General hat discussion

[Matt Deckard]

Re: Mattdeckard

Originally posted by fedoralover
Matt, I can assure you that Kevin told me that their felt (from 02) was 95% beaver and 5% wild hare. If you heard otherwise then maybe that's why this keeps coming up. But I know what I was told on the phone.

regards fedoralover

Understood, I was told otherwise.
Kevin misled you, for what reason I don't know.


I am happy with the product. I maintain that an all beaver hat would not hold up as a soft hat.

 

[Andykev]

Call

PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL GRAHAM OR KEVIN AND ASK THEM PERSONALLY. I ASSURE YOU THEY WILL ANSWER YOUR SPECIFIC QUESTION(S) REGARDING SOURCE, COLOR, CONTENT, AND NEXT YEARS OFFERINGS.

Sorry for yelling.

773-238-2999 10 am to 6 pm Chicago time.


And folks, I know Graham strives to continually make his hats the best each year. I have seen improvement in quality from the first hat I bought from him 5 years ago to my most recent addition to the family.

 

[Sergei]

In my conversations, when I started to get interested (late 2002), I knew is was not all beaver fur or majority. In fact, I remember thinking should I get a 100% beaver felt from Gary White or the Optimo that had less beaver content? It was a tough decision because I liked the look and feel of a Gary White, but overall it was stiff and thicker felt. I went with the Optimo because of the thinness of felt as well as the other components of the fedora (i.e. silk sewn in liner, leather sweatband) and their GREAT BLOCK. Gary White's block was good, but not great. The Optimo Indy Brown felt, had the Raiders look and floppiness like no other hat I've seen.

I didn't regret the decision when in 2003 they went with the nutria/beaver blend which really created a nice sheen. But I am still on the hunt for the Gary White 100% beaver felt fedora.

Anyway, I have digressed. This thread is sooo hijacked.

-Sergei

 

[fedoralover]

Another clarification: I was never and am still not unhappy with my Optimo's. They are great fedora's made by a master hatter. I just wanted to let everyone know where the 95% beaver statement came from. And I did call Optimo, Graham was not there, I talked to Kevin and he told me again the same thing.

regards fedoralover

 

[Andykev]

I can swear

From my satisfaction with OPTIMO, I don't care if their hats are made out of 100% recycled soda bottles, news papers, or tree bark!!

I have bought 15 hats and more are coming. I am definately NOT on the Optimo "do not call" list.. hahahahahah

I have heard from Graham that the blend of rabbit , nutria, and beaver produces a very fine hat over the 100% beaver. IF I were "Open Range" lifestyle in a western hat, then beaver would be my choice. But I wear sweaters and dockers, suits, and slacks with a tie. Gotta have a quality dress hat for that!

 

[Fedora]

We were both personally told this by Kevin back in 02. I bought the Optimo originally only because of the beaver felt. I was in the market for a beaver fedora. You can't say anything bad about the Optimo(in my experience). Very vintagelike with attention to detail. I love em'. Fedora

 

[Marc]

Make it three. When I called Optimo first time in '03 I was also told by Kevin, that the chocolate brown contains 95% beaver. I can't prove it, so I didn't write it above. The felt makes an excellent replica of the Raiders Fedora, no question. It is just not what I ordered.

That a pure beaver felt can't be turned into a soft hat seems to be a hard dying rumor. Fact is, that you can make a beaver body cloud soft if you want to. But to do that, you have to chose a rather thin raw body and don't let the felt maker cook so much stiffener into it. But most beaver bodies are rather thick and get a LOT of stiffener cooked in, because they'll become cowboy hats later. You can however not get a pure beaver hat as thin as a hat made of a blend.

Regards,

Marc

 

[PrettyBigGuy]

ALL RIGHT, LISTEN UP YOUZ MUGZ,
One a da' moderators of dis section axed ya ta stay on topic, which is talkin' 'bout doz Herbie Johnson lids, but cha keep on flappin' your gums 'bout Optimo and dat Gladhatter palooka. GET BACK ON TOPIC OR I'LL MOIDA THE LOT A YA! Da boss ain't gonna be happy when he gets back from outta town!

 

[Sergei]

Herbert Johnson? What? Dats the topic?

Like Maryon Ravenwood said, "Bars closed!"..... Swales left the joynt and the hats ain't gonna be de same, ever...not even for 3000 smackers.


Kindest Regards,
Sergei "Hitman from the St. Petersburg Russian Mafia"

 

[CoffeeDude]

Originally posted by Sergei
... This thread is sooo hijacked.

-Sergei

Does that mean we're headed for Cuba? Maybe they have 100% beaver felt there, but if not, at least we can pick a few cigars, eh Sergei?

 

[Marc]

Just the other day I had the pleasure to finally smoke the Cohiba my girlfriend gave me for my birthday back in November. I just sat there with my glass of whiskey, closed eyes and a bright smile upon my lips. It's not very often I get to smoke these babies, but I celebrate the few times a year, where I do.

One of lifes pleasures. You really don't know what you missed, before you tryed it.

Smokin' Regards,

Marc:cool2:

 

[Michaelson]

Unfortunately, I've found simple pleasures awfully hard to find or enjoy much anymore . Thanks for reminding me they still exist. Regards. Michaelson

 

[Renderking Fisk]

I had no idea what I was doing when I ?¢‚Ǩ?ìStarted?¢‚Ǩ? this thread.

I don?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t know if my fellow COW-hands or calves are going to back me up here, but a mark of a truly genuine dealer is the LACK of complaints from the customer. I don?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t know if there?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s ever been a flood of complaints against Akubra and Hat?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s Direct. Ron?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s pretty straightforward and his hats are what his site says they are.

 

[Michaelson]

I'll back you Render, and I've been dealing with Ron a LOT longer than you have. Of any problems I've personally known about, he's made right. His is a good example of customer/dealer relationships, and how they should be handled. I can also say the same for Joe Peters, and have heard the same for Optimo, though I have no personal experience with them or their product. Regards. Michaelson