M.C. Gannon Hat Company

[Just A Hat Rack]

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Michael nailed it. While not an exact copy, it has feel that I was looking for.

I can’t overstate just how soft and delightful the felt is. The crown is thin and has minimal stiffeners. When it was open crown I could blow a dent into the felt. It took some steam to get the shape to hold, but the felt is glorious. The brim is stiffer, as it should be, but it’s not at all modern western stiff.

Really like this one Brent. One of these days I'm going to have to get myself a Gannon. Congrats.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Really like this one Brent. One of these days I'm going to have to get myself a Gannon. Congrats.

Thanks, Ryan. I have to be careful that I don’t sound like a pitchman for Gannon, but I love his work.

 

[belfastboy]

My latest Gannon has arrived! I sent Michael a photo of a pre-War Stetson No.1 that I have and asked if he cound come close to duplicating it for me. This is the Stetson:

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I sent Michael another of the 100% nutria 220g western hat bodies from Sunshine. I again went with natural: both for the color and because these are so much less stiff than some of the other colors.

According to Michael, the crown is just over six inches and the brim is 3 3/4” before the curl. I had asked for more curl but Michael on has one size curling shackle.

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More below:

I can see what you are saying about the felt and the great job Michael does on the pounce/prep. It is obvious how well it takes the bash as it has that vintage look to how the hat takes the bash. Beautiful hat!

 

[1967Cougar390]

Steven; Congrats on the glorious thin ribbon steel beaver fedora!

It really captures the eyes attention. The inspiration from the Stetson Stratoliner is clearly apparent and well executed. The 5.5" open crown is dynamite. I like that you have customized the hat with your own crown height and crease. Make it work and it will be one to easily reach for when leaving the front door.

I dare suggest that in the future try a tugboat styled diamond crease. This would have the higher front crown and slopping back dimensions that would have the benefits of a diamond on the crown and sides of the hat, while still allowing a dome in the middle of the diamond to make the top of the head have "breathing room." Who knows what crease works? Best of all, the Gannon beaver hats can easily be popped out and re creased. I have even been known to wear a Stratoliner in a classic "Open Road" cattleman's crease.

I do really like the steel gray felt and your is a dynamite take on the thin-ribbon fedora.
Wear your hat proudly. Cheers, Eric -

Eric, thank you for the kind words. I am over the moon with this hat. I am planning a navy mid-ribbon similar to your Gannon inspired Wanderer.

Have a safe and blessed day.
Steven

 

[deadlyhandsome]

This is Michael’s opinion on a 150g pure nutria dress felt hat body I sent him. The review is also interesting as it shows his take on Winchester’s beaver felt too:


The dress nutira felt is nice, it is smooth or soft to the touch, I think "a nice hand" may be a way of describing it. Based on what I have seen so far I think it's as smooth as the beaver or very close.

For a soft thin open crown hat I still prefer beaver. However my experience with the nutria felt is very limited. I have been working on my technique getting Winchester's beaver felt right for that type of hat for many years. With that felt it was primarily about getting it less stiff and more malleable. Trying to get to that point where you can crease the crown without steam and for the most part the crease will stay, which is my personal preference for a soft thin crown. With the nutria I think it is actually going to be the opposite where I will have to figure out how to get the felt more stiff in order to hold a shape. I don't know if "flimsy" is the right word but so far I have found that the nutria felt does not have quite the right stiffness. You don't want stiff felt for that type of hat but I feel there has to be a certain amount of stiffness or just the right amount of stiffness for the crown to shape well.

For a more stiff dress weight hat I would definitely prefer beaver. I think the nutria would take quite a bit of added stiffener to get it where it needs to be for that type of hat. However my experience with stiffener is limited and there may be other hat makers that prefer to add all the stiffeners themselves, I am sure a lot of this is personal preference.

On this hat I was originally worried the brim would not be stiff enough but that is not the case, I think the brim is fine, the crown could possibly use some stiffener but you may prefer it the way it is now.

Thanks,
Michael

 

[daizawaguy]

Wow

https://www.instagram.com/p/CQ2i96rp73V/

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Wow

https://www.instagram.com/p/CQ2i96rp73V/

That’s my nutria in natural. Love this hat!

 

[suitedcboy]

There is a 7 1/2 Gannon black fedora on EBay for a great starting bid of $49 and no bids with 1 day to go.

 

[Pellie]

I just send an email to Michael to order a hat....excited!!!

 

[Belkar]

I just send an email to Michael to order a hat....excited!!!

What are the specs?

 

[Pellie]

What are the specs?

Whiskey color 40's style, hatband, don't know yet, but 4cm. Brim 6,5 cm, open crown. Inches? I don't know, i'm dutch haha

 

[Belkar]

Whiskey color 40's style, hatband, don't know yet, but 4cm. Brim 6,5 cm, open crown. Inches? I don't know, i'm dutch haha

Ah, well I’ve a ruler for translating cm to inches. Saves me the hassle of using the Budweiser/Freedom Eagle equation.

I’m sure it’ll be beautiful. Haven’t personally seen a negative word anywhere online about Michael or his work.

 

[Pellie]

Me neither, so i will take the guess. Not sure if i will buy a whiskey or a dark brown hat. Questions, questions...

 

[belfastboy]

Me neither, so i will take the guess. Not sure if i will buy a whiskey or a dark brown hat. Questions, questions...

Whisky is a great colour.

 

[Zombie_61]

Whiskey color 40's style, hatband, don't know yet, but 4cm. Brim 6,5 cm, open crown. Inches? I don't know, i'm dutch haha

6.5 cm is just slightly over 2.5 inches. That's a brim width I rather like on my hats.

...Not sure if i will buy a whiskey or a dark brown hat. Questions, questions...

Whiskey is a beautiful color for a fur felt hat, but you really have to see it in person to fully appreciate it. Take it out in bright sunlight and take a close look, and all of the little fibers reflect the light in their own colors, somewhat mimicking light being filtered through a shot glass filled with whiskey and ice. Here's mine with a few different colored ribbons, just to give you ideas:

 

[Pellie]

Thanks for the info my friend. This will help me to make some choices. Whiskey it will be haha. Hatbandcolour copper and brown will do the job for me, but green is also an option...

 

[Pellie]

Copper is great in my opinion...

 

[belfastboy]

Copper is great in my opinion...
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I have a Gannon in Whisky with the copper ribbon.....copied it from the one Moon commissioned. I think it is my most strikingly elegant fedora.

 

[Pellie]

I have a Gannon in Whisky with the copper ribbon.....copied it from the one Moon commissioned. I think it is my most strikingly elegant fedora.

I don't want to copy anyones hat. It's just an example of what i like and i will discuss with Michael how further
But otherwise, we live miles away from each other so the chance we met with the same beautiful fedora on our hat is minimum....to ....zero :-D

 

[belfastboy]

I don't want to copy anyones hat. It's just an example of what i like and i will discuss with Michael how further
But otherwise, we live miles away from each other so the chance we met with the same beautiful fedora on our hat is minimum....to ....zero :-D

I asked Moon's permission to copy his hat.....he granted with fullsome agreement....hats are meant to be copied. The highest compliment!