Light weight felt hats

[Art Fawcett]

as promised...featherweight prototype

The actual color is slightly darker brown than the pic shows.
Enjoy

 

[J.B.]

I *heart* that hat!

I'll take one in Natural -- diamond blocked, with that spiffy ribbon.

Too bad about the pastels! :deadhorse As others mentioned, a green could have been dernier cri at Del Mar's 2007 race meeting in July! You know, a 'surf green special' for railbirds 'where the turf meets the surf'?!

 

[Absinthe_1900]

Nice!:eusa_clap

Add me to the list.

 

[scotrace]

Afraid to ask

Art, that felt looks really, really great. I'd love to have a hat that is truly light and soft, that could be poked and reshaped and get those wonderful little dents and valleys in the crown as some of the thin Borsalinos do.
The 70G felt that was discussed here back when looked quite soft - and this is thinner still. Wow.

I want to get a felt from you this year at some point, but am unsure if I could get The Boss on board for two. So if it's just one... this would probably be it.

BUT - you know the question I have about this felt I'm sure.

Can you fit me without brim wiffles and still provide a soft hat? Or am I best sticking with something well-stiffened? Those very light and thin Borsalinos invariably have a wavy brim on my head - even when oversized.

Oh, and would these summer hats have a liner?

Signed,

Coveting but fearful.

 

[duggap]

Art, if it will help any I will gladly prepay. I was planning on a custom and maybe a straw from you this year anyway. So just say the word because if the deal falls through you can just make me a Route 66 and I'll be happy.

 

[Joel Tunnah]

Those very light and thin Borsalinos invariably have a wavy brim on my head - even when oversized.

I have the same problem.

Add it to the list of joys of being a 7 3/8 LO.

 

[Art Fawcett]

I feel your pain Scott & Joel. The honest answer is that I don't know that I can completely solve the problem with this felt as is. With only one finished and the other on the block to go to another "test" client I don't have enough data to be confident in any other answer. I CAN tell you that I've spoken to Greg already today about it and to report the response of this thread so as of right now, at least for my felts, we are on order for 2 dz. using the normal core stiffness ( these bodies have only 1/2 the normal core stiffner). I can always add surface stiffner when needed but I would ask that I answer the LO question after working more with these . I will report that privately to both of you.

Duggap, thank you for your offer but I never ask for up front payment. When it's your first order I do ask for a deposit to cover the cost of the conformer, but I can't in good conscience ask for payment in full. It just doesn't feel right to put my clients in a "Trust Me" situation.

I think I'd better explain further. No, I'm not broke & looking for up front money for this project. But, when taking this from a hobby to a business I made several assurances to my wife, one of which was "I won't grow faster than the business, it will be a case where the business will pay for it's own growth". So, what's happening is that I have a max production of one hat a day ( realistically) but in planning ahead for the year I've had to extend myself "on faith" and already dipped into funds set aside for other things. I don't want to dig that hole deeper without having a good feeling that this is what my client base wants and will pay in the long run. So really it isn't about money, it's about keeping my word with my wife.

 

[Art Fawcett]

Sorry Scott, I missed your question about a liner.
I've been working on that one already. My first thought was no, no liner, but Analogist strongly suggested that it have one. Since I use a liner that is heavy satin with plastic cover I fealt it was too heavy for the hat & went to a blank liner ( no writing of any kind) that is much lighter, and hand signed his hat. I have these on hand already so it was an easy solution It's a bit crude but will work for now. I will be in contact with my liner man later today to start the development of a lightweight liner but that process takes so long I'm afraid it might be mid summer before getting them. This is one of those "bear with me" things. I really haven't been planning this, it just dropped into my lap.

 

[mingoslim]

Put me down on your list.

I'd be up for one, especially if you added a sage green or a sky blue.

Or if not, I'd go with a natural color.

Of course, Mr. Fawcett . . . I will definitely put in an order . . . (though I may have to rob a bank )

Of the color choices you mention, the Natural would do, but I would pay a premium for Sage Green . . . and I would probably order two! (Of course, I will have to rob more than one bank . . . the sacrifice we make for fine headgear )

 

[besdor]

Art , I cant wait until I see Analogists new hat . I wonder where he puts them all!! I think he has more hats than Douglas and Dinerman combined!



Steven
www.bencrafthats.com

 

[Art Fawcett]

Thanks Mingoslim, you're "down". Besdor, I have had several conversations with our friend and so far the "build on" solution hasn't worked, the "get another storage unit" hasn't worked, but the new one is 'OK, I will send them in smaller boxes" shows some promise

 

[M_Jones]

The actual color is slightly darker brown than the pic shows.
Enjoy

A beauty sir!!!:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

You sure know how to make a guy want to sell his possessions for a hat! I know that it is probably hard to describe but exactly how lightweight and soft is this hat? I would not ask you to mess with a customer's hat but do these bodies hold the ability to be rolled?

