custom, priced like a custom, the level of a custom, available as a custom, but still production.

Thanks for alllllll the comments gang.
M

 

[K.D. Lightner]

If you can afford a Borsalino or an Optimo, you can afford an Adventurebilt from Steve or one of Art's creations.

I have both and would rate them far above the mass-made hats.

If you are on a budget, Biltmore is a nice brand. I have a couple from Village Hat Shop (including the "Bogart"). Biltmore was, until recently, their hatmaker for their own line of hats. I think it is now Jaxon, another economical choice. Why they switched from Biltmore to Jaxon, I don't know. (I miss VHS -- there is one hat shop in Des Moines, Iowa, and you have to visit it by appointment during the week, it's open to the public for a few hours on Saturday!? I have yet to visit the place)

Let me see if I can get a photo of the fedora that Steve made for me on here. I'll play with it and see if I can get in onto the site; if not, I know Steve has photos of the fedora I purchased from him; maybe he can put it on for us. I have to find a digital camera to get some photos of Art's "Manhattan."

We are blessed here to have two hatmakers who make beautiful fedoras.

karol

 

[roberto]

HAND MADE FEDORAS, ANYONE?!

WE HAND MAKE THE ABSOLUTE BEST FEDORA ON THE PLANET! WE CAN DUPLICATE ANY FAVORITE STYLES SIMPLY BY SEEING A PHOTO.
WE ARE: www.nateshats.com eusa_clap

 

[Magus]

WE HAND MAKE THE ABSOLUTE BEST FEDORA ON THE PLANET! WE CAN DUPLICATE ANY FAVORITE STYLES SIMPLY BY SEEING A PHOTO.
WE ARE: www.nateshats.com eusa_clap

Roberto, Thanks for the ad...but juuuuuuust a bit fftopic:

M

lol...not that ads don't have their place and all...and I do apreciate aother hat resource!

 

[jamespowers]

A very fine factory hat, but still a factory hat. You could have walked into the Stetson retail shop back in the 30's and ordered a custom hat. It would have been a factory hat, customized to the customers specs.

Actually, that is not quite correct. A custom made Stetson in the 30s-50s was indeed custom made by one of their master hatters. It was not made on the line. It couldn't be because the accoutrements were special to the hat.
A regular production hat used different sweat bands, liners, ribbons and were finished by machines.
Check out any Stetson 100 and you will see a completely different hat than that of the factory line hat. Even the case is different. Then throw in the custom order and you will be sure it is unique to that hat.
I am sure the hats they gave to John Wayne, Clint Eastwood and the like were made for them. Stetson had a great latitude when it was the big guy on the block. Their resources were huge and they could do anyhing you wanted as long as you were willing to pay the price. A custom order was a custom order.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Fedora]

Actually, that is not quite correct. A custom made Stetson in the 30s-50s was indeed custom made by one of their master hatters. It was not made on the line. It couldn't be because the accoutrements were special to the hat.

Yep, you are correct, but did the retail shop not have a comforateur and formillion to custom size the stiffer hats? Once you picked the one you wanted, the in house hatter conformed it to your head shape. Custom fitted?

Were not the special hats made by the master hatters, made special for stars and dignitaries? Perhaps the master hatters real job was to make hats that the factory was not running at the time? Special orders? I am sure they were utilized on a daily basis. Wonder if the masters used equipment, or was it mostly a hand ons deal? I need to pull out some books and see what I can find.

Check out any Stetson 100 and you will see a completely different hat than that of the factory line hat.

Wow, the last Stetson 100 I examine had a machine sewn sweat!! I am currently refurbishing a Stetson Open Road, in great shape feltwise but the sweat is rotten. This sweat was handstitched in!! Now, that is strange isn't it? Fedora

 

[SHARPETOYS]

I mean Big Factory Hats

Big Factory Hats my choices would be...

Akubra

Biltmore

 

[jamespowers]

Wow, the last Stetson 100 I examine had a machine sewn sweat!! I am currently refurbishing a Stetson Open Road, in great shape feltwise but the sweat is rotten. This sweat was handstitched in!! Now, that is strange isn't it? Fedora

In both cases are you sure the sweatbands were the original? There is also the possiblity that they had been removed and reattached after a cleaning by another hatter. You can never be sure unless the hat examined is pristine. The 100s that I have examined were in various states but most had hand stitched sweatbands.

Were not the special hats made by the master hatters, made special for stars and dignitaries? Perhaps the master hatters real job was to make hats that the factory was not running at the time? Special orders? I am sure they were utilized on a daily basis. Wonder if the masters used equipment, or was it mostly a hand ons deal?

That is exactly what I am saying. There is a difference between custom fitted and custom made. Custom made and special orders were the same thing.

Regards,

J

 

[Fedora]

In both cases are you sure the sweatbands were the original? There is also the possiblity that they had been removed and reattached after a cleaning by another hatter. You can never be sure unless the hat examined is pristine. The 100s that I have examined were in various states but most had hand stitched sweatbands

Well, I am not sure on the 100, but it had the original sweat, and paper tags still on the felt. The Open Road, I just cleaned and refurbished was certainly original.

