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Is this a good price for a Resistol on the Bay?

Messages
10,930
Location
My mother's basement
At the risk of straying too far afield here (It's a nice hat, that Resistol), there have been numerous discussions here on the "X factor."

The upshot of it, essentially, is that the X may have had an established and accepted meaning at one time in the distant past, at least briefly, and that meaning was that each X represented 10 percent beaver fur (X being the Roman numeral 10) in the blend, but even that is in dispute. (That Resistol is a nice hat.)

Whatever it may or may not have meant originally, it quickly became a marketing gimmick and nothing else. The more X'es the better the hat, allegedly, at least within any given manufacturer's line. By the time that Resistol (a nice hat, for sure) was made, a 3X hat was generally considered the Chevrolet version -- a good, solid, serviceable product, but not the top of the line. But again, the X means whatever the person who decided to put it there says it means.
 
Messages
10,930
Location
My mother's basement
I'm glad to see we're in agreement on that much, at least.

After all, we wouldn't wish to mislead anyone, even if such was not our intention when we asserted something that, in light of better information, doesn't quite gibe with reality.
 

frussell

One Too Many
Messages
1,409
Location
California Desert
Dave - tonyb is someone I usually listen to, and you won't get any coy little games from him. He's one of the finest hatters around, and a straight shooter. He's right about the hat being a good one, I've got one just like it in an even rarer size, 7 7/8, and it's a hell of a nice hat. Not %100 beaver, if you want that, go to tonyb or Art and enjoy. Mine was not in as great a condition as the one in question looks to be, so I paid less than $30 for it, had it cleaned and re-sweated by Optimo, and still ended up at about half of what this one is going for. They do come along now and then, just look for "Kitten Finish" in your size on eBay once in a while. The one I have has some of the nicest felt I've ever owned, and the Resistol version of the Cav edge is killer. Make an offer, or just keep an eye out. Be thankful you only got blessed with a 7 1/2, that's still in the normal range. Frank
 

davers

New in Town
Messages
34
Location
Allen Park, MI
I thank everyone for their input! I really do appreciate it! This is a new passion for me and I love having this kind of information at my finger tips! You guys are awesome! I never felt that the seller was trying to misrepresent the hat or pull one over. I've been scrolling feverishly through all 8,000+ mens "vintage" hats on ebay for size 7.5, and I have to tell you, they are pretty rare...at least the ones I would wear. Now, if I were a size 7, that would be different! :) I'd be in BIG trouble with the missus. Either the hats are already up to 10 bids with a price of $250 bucks, or they are waaay too small. Since I'm new, I'm not very patient.. :) I think the hat is worth whatever I wind up paying for it! :) The seller is willing to negotiate and has been very accommodating! The only thing that bothers me is how many kittens it takes to make a hat like that. I'd rather not think about it... :D

That's my uneducated and uninformed 2 cents. :)

Thanks again everyone!!!

Dave
 

The Wiser Hatter

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,765
Location
Louisville, Ky
The problem with posting a live link to a auction asking about price is that you are letting others know about the Hat.
Which makes it even more fun to win an auction. There are lot's of lurkers that hang out here and you can help them out
by posting a live link to an auction. Now this hat price is following a thrend of let's start out at the highest price one has sold for
theory of ebay selling. Which generally means that the hat does not sell in it's first posting. As no one will bid on it unless someone really really want's the hat. I have watched hats go thru several run's of high prices before selling thru a standard low starting price then bidding up in price.
I am not a lover of 60's hat's even as some here have said this is a nice one. The quality of hat's in general went down in the 60's as they where selling less and less hat's. The company's when with cheaper componets and easier to make finishes to the point that today's hats use monofilament thread to tack on the ribbons.
As in all things if you love the hat buy it.:)
 

davers

New in Town
Messages
34
Location
Allen Park, MI
Hey Ed..I have to admit, after I posted this I thought..hmm...was this wise? But I was hoping everyone would take pity on my newness and not snatch the hat up! :)

Thanks,

Dave
 

jlee562

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,099
Location
San Francisco, CA
By the by, here's my similar Resistol that I mentioned earlier:
20120707_120000.jpg

20120707_115948.jpg

20120707_120009.jpg


The 3x Kitten Finish felt is really nice stuff.
 

davers

New in Town
Messages
34
Location
Allen Park, MI
Very nice hat Jared! So....just how many kittens does it take to make one of these hats? :eeek: What's your hat pin? I can't quite make it out..

Dave
 

jlee562

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,099
Location
San Francisco, CA
It's mine!!! :) Will be shipping tomorrow! YAY!

Dave

I know that feeling all too well! I just got the shipping notice on my Stetson 100...the waiting is the hardest part! Congrats on the Resistol, I think you will enjoy it. The kitten finish felt is lightweight, and as the name implies, very, very soft.
 

Benzadmiral

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,815
Location
The Swamp
For what it's worth, each of my Resistols -- an Open Road clone, a medium-brimmed brown, and another dark brown semi-stingy "Kitten Finish" -- are some of the nicest hats I have, good fits and comfortable. Just this week I bid on, and to my surprise won, a KF Resistol in taupe with a 2.5" brim. It's too hot to wear a felt hat now, of course, but I bid on it anyway because of the brand and the felt quality.

So, as others have said, you probably could not get the same quality in a modern production hat for the price of this one. If you like it, go for it!
 

KC Capellor

One of the Regulars
Messages
143
Location
Kansas City
davers, this was for you too from Resistol Roundup, congrats on capturing a KF!
By the way, all Resistol Kitten Finish fedoras that I have seen (as well as their Churchill cousins) feature Cavanagh type edges, this alone well worth the price of admission in this range. KF felt is typically fine, soft and velvety. What is the exact brim width and crown height open? Compare to Left smoke 3X KF 2 1/4" brim, 5 1/2" crown; Right cinder 5X KF 1 7/8" brim, 5 1/2" crown.

Gotta love those Resistol kittens!
 

davers

New in Town
Messages
34
Location
Allen Park, MI
Those are some very nice hats!

davers, this was for you too from Resistol Roundup, congrats on capturing a KF!
By the way, all Resistol Kitten Finish fedoras that I have seen (as well as their Churchill cousins) feature Cavanagh type edges, this alone well worth the price of admission in this range. KF felt is typically fine, soft and velvety. What is the exact brim width and crown height open? Compare to Left smoke 3X KF 2 1/4" brim, 5 1/2" crown; Right cinder 5X KF 1 7/8" brim, 5 1/2" crown.

Gotta love those Resistol kittens!
 

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