Black Sheep Hat Works

[belfastboy]

I have just one of BSHW's, a grey Heathered Tonak felt. Bob Jessie is a top tier hat maker and I echo all of the things that JLee has noted. I had a second hat in the queue but after a year wait and after other buyers were complaining after waiting 2 years still with no firm delivery I asked Bob for a refund. He graciously sent it to me right away. No one seems to know the 'why' of him dropping off the radar.

I do know when he did stop making hats we lost a great one. I visited him at his house in Bremerton WA had a great visit.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Innovator. Student of the art & craft. If you want a clone of say, a 1920’s dress fedora so rare one no longer exists in the wild then that is exactly what you will get & why you’re willing to wait.

If you just want a 20mph fashion fedora in brown with a ribbon to coordinate with your favorite shirt, there are others with no wait.

It would appear that maybe Bob is burned out a bit.

 

[Judgmentalist]

Innovator. Student of the art & craft. If you want a clone of say, a 1920’s dress fedora so rare one no longer exists in the wild then that is exactly what you will get & why you’re willing to wait.

If you just want a 20mph fashion fedora in brown with a ribbon to coordinate with your favorite shirt, there are others with no wait.

It would appear that maybe Bob is burned out a bit.

I have two hats on order with Mike Miller from Northwest. Judging by creativity alone, based on what I can see from all the available photos, I would say he is probably one of the closest competitors to BSHW of the custom batters with which I am familiar. I believe Mike has a lead time of about 6-8 months.

I have a couple other felt hats coming that I got from custom hatters with much shorter lead times that, in my opinion, would stand up against anything I’ve seen quality-wise.

Of course, my opinion is based on photos and admittedly limited experience, which I am in the process of trying to rectify, partly by asking these questions.

Thanks for your help.

 

[belfastboy]

I have two hats on order with Mike Miller from Northwest. Judging by creativity alone, based on what I can see from all the available photos, I would say he is probably one of the closest competitors to BSHW of the custom batters with which I am familiar. I believe Mike has a lead time of about 6-8 months.

I have a couple other felt hats coming that I got from custom hatters with much shorter lead times that, in my opinion, would stand up against anything I’ve seen quality-wise.

Of course, my opinion is based on photos and admittedly limited experience, which I am in the process of trying to rectify, partly by asking these questions.

Thanks for your help.

I have about 10 of Mike's creations. He has been making hats for over 20 years now, give or take. For the first 10 years or so it was a side hustle but 10 years ago he took the leap to open his street front store. He is a great hat maker, with a honed ability to make the hat you describe or picture. He is one of my role models as a hatter. I have watched a lot of hat makers come and go over the years (retired, tired, injured, burnt out etc etc) but Mike is one who has withstood the test and continues to thrive. His prices remain, in my view, as absolute bargains.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Of course, my opinion is based on photos and admittedly limited experience,

One of the things Bob does in talking to you before accepting your order is have you take measurements not only the circumference where you want the hat to sit, but also measurements up over the top from ear top to ear top. He will ask you how you intend to wear the hat; ie with a cant to one side or the other, or level. He will ask if you have a lumpy cranium, etc. Then before he starts to build your hat he will ship to you a box of 3-4 sweats so that you can check for the fit you like best. The hat is built around that fit. It’s truly a soft, thin hat closest to any vintage fedora you will find.

 

[Judgmentalist]

One of the things Bob does in talking to you before accepting your order is have you take measurements not only the circumference where you want the hat to sit, but also measurements up over the top from ear top to ear top. He will ask you how you intend to wear the hat; ie with a cant to one side or the other, or level. He will ask if you have a lumpy cranium, etc. Then before he starts to build your hat he will ship to you a box of 3-4 sweats so that you can check for the fit you like best. The hat is built around that fit. It’s truly a soft, thin hat closest to any vintage fedora you will find.

Very cool. I’ve had a hatter help me get the correct head shape in a plane around my head where I will wear the hat, and another hatter shipped me five sweats to pick from; both methods worked well for me, I think. But I haven’t had anyone ask after the other details you mention.

When I first started getting into hats I was (in my opinion now) a little too obsessed with getting the custom fit thing exactly right, and I would still like to have that experience.

Having said that, I’ve mostly banged my way through it in the school of hard knocks at this point. I’ve had some hats that don’t work along the way, unfortunately, but I think I’ve about got it figured out how I want my hats to fit.

When I eventually get Bob Jessee to make me one, I may find out differently.

 

[Rmccamey]

I have about 10 of Mike's creations. He has been making hats for over 20 years now, give or take. For the first 10 years or so it was a side hustle but 10 years ago he took the leap to open his street front store. He is a great hat maker, with a honed ability to make the hat you describe or picture. He is one of my role models as a hatter. I have watched a lot of hat makers come and go over the years (retired, tired, injured, burnt out etc etc) but Mike is one who has withstood the test and continues to thrive. His prices remain, in my view, as absolute bargains.