I recall that Stetson 100 as having a really stiff brim, but the crown was fairly soft and pliant. Seems like it would have had to have been conformed with a really stiff brim like it came with. It did not seem to be conformed at all. Just a reg oval shape. Fedora

 

[jamespowers]

Well, I am not sure on the 100, but it had the original sweat, and paper tags still on the felt. The Open Road, I just cleaned and refurbished was certainly original.

What level of Open Road was the hat? They came in various X and Royal Ratings over the years. The 100 is really nothing but a really expensive Open Road.
For instance, a 7X Open Road could well have been a very nice felt. They cost $50 in the early 1950s. A 3" double thick stiff brim would be $20 extra. $22 and $24 for 3 1/2" and 4" brims. Taller crown sizes like 4 3/4 up to 7" cost more as well. They had so many options that you could create a hat that cost more than the 100.
Stetson had it all once----once.

Regards,

J

 

[HungaryTom]

Pure source

Ok…we have repeatedly heard that the modern Borsalinos are no where near the vintage ones and I would agree. However, what would you consider the best modern production fedora? Would Borsalino still be able to claim the “best hat made” award?

Let’s hear it…

M

Dear M,

I think the answer it is quite simple and easy. You must swim upstreams like salmons do until the pure source. Seek at artisan hatters. In the USA/Canada. There they are the closest to the 2 oracle raw materials i.e. Beaver (From Canada) in the field of felt or Montecristi straw (from Ecuador). Than those hatters can also buy from Old World raw materials - rabbit felt from hat body makers like Tonak (est. 1799) of the Czech republic.

Maybe the US hatters have the larger selection of hat blocks too.
Melting pot advantage: there are specialists both for the Italian 'Borsalino' pillar of fedora (with or without Italian American background) and the Stetson styled direction. Seriously, a good hatter can do both without listening either to the Godfather soundtrack or Country music all day.

Processing: Good artisan hat-makers can block your hats exactly according to your needs. They will know what suits the best and they have hundreds of fedora blocks handy. Let them give the advice. Than you will get a modern time production but in the best possible way. If you have 'special' wishes, it is more likely that they will try to do their best in ordering through their network instead of 'friendly' re-sending you to hell.
Style: master hatters work alone or with a small crew - they MUST know more about their trade than skilled workers working in a factory. Therefore they can be more responsive to a client who is an innovator in style and they can be also more responsive to a wish to exactly reproduce something from a vintage photo.
Brand-names: readily available, ready-made, but you pay there also for the costs of the brand-name. But brand-names also let make their masterpieces series produce by master artisans (I know a shoemaking industry example-I own a 'Meisterstück' from a shoe manufacture -not Vass Úr, he is a gentleman- that offers the same model for more than double price - sorry that their representative has friendly re-sent me to hell in person from behind his writing desk after our conversation in HIS mother tongue once I tried to get in for a factory visit in Budapest. That specimen has never raised himself and let me talk from the doorstep of his 'office'. – But I have found their 'Meister'lol who does their Meister-stücke. He doesn't works in Budapest and I could understand myself with him better in OUR mother tongue. I don't have the famous brand-name stamped on the shoe sole - just all the Hungarian "rest" and my initials instead).

With established brands the same price buys less quality and you never get your hat custom made.

There are tons of info on different master hatters at FL - look at their style photos - FL members do the modelling free.


But you knew that answer - 100% sure.

Regards:

Tom

P.S.: I first wondered at a Logo of a US custom hatter when I came across it browsing for Panamas - like an illustration of an old fairy tale - a rabbit and beaver standing around a palm, now after reading FL - I know.

 

[BobC]

Optimo hats...

I am curious about Optimo hats. I have read about them several times here at the lounge, but I haven't seen them come up in any of my searches for fedoras. Can anyone direct me to a website that sells them? Thanks, Bob.

 

[Aerol]

URL for Optimo

http://www.optimohats.com/

 

[Ande1964]

I am curious about Optimo hats. I have read about them several times here at the lounge, but I haven't seen them come up in any of my searches for fedoras. Can anyone direct me to a website that sells them? Thanks, Bob.

I have visited Optimo, and Graham had some really stunning hats in some of the best felt I have ever... well, felt.

The only downsides are that you need to go there to get fitted (he did not seem interested in working any other way), and the price... $500. The hats may well be worth that much, but it ain't cheap.

Anj

 

[indycop]

I don't think there is any better deal than a VS hat, production or custom!

 

[jamespowers]

I don't think there is any better deal than a VS hat, production or custom!

You certainly aren't lying there. Compared to the previously mentioned name, its almost like free.

 

[duggap]

VS Customs

Yep, hard to beat a VS Custom. I just got one of those emails that said Art Fawcett has justed shipped you a hat. Now I have to wait until next week to find out how good it looks.:eusa_doh:

 

[indycop]

You certainly aren't lying there. Compared to the previously mentioned name, its almost like free.

I bet it would be VERY hard if not impossible to find another hat in the specs Art does for the pirice Art does with the extras He adds... Cool hat box, certificate, and not even mentioning the fact that with the conformer you know it is going to fit!