Ask a question, get an answer

[Wyldkarma]

I have plenty of new Stetson and Dobbs hat boxes. I go down to Hillsboro and Temple on occasion. I could meet up with you if you want/need a few.

Wow Bill, that is awfully kind of you to offer that. I do have an extra box from a different hat, I was just venting here because it was disappointing that a brand new hat did not come with a box for storage. Every one of my other hats all came with branded storage boxes. Your a true gentleman indeed.

 

[Wyldkarma]

There is a great vintage pure beaver felt hat I found online that is a huge size 8, but I wear a size 7 1/4. Can this be reblocked and sized down by hat shop? Or should I just abandon this idea? Anyone have experience or knowledge of resizing hats. Spacers wont cut it on this one.

 

[Bill Hughes]

There is a great vintage pure beaver felt hat I found online that is a huge size 8, but I wear a size 7 1/4. Can this be reblocked and sized down by hat shop? Or should I just abandon this idea? Anyone have experience or knowledge of resizing hats. Spacers wont cut it on this one.

Others may correct me but I think that’s too much of a change to resize.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

There is a great vintage pure beaver felt hat I found online that is a huge size 8, but I wear a size 7 1/4. Can this be reblocked and sized down by hat shop? Or should I just abandon this idea? Anyone have experience or knowledge of resizing hats. Spacers wont cut it on this one.

There no way to get a size eight to size down that much. You’re talking about six sizes. You shouldn’t have too much trouble finding great hats in your actual size.

As a big headed guy I wouldn’t mind a PM directing me to this size 8. Just saying....



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[RJR]

There is a great vintage pure beaver felt hat I found online that is a huge size 8, but I wear a size 7 1/4. Can this be reblocked and sized down by hat shop? Or should I just abandon this idea? Anyone have experience or knowledge of resizing hats. Spacers wont cut it on this one.

Conventional wisdom/experience here says that one size is max.

 

[Dutch Men]

Is Beaver felt better or / and more luxurious than Rabbit felt?
Is X / XX / XXX / XXXX / XXXXX / XXXXXX so much better than 100% Rabbit?
Who can tell me about Beaver felt in simple English.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Is Beaver felt better or / and more luxurious than Rabbit felt?
Is X / XX / XXX / XXXX / XXXXX / XXXXXX so much better than 100% Rabbit?
Who can tell me about Beaver felt in simple English.

Someone with more knowledge than me will have to pontificate on the differences of rabbit and beaver felt.

The “X” count means very little. A “XXXXXXXX Beaver” most likely has zero beaver content (depending on year and brand). Mostly “Xs” and “Beaver” in the branding is used to describe the finish and not the material content. The X count can be used to distinguish finish quality if you are comparing within the brand and at the same date of manufacture.

If your confused you are on the right track. And down the rabbit hole we go!

 

[facade]

Is Beaver felt better or / and more luxurious than Rabbit felt?
Is X / XX / XXX / XXXX / XXXXX / XXXXXX so much better than 100% Rabbit?
Who can tell me about Beaver felt in simple English.

No. Beaver felt is a luxury upgrade of no discernable benefit other than the feeling of having a "better" (aka more expensive) hat.

 

[Dutch Men]

Beaver hair is not finer than rabbit hair?

Beaver felt ... having a "better" (aka more expensive) hat.

Awesome answer

I see little bit difference in the next hats:
View media item 1860View media item 1850

 

[facade]

In my opinion the skill and effort of the people involved with crafting the hat are far more important than the base material (fur). I have numerous hats of both rabbit and beaver. Those of rabbit are no less pleasurable to hold, no less attractive, and no less functional than those of beaver. The beaver ones have a coolness factor on their side as they are either customs or top of the line vintage hats. But since no one on the street can tell a $500 hat from a $10 hat, the coolness factor only goes so far.

 

[Fivesense]

Posted this over in the Other Open Roads but I'm not sure if this qualifies for that thread.

I'm looking at possibly adding an Atwood Austin in palm leaf. The Austin is Atwood's nod to the straw Open Road. I've got an Atwood Hereford in palm and like it, but might want a more moderate brim for casual warmer weather wear. The crown of the Austin is 5". I'm thinking of flattening the brim more than it already is and working a modified Gus into the crown to bring the ratio of crown height in line with the brim. If the Gus doesn't look good, maybe a teardrop or diamond. Maybe even a brick. Thoughts?

 

[Moviehats]

I think a Rabbit and Beaver mix is the best and most durable. But Beaver feels nice and is easy to work with.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

No. Beaver felt is a luxury upgrade of no discernable benefit other than the feeling of having a "better" (aka more expensive) hat.

That has not been my experience. Beaver hat bodies make for much finer hats and more durable ones too. There really isn’t much difference between nutria and beaver, but I can usually tell at a look and, always at a touch, if the hat is rabbit/hare as they just aren’t as nice.

It’s not out of snobbery or elitism that the best hats are made from beaver. I like rabbit fur felt and have many such hats. It’s a good hat making material. Beaver, I’m my opinion, will give you a better hat in real discernible ways.




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[Frunobulax]

I always insist my hatters use only locally-sourced, fair trade, organic beavers that have died from natural causes.


Sent directly from my mind to yours.

 

[Lean'n'mean]

When asked, 9 out of 10 beavers say rabbit fur felt is far superior to beaver fur felt.

 

[suitedcboy]

There is a lot to this fur topic. I think there is no hair on a sheep anywhere that likes water and almost all of it is wiry and coarse.
Rabbit and beaver fur is not the same from around the pelt. Back hair is thicker and coarser and belly is finer. Rabbits have more finer fur. I have had rabbit/hare felt that finishes nice and has that nice velvet feel and has not gone crazy when water soaked. I have had some beaver hats that were scruffy feeling and pouncing them more made them approach the velvet feel. 100% beaver has no issue with getting soaked.
Some of the beaver ones were relatively recent hats that likely were Winchester bodies.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

The crown of the Austin is 5". I'm thinking of flattening the brim more than it already is and working a modified Gus into the crown to bring the ratio of crown height in line with the brim.

A 5" crown won't make a Gus with any rake to it. Not sure what you mean about "ratio of crown height in line with brim" but IMO a Gus with just a 2-3/4" brim is not very appealing. And I don't see much resemblance to an OR at all.

 

[Dutch Men]

Thanks all for your opinium.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

there is no hair on a sheep anywhere that likes water and almost all of it is wiry and coarse.

scruffy feeling

Back hair is thicker and coarser and belly is finer.

I've been told I resemble those remarks.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Posted this over in the Other Open Roads but I'm not sure if this qualifies for that thread.

I'm looking at possibly adding an Atwood Austin in palm leaf. The Austin is Atwood's nod to the straw Open Road. I've got an Atwood Hereford in palm and like it, but might want a more moderate brim for casual warmer weather wear. The crown of the Austin is 5". I'm thinking of flattening the brim more than it already is and working a modified Gus into the crown to bring the ratio of crown height in line with the brim. If the Gus doesn't look good, maybe a teardrop or diamond. Maybe even a brick. Thoughts?

View attachment 114265

Why not just get a SunBody that already has the Gus shape and a better brim width?

https://www.sunbody.com/index.cfm/product/197_3/golden-gus.cfm






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