 

[jamespowers]

WOW..thanks for remembering Gents. First Bob, the Hoosier is a 90 gram body (4 oz.) and yes, I received a couple of bodies in 100% beaver about 10 days ago from my felter who made them up stricktly as a prototype for myself and Gary White. I have made the first of them up and at 2 1/2 oz ( 55 gram) these are the lightest felts I've worked with that actually have some body to them. I have tried the Fepsa bodies and they were pretty limp by comparison. We are also experimenting with the amount of stiffner to be added at the factory and the possibility of adding waterproofing at the same time. All in all I'm pretty extactic about the progress, but here is a question that was posed to me by Greg of Winchester. If he does this ( and I'm pressing as hard as I can) first, what colors and quantities are going to be required? My response? "ummm, let me get back to you.." so, here is my question to you Loungers.

If we go forward with this, how many are really interested in it?, and in what colors? He has offered to make them up in 1. natural ( the prototypes), 2. black, 3. Brown ( chocolate), 4 grey ( granite was suggested)

There won't be any price break for me or Gary as the body is more labor intensive than in the normal weight and Gregs concern was that there were more blemished felts from this process than normal. I've agreed to absorb some of the blemishes in order to get the good ones made so maybe I can use some of them to offer a discount rate ( depending on the blemish) so nobody will be losing money in this.

I have pics of the finished first prototype that was designed by our own Analogist and myself but have not been able to upload them to my site yet. We did a basic "Trackside" diamond crease with a 2 1/2 brim, bound in belly, and with a striped ribbon trying to keep it "summery". I promise I will post pics in the next 48 hours or so, but in the mean time I need to try to gauge things. So, without asking anyone to order anything, how many of you folks would like to see this happen?

I could see a gray or a natural in my future.

Regards,

J

 

[Art Fawcett]

I already had you figured for one JP.
Mr. Jones, what you are asking is the basic "end game" we are working on. Borsalino used to make a "traveling" hat that could be rolled up into a box, then "popped" out when arriving. They used an incredibly thin felt, liner, sweat to allow this but still had body enough to crease. That's the target here. With my heavier roan sweats, I don't think so. With the current liner I have, no. With the felt and it's apparent properties, absolutely yes. Now, durability, crushability, etc, I can't honestly answer till I get some of these in your hands and get the track record needed, but the felt gets no better so I have to believe it will do what we are asking.

BTW..after looking at the picture with fresher eyes I realized I misspoke on the dimensions. That is a 2 3/4" brim, not 2 1/2. Boy, I gotta get more sleep...

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Wow, Art that is a beautiful hat and a very interesting project. I was watching "The Third Man" and there is a scene where Holly Martin puts his hat down and accidentally crushes it with his arm, then moves away and it pops right up into place, as if a spring were loaded inside. I thought to myself, I would really like a hat like that. It looks like you are on the case with wonderful results.

 

[jamespowers]

I already had you figured for one JP.
Mr. Jones, what you are asking is the basic "end game" we are working on. Borsalino used to make a "traveling" hat that could be rolled up into a box, then "popped" out when arriving. They used an incredibly thin felt, liner, sweat to allow this but still had body enough to crease. That's the target here. With my heavier roan sweats, I don't think so. With the current liner I have, no. With the felt and it's apparent properties, absolutely yes. Now, durability, crushability, etc, I can't honestly answer till I get some of these in your hands and get the track record needed, but the felt gets no better so I have to believe it will do what we are asking.

BTW..after looking at the picture with fresher eyes I realized I misspoke on the dimensions. That is a 2 3/4" brim, not 2 1/2. Boy, I gotta get more sleep...

You figured right. lol
That brim width is even better for me. Can it be bound with thicker ribbon? I could careless about a liner. Just sign it with a sharpie and I would be fine.
I have a different idea for the ribbon though.

Regards,

J

 

[MattC]

A Fabulous New Model

Art--

I love lightweight felts when it gets a bit warmer. On the liner issue, have you thought of a small piece in the center of the crown, the way Lee, Champ and Stetson used to do with some? It takes care of the greasey head problem (if that really is a problem), and it has nice style, but keeps the hat lighter.

Keep me posted on your progress with the L.O. problem

Matt

 

[Art Fawcett]

Thanks HJ..I think this can be a pretty versatile hat. Matt, I have thought of using a tip sticker like the days of old but haven't gone down that road yet. It also takes time as the artwork, plate cut for printing, etc takes a bit of time. It definitely is on the table though.
I knew I could count on you for something different JP!!!

 

[jamespowers]

I knew I could count on you for something different JP!!!

Yep, I like different.
Anyone can wear a hat but it takes thought to make it all your own. You can usually make them the way I want 'em.

Regards,

J

 

[WEEGEE]

hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

I will be gaining some room as i thin some of the hats o' the past.