Ask a question, get an answer

[konadog]

the straw on lower left is Optimo's teardrop milan. Optimo suggests i get their Dearborn next, which is likely what i will steer my wife into buying. lower right is a VS that someone on this forum convinced me to sell to them - my daughter later told me it was her favorite of my hats. so maybe the answer is an Optimo Dearborn in a light grey, bluish, purple tone?

 

[Redfokker]

the straw on lower left is Optimo's teardrop milan. Optimo suggests i get their Dearborn next, which is likely what i will steer my wife into buying. lower right is a VS that someone on this forum convinced me to sell to them - my daughter later told me it was her favorite of my hats. so maybe the answer is an Optimo Dearborn in a light grey, bluish, purple tone?

I like the bluish/purple tone idea. Sounds like money is no object (in our dreams!) so Optimo is a good option.

 

[RJR]

Agree all around.....left lower straw.....both upper and lower right...
M

+1

 

[RJR]

the straw on lower left is Optimo's teardrop milan. Optimo suggests i get their Dearborn next, which is likely what i will steer my wife into buying. lower right is a VS that someone on this forum convinced me to sell to them - my daughter later told me it was her favorite of my hats. so maybe the answer is an Optimo Dearborn in a light grey, bluish, purple tone?

Another option konadog,you have several very fine custom hatters there on the coast.In my experience you could get two Gannons,Northwests,VS,etc for the same price.No question that Optimo makes a fine hat,but.......

 

[konadog]

i visited the Optimo shop in Chicago this past summer wearing my VS (the one lower center). the felt and construction of the Optimo hats are just amazing, making me jealous. whether they are twice the quality of a VS is subjective, but i do want one.

 

[RJR]

i visited the Optimo shop in Chicago this past summer wearing my VS (the one lower center). the felt and construction of the Optimo hats are just amazing, making me jealous. whether they are twice the quality of a VS is subjective, but i do want one.

"Want" is the key.

 

[Zombie_61]

the straw on lower left is Optimo's teardrop milan. Optimo suggests i get their Dearborn next, which is likely what i will steer my wife into buying. lower right is a VS that someone on this forum convinced me to sell to them - my daughter later told me it was her favorite of my hats. so maybe the answer is an Optimo Dearborn in a light grey, bluish, purple tone?

Oh, well, if we're talking "color" then my favorite is in the "blue tie" photo; I like brown hats.

 

[GHT]

Steam, m'boy, steam!! And then, the presence of a stiffening agent in the felt will likely re-set the felt to however you shape it. Have fun, Xylo!!

This is so true, I find that steam, mixed with a crushed viagra pill, can stiffen most things. (except one.)

 

[Daniele Tanto]

i visited the Optimo shop in Chicago this past summer wearing my VS (the one lower center). the felt and construction of the Optimo hats are just amazing, making me jealous. whether they are twice the quality of a VS is subjective, but i do want one.

"Want" is the key.

If it is not mandatory the word "want" I'd give it a chance to BSHW
Bob is a talented hatter with a taste for different hats from normality.
I'd give a look at "The Passport" and "The Goldfinch" and my favorite "The Bismarck" especially paying attention to the finishing of felt in which Bob has something extra.
Bearing in mind that tastes are many and various........

 

[mmbarnes]

Does anyone know of anyone who has the skills to re-sew in an unreeded sweatband (assuming that the sweatbands are in nice pliable condition themselves)? I've got a few that could use some help... rotted thread.

I've had to have a few replaced with new sweatbands over the years and it pains me every time. I'd just love to be able to keep all of the original parts to my vintage hats. It seems very difficult to do so with unreeded sweatbands.

Any pointers?

Thanks.

 

[Redfokker]

Mike Miller has done a couple for me, I was pleased. Of course he is just 45 minutes up the freeway, so I just bring along any hat that needs any lovin'.

 

[eli104]

Does anyone know of anyone who has the skills to re-sew in an unreeded sweatband (assuming that the sweatbands are in nice pliable condition themselves)? I've got a few that could use some help... rotted thread.

I've had to have a few replaced with new sweatbands over the years and it pains me every time. I'd just love to be able to keep all of the original parts to my vintage hats. It seems very difficult to do so with unreeded sweatbands.

Any pointers?

Thanks.

I had the same question about my father's 1960's Borsalino Torino. Called J. J. Hats in Manhattan, they recommended a guy named Pa-Fig (he's on Facebook). Hope he does a good job, because dads old GB Borsalino is on the way out to him right now.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[LuvMyMan]

Does anyone know of anyone who has the skills to re-sew in an unreeded sweatband (assuming that the sweatbands are in nice pliable condition themselves)? I've got a few that could use some help... rotted thread.

I've had to have a few replaced with new sweatbands over the years and it pains me every time. I'd just love to be able to keep all of the original parts to my vintage hats. It seems very difficult to do so with unreeded sweatbands.

Any pointers?

Thanks.

