Light weight felt hats

[cooncatbob]

I dearly love my Hoosier by Art, but it's 150 grams and dark brown with Central California summer approaching I'd like something along the lines of my 95 gram tan Stetson. A couple weeks ago there was a topic about light weight felt hats and Art posted that he was in the process of acquiring some light felts? Has anyone heard any update from the master? I'd like to get my place in line as if he unveils a light weight hat he'll be swamped with orders. Once you get a really nice custom hat you start dreaming and planning the next one, what color, what ribbon, brim width. I play the e-bay game and sometimes you score a steal and sometimes the hat covers your eyes lol . Bob.

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

Well, if you're looking at vintage hats, the lightest felt I've found is my Royal Stetson Playboy. It's extremely thin and it's the weapon of choice when the temps go over 100F and the humidity's low. I think it provides more sun protection than a straw. Of course, if it's muggy, out comes the Panama.

 

[SHARPETOYS]

A qusetion....

I know Art Fawcett is working on this with a 100% beaver hat body. I wonder how its coming along ?


http://www.vintagesilhouettes.com/

 

[Art Fawcett]

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?

 

[duggap]

Art, you can count on me for a natural color one. Will you be offering a couple of styles or will it be limited.

 

[Dinerman]

Well, if you're looking at vintage hats, the lightest felt I've found is my Royal Stetson Playboy. It's extremely thin and it's the weapon of choice when the temps go over 100F and the humidity's low. I think it provides more sun protection than a straw. Of course, if it's muggy, out comes the Panama.

wow- now I know what you mean. At 2 oz, mine's now the lightest weight felt I have.

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

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.

 

[cooncatbob]

I'd go for the natural too. 2 1/4 brim 5 inch crown and a ribbon that would give it some pizazz. lol . Bob.

 

[Joel Tunnah]

Natural is the most versatile color Art has. I have yet to find an outfit my Cheyenne doesn't go with.

I can't wait to see the lightweight felt as a regular offering! :eusa_clap

 

[besdor]

Art ,I spoke to our friend Analogist and he couln't be happier. He promised to bring his hat by to show it to me . I have a feeling that I'll be purchasing my first hat from you very shortly.




Steven
www.bencrafthats.com

 

[Davidson]

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)

In this weight, I would be interested in light colors for spring/summer - natural, for sure, and a light gray if one was available.

So, without asking anyone to order anything, how many of you folks would like to see this happen?

Can you be more explicit to a newcomer about exactly what I might be liking to see happen? A total custom hat in one of the available colors, or...? Price range?

 

[vonwotan]

Art - I would be very intersted in a natural colored lightweight if/when you move forward.

 

[Art Fawcett]

Cool....
I'll try to answer everyone's questions. Tony, I tried to convince him that pastels would be the right way to go but there is more to the process with them and he is unwilling at the moment to go that direction. I think that, if this proves successful, next year I will be able to get him to go further. Also, since I just had him dye 3dz light sage and light blue for me specially in 90 gram, I can't ask for it again this soon. I also got him to dye up another golden brown for me but I haven't named it yet, just got them last night.

Duggap, I can't think of a style that won't work with these bodies so at first blush I'd answer yes, I can do about any style with them. I would hesitate going too wide with the brim without binding it because of it's thinness, but thats about it.

Davidson, I'm not quite sure how to answer you without violating FL rules. I can tell you that I have a standard price for my pure beavers that you will find on my website. These will not vary from that price and all of my hats are totally custom. I offer "limited Edition" hats more to give ideas to my clients as to what we can do but are never limited to those.

Here is a bigger factor for me personally Davidson. The first four months of this year I have been loading up on felts. All the standard colors offered plus I have invested in 5 colors that are not dyed in 100% except special order ($2000 each color) so frankly, I've overspent my budget and this will further that dilema. It was a surprise to me when it was offered so my real issue is this. Do I invest several K more without having a feel for whether or not they will sell. What I am really asking for here is to give me a feel for how much interest there is so that I can justify the additional investment with "The Boss". I'm already spent more than I have been able to make so I have to answer for it. This data will help with making my case.

 

[anon`]

I'm game! Especially with a "nice, warm-clime" colour

 

[tonyb]

I'm with the guy in Tarzana. I'd like to see a light blue, too, but you say that the felter isn't going to do any pastels in that lightweight felt this year, so that's that, at least for now. Too bad, because those colors seem more "summery" to me.
Just so I have an idea of how light that felt is, as compared to others -- what weight is that midnight blue number you made for me a few months back? 90? 150? And that Eddie G? That's a heavy one, right?
And how does it compare to, say, Mallory's old PliaFelt, from like the early 1950s or so? I have one of those and it is quite thin and light, yet it still has a certain "body" to it. I consider it my best (maybe) factory-made hat.
But to answer your question -- I'd like to see that granite color. That's a darker grey, right?

 

[Art Fawcett]

Hi Tony,
The hat I made you was 90 gram or 4 oz. That is the standard medium weight here. I think the only 150 gram I have is a western body because frankly, I personally don't like heavy hats. Without doing the math on paper this new body is roughly 60% of the hat I made you. It is comparible to the Mallory in weight of the felt itself but i am still using my good leathers, which are a tiny bit heavier. I've spoken to my sweatband man about thinner sweats and I'm on the fence about it. It turns out that the only way to make a thinner sweat react correctly is to put a texture in them, which is fine, except that they look cheap. That's pretty much the last thing I want to do. He has promised to send my some samples so I haven't made that decision yet.
Bottom line is that this felt is comparible to my "everyday" lightweight Borsalino from the '40s that I wore daily for ten years. Gary sent Greg a '40s Borso lightweight to try to duplicate, then called me for opinions.
You're right, granite is their "mid" grey but still fairly dark. Some of the custom colors I have now in the standard weight are pale blue, light sage, mojave, sand, sahara, silvermist, silverbelly, ..gosh, I know I'm forgetting some.

 

[M_Jones]

Mr. Fawcett you have solved a dilemma of mine. I want to wear felt all year long but Denver summers can get hot. I have been hoping for (and bidding on) a lightweight felt for summer and when I heard you mention a light weight felt in another thread my ears perked up. Being Mr. optimistic though I figured they would be available next year. If you will indeed be offering them this summer then count me in!! I am interested in a grey (5 3/4 crown and 2 5/8 bound brim with a nice wide, black ribbon. What? Too soon? :eusa_doh: ) I would also be interested in natural but it seems like others are as well. I would send you the money tonight sir. Heck, I'd buy all of them and start setting up an allotment to you.

To sum up my post-COUNT ME IN! I WANT ONE!!

Regards,
Hollis

 

[Art Fawcett]

Dilema solvers R US

I am still waiting on another sample felt Mr. Jones but based on the reaction this thread is getting I'll be making the call tomorrow to get the ball rolling. I know that he can get the naturals done fairly quickly ( approx 30 days) but the dyed colors will most likely take longer, I'll have to find out. At any rate, this summer isn't out of the question.

 

[M_Jones]

Ahh...I see. Thanks for the info sir.

By the way, would it help if I bought a plane ticket tonight, flew to wherever the ball is and kick it to get it rolling?

 

[Art Fawcett]

:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap
It couldn't hurt!!