I, too, have several from Mike. In my opinion, his Bowlers, Cambridge bowlers, and Coachman hats (with the distinctive D'Orsay curl) are about as close to the originals as you can get in a modern hat.

 

[Judgmentalist]

Innovator. Student of the art & craft. If you want a clone of say, a 1920’s dress fedora so rare one no longer exists in the wild then that is exactly what you will get & why you’re willing to wait.

If you just want a 20mph fashion fedora in brown with a ribbon to coordinate with your favorite shirt, there are others with no wait.

It would appear that maybe Bob is burned out a bit.

@Hurricane Jack

You've inspired me to start a wish list of unique details I'd love to include in a custom hat.


My lack of experience is a limiting factor, so I'm hoping the more knowledgeable collectors here such as yourself will find this interesting and throw out some ideas.


At this point, I'm not worried about whether any of these ideas are practical, affordable, or even possible to reproduce. This is just a brainstorming exercise.


The exercise serves two purposes - for me, at least. First, I want to quantify and verbalize exactly what it is about various vintage hats that catches my eye - and refine my tastes as I discover new details.


Second, I want to build the ultimate hatmaker-catching fly-fishing lure. I'd love to come up with a hat so interesting that some creative hatter looks at it and says, "That sounds like fun. I want to make that."

I haven't started thinking about hat blocks, felt type, ribbons or bow designs yet, but feel free to include those if you like.

I think this is a fun idea, and I don't see a thread like this on the forum. I may start a separate thread if there is any interest. Obviously the reason I chose to start it in the BSHW thread is because Bob is the trout I'm planning to catch lol.

Here is what I've got so far:

• Sweatband sizing ribbon (decorative or functional—I won't be using it to make size adjustments)
• Blind sweatband seam
• Unique leather choice
• Pinnacle Edge
• Wind trolley
• Figure-eight (double-loop) rear bow
• Vintage size tag (favorite style? Keyhole tag?)

Tag and bow similar to this maybe

 

[Hurricane Jack]

@Hurricane Jack

You've inspired me to start a wish list of unique details I'd love to include in a custom hat.


My lack of experience is a limiting factor, so I'm hoping the more knowledgeable collectors here such as yourself will find this interesting and throw out some ideas.


At this point, I'm not worried about whether any of these ideas are practical, affordable, or even possible to reproduce. This is just a brainstorming exercise.


The exercise serves two purposes - for me, at least. First, I want to quantify and verbalize exactly what it is about various vintage hats that catches my eye - and refine my tastes as I discover new details.


Second, I want to build the ultimate hatmaker-catching fly-fishing lure. I'd love to come up with a hat so interesting that some creative hatter looks at it and says, "That sounds like fun. I want to make that."

I haven't started thinking about hat blocks, felt type, ribbons or bow designs yet, but feel free to include those if you like.

I think this is a fun idea, and I don't see a thread like this on the forum. I may start a separate thread if there is any interest. Obviously the reason I chose to start it in the BSHW thread is because Bob is the trout I'm planning to catch lol.

Here is what I've got so far:

• Sweatband sizing ribbon (decorative or functional—I won't be using it to make size adjustments)
• Blind sweatband seam
• Unique leather choice
• Pinnacle Edge
• Wind trolley
• Figure-eight (double-loop) rear bow
• Vintage size tag (favorite style? Keyhole tag?)

Tag and bow similar to this maybe
View attachment 798259

Not sure what you mean by Pinnacle edge or blind sweatband seam. Other than those possible exceptions everything has been & is being done. If you want to entice a top hatter you would be better off asking for a vicuña or ermine fedora. You would first have to come up with the hood though.

 

[Judgmentalist]

Not sure what you mean by Pinnacle edge or blind sweatband seam. Other than those possible exceptions everything has been & is being done. If you want to entice a top hatter you would be better off asking for a vicuña or ermine fedora. You would first have to come up with the hood though.

Thanks Jack. Pinnacle Edge is what Bob calls his version of the Cav Edge. I don't know how to call this correctly, but when I say "blind sweatband seam" I'm talking about a seam in the sweatband which is as invisible as possible - no visible stitching like the one pictured below.

I'm aware that there is "nothing new under the sun" particularly when it comes to hats as we are sort of chasing an ideal that no longer exists. Having said that, if you have in mind vintage hat details that are uncommon in the wild or otherwise particularly tickle your fancy I'd love to hear about them.

While I'm not specifically opposed to finding the most expensive felt on the planet, for the purposes of this conversation I'm more interested in unusual construction techniques, design features, and vintage details than luxury materials.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

I'm more interested in unusual construction techniques, design features, and vintage details than luxury materials.

I’m interested in the correct cloning of such rare vintage hats that can no longer be found in the wild to be properly restored.

 

[Judgmentalist]

I’m interested in the correct cloning of such rare vintage hats that can no longer be found in the wild to be properly restored.

Thank you - that’s why I quoted you on this thread - if you want to talk about it I’d love to learn from your experience. If not, no harm no foul of course.