BOND right here on the Lounge can do what you need done, does fast and excellent work. You can find him in the conversions thread topic and then PM him. He is great and super fair prices for how nice his work is.

 

[LuvMyMan]

the straw on lower left is Optimo's teardrop milan. Optimo suggests i get their Dearborn next, which is likely what i will steer my wife into buying. lower right is a VS that someone on this forum convinced me to sell to them - my daughter later told me it was her favorite of my hats. so maybe the answer is an Optimo Dearborn in a light grey, bluish, purple tone?

Hello. Just a few thoughts for you regarding customs being made. We are sure Optimo makes great hats. BUT there are some very careful and super good hatters around that can produce a hat very fine. You have a Art Fawcett made hat, you know his workmanship. I have had customs made by Tonyb. His workmanship was totally amazing. Then I have had hats made by Esther and by Tim. Tim of course is Alley Kat hats. Esther Millinery is on here and instagram. She does killer work as well. I had to seek other custom hatters after my two hats from Tonyb, long story but I do not do any further business with him so I found Esther and the Tim. Very honestly we have had at least 350 or more hats pass through our household and everything from customs to vintage and a few moderns. Other custom hatters such as gannon and northwest also seem to be great, blacksheep as well. Not knocking Optimo but seriously there is nothing I can see to justify his pricing. Great hats yes...pricing...oh lord have MERCY!

 

[Starkman]

Hey all,

Say, I'm looking for someone or some company to which I can send my hats to have air holes put in.
I don't have any expensive hats (they're all under $50.00), but man, I'd sure like some heat-escaping abilities put into them.

The other option would be to know if I can do this myself without too much trouble (equipment requirements and such).
The hats very in material: some 100% wool, others mix breeds of synthetics and what have you.

Thanks very much,

Starkman

 

[Frunobulax]

Hey all,

Say, I'm looking for someone or some company to which I can send my hats to have air holes put in.
I don't have any expensive hats (they're all under $50.00), but man, I'd sure like some heat-escaping abilities put into them.

The other option would be to know if I can do this myself without too much trouble (equipment requirements and such).
The hats very in material: some 100% wool, others mix breeds of synthetics and what have you.

Thanks very much,

Starkman

Just send it to me, I'll take it to the range with me. What kind of holes do you want? I can do 9mm, .380, .22 or just let it rip with some buckshot for that random effect.

Seriously, though, if you don't live near a hatter, check out the FL vendors section. Perhaps one of our vendors can do it. I know Art Fawcett will make a new hat with vents, so presumably he could do an after market. I'm certain there are others.

 

[RJR]

Hey all,

Say, I'm looking for someone or some company to which I can send my hats to have air holes put in.
I don't have any expensive hats (they're all under $50.00), but man, I'd sure like some heat-escaping abilities put into them.

The other option would be to know if I can do this myself without too much trouble (equipment requirements and such).
The hats very in material: some 100% wool, others mix breeds of synthetics and what have you.

Thanks very much,

Starkman

A few vent holes are easy enough with a small leather punch.Check out Tandy Leather.

 

[WJB]

I am new to vintage hats. I discovered this forum while researching a fedora that I recently purchase at an antique store in Virginia. I've always liked hats, but this is the first vintage hat I've purchased--if it is really vintage. I bought it because I liked it, but I'd like to determine whether it is vintage and, if so, learn a little more about it. Searching online did not provide a lot of information.

It was labeled as a Vintage Raleigh Fedora. Based on my search of the “Moveo et Proficio” phrase on the logo printed on the satin lining, the phrase belongs to Knox, but the logo design is not the same as I see pictured for the Knox logo. In addition to the different design, the logo has “New York” and ”Twenty” printed in two lines at the bottom where the word “Knox” is on the Knox logo.

As you can see from the pictures, it has a black, wide, ribbed ribbon. It is very dark brown in color. The brim is about two inches in width. The sweat band has “Raleigh-Haberdasher Washington” on one side and “Twenty” on the other. There is also a gold size tag, 7 1/8. Am I correct that the “Twenty” probably means it originally sold for $20? (I paid $19. )

The hat is in good condition. The feather is smaller than it appears in the online Knox pictures I found. It may have slipped down behind the bow, but I can’t slide it up easily and am afraid of ruining it. The sweat band appears to be finished leather, though it doesn’t smell like leather. The sweatband shows no wear, but the black welt between it and the hat does have some spots where the black is worn off.

Anything you all can tell me about it will be welcome information. I am also interested in suggestions for getting the feather back into place, as to what it might actually be worth, and its possible age.

Thank you for any comments you may have.

 

[Frunobulax]

Interesting. Style looks like late 50s, early 60s. Is there a reorder tag behind the sweatband?


Sent directly from my mind to yours.

 

[Brad Bowers]

Looks like a Hat Corporation of America product. Probably just a house brand hat for Raleigh Haberdasher.

Brad
~The Hatted Professor