HOLY GRAIL? /What fedoras are you pining for?

[Mahagonny Bill]

I am always on the lookout for vintage Borsalino Pocket Hats. The several that Douglas has shown over the years are very sharp, especially for a fold-able traveling hat. I've been tempted to get a Christy's since they are available new, but it seems a poor replacement and the new Borsalino traveling hats have no style at all.

 

[danofarlington]

So, what fedora styles or colors are you in the hunt for?

Great question. For my part, I am buying a charcoal gray fedora from a friend in Southwestern Virginia. I've got my eye on the Treviso hat from Worth and Worth in New York. I want to get a lower-crowned (Borsalino type) 2 5/8 hat in brown from Art Fawcett; I see a model from RMR hats in Italy; I want to get a camel-colored fedora from Hornet Hats. I want to commission a brown beaver rain hat sometime when I get the money (might be never). All the foregoing are dress hats, sort of to go with work or other casual-work styles. Then I want a bluegrass green Akubra Squatter, and a gray Campdraft. I would like to get a deluxe Open Road of some kind, as the one I have is a little stiff and looks sort of like an old hat. I wouldn't want so many in addition to the ten or so that I now have, if I didn't mean to put them to use. I guess my goal is to have as many hats as some ladies have pairs of shoes, and for about the same reason.

 

[Mobile Vulgus]

Dan, well YOU have a list Santa would be hard pressed to fill, fer sure!! LOL.

As fer me, I think my hat buying days are numbered for a while. I lost my job recently and will soon be out of spare cash for such luxuries!

 

[danofarlington]

Dan, well YOU have a list Santa would be hard pressed to fill, fer sure!! LOL.

As fer me, I think my hat buying days are numbered for a while. I lost my job recently and will soon be out of spare cash for such luxuries!

I'm sorry about your job. It's a very rough time we're having now. Well, you know I'm just giving a wish list. I'm not saying I can afford them either, although prices on each one of those vary. But I forgot to mention the most outrageous hat I have in mind--a Professor Marvel hat from the Wizard of Oz. You all may think I'm goofy, and I may be, but I asked Art about re-creating the hat and he said he could. You might see it by Googling Professor Marvel, Wizard of Oz. Basically he has a cool black, low-crowned, wide-brim hat that I would like to get and wear. Everyone goes off in their own direction where others don't want to follow at some point, and my departure from the conventional is that.

 

[Mobile Vulgus]

This one?

 

[danofarlington]

This one?

Exactamundo!

 

[Mobile Vulgus]

It's almost westernish with a single dent. I like it.

 

[Mulceber]

Looks like a black homburg to me - you're not that unusual in your tastes, danofarlington. ;-) -M

 

[Mobile Vulgus]

Looks like a black homburg to me

I'd dare say that the brim is a tad wider than a Homburg and the crown a bit lower. At least to my eye it seems different than a Homburg.

 

[Mulceber]

Perhaps, although it still strikes me as reminiscent of a Homburg. -M

 

[azhiker]

Hey, I have a question...I have 2 nice Stetsons western hats, one is a 30X felt in black (El Patron) the other is a 10X in light tan. I used to wear western hats, but it really never set well with me. I have been trying to sell them on Ebay, Craigs List, not a single hit. Is it possible to have them reblocked into a fair semblance of a teardrop fedora? Or a 'C crown'? I know it can be done, as i had a cheaper one done at Langstons in OKC, (kinda outback style)but I was wondering if this would be more benificial to me? I have 2 Biltmores which I love, so would I be disappointed with them. BTW, one of the Biltmores is from Henry the Hatters here in Detroit, and they advertise that for 65 smackers they will take apart, reblock, shape etc. Here is a photo of the Stetson, too nice a hat to just keep in a box all the time.

 

[Mobile Vulgus]

azhiker,

I recently bought a Stetson Open Road shaped in the cattleman's crease (like the crease in the photo you have of you black hat). I recreased it to a "C" crown and reshapped the brim to fedora style and it is at Optiomo until the 30th getting a 1-1/2" black ribbon put on her. I have another one coming in the mail soon that I am going to do the same thing to only it'll be a brown ribbon.

 

[Mulceber]

Not really the thread for this, but yeah, I think you could almost certainly do it. It would probably be something more than just a rebock though. The hatter in question would probably strip the hat down to just the felt body, give it a good pouncing, block it on a fedora block, cut down the brim to something more appropriate to a fedora, give it a new ribbon, liner, sweat, etc. Basically, it would be a complete reconstruction of the two hats. Personally I'd recommend Art, Optimo or Penman for that job, although it sounds like Henry the Hatter is charging a reasonable price as well. -M

 

[azhiker]

Ok, I was wondering about doing that, as I already have the hats, they both fit, and for $65 or so, I can have two new hats. I might as well give it a try. I'd love to go to Optimo's, but not sure if I can afford them. I bought one of my Biltmores at Hats-Plus in Chicago a couple months ago. Hey, also sorry about your job. I feel guilty alot here in Detroit because I am employed, but I have been laid off 5 times in my career, so I do understand what it's all about. Good luck, and thanks for the input.

 

[Mobile Vulgus]

Thanks azhiker.

As to Optiomo's prices, I think it is $30 for a cleaning and blocking and $20 for a new ribbon. I'd guess if you shape it first then send it the whole thing will be way under $100 total.

 

[Mobile Vulgus]

As to my dream hat, I'd love one of Optimo's creme colored hats with a nice brown ribbon and binding. That would be a dream hat for me.

 

[RBH]

This has been done before.. many times.
Lefty can you help me out!

 

[zetwal]

This has been done before.. many times.
Lefty can you help me out!

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?37871-Holy-Grail..&highlight=grail

 

[Lloyd]

After opening that Optimo longhair today I want more longhairs and velours

 

[Mulceber]

Based on their website, it would be either $50 or $85 to have Optimo do the job. Penman doesn't list prices but asks people to contact him to discuss it on a case-by-case basis, and Art, AFAIK, occasionally does reblocks for other hat brands but (understandably) prefers to work on his own hats. I don't want to speak for him though - you'd be better off asking him yourself. My best advice is shop around. You might find someone whose work you like better than Henry the Hatter's for a price that's around the same price or even cheaper. -M