New 500X Sterling Beaver

[rayk]

On April 7, I ordered a 500X pure beaver belly hat from Charlie Swindall/Gladhatter. Well, it arrived yesterday, and I must say that the quality of the hat is simply incomparable. The attention to detail in the pursuit of perfection demonstrated by Charlie was nothing short of amazing. From the first telephone conversation that I had with Charlie, which preceded the actual commission, he was a perfect a gentleman, and seemed to proceed from the highest ethic of customer service and satisfaction. While not everyone may be able to say that his experience with Mr. Swindall was as rewarding, I must say that he delivered everything promised, and more. I would not hesitate in providing subsequent commissions to Gladhatter.

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[Andykev]

Wow

That is a nice hat RayK, and I guess the color is what, Silverbelly?

Is it a heavy weight or a light weight pure beaver? I love the block and the look.

BTW Does he ship his hats in a custom box?

 

[Art Fawcett]

Nice hat Ray, I love the tall crown!!

 

[rayk]

The color is, indeed, silverbelly, and the weight of the felt is quite light. It's hardly perceptible on the head. It was very well packaged, but alas, did arrive in a cardboard box, which is okay with me: I'd rather all of the money were put into hat materials and construction. I will have to buy some good hat boxes, however. I've got hats all over the house. My girlfriend is infinitely patient, but I can be equally trying. Good storage cases would probably be a very good idea.

Thanks Art. Me too!!

 

[Bogie1943]

That is a splendid new lid Ray, absolutely wonderful. I love a good looking grey fedora, goes with everything, and always looks good. Hats off to Gladhatter.

 

[Zane]

Rayk, I want to post on this hatter and the hat and then go watch a movie. I worked with that man the better part of 15 years on and off. He is a complex man that has run off 75% of potential customers he could have had . If he had an inkling they were just shopping him for price or was less than the person he thought they should be, he would do something to discourage them. He never had a lot of lead way for folks that he did not agree with in philosophy or even if he never liked the way they talked. I have seen him spend his life misleading people to think him a charlatan or crook or such just so they would not know him intimately.

That said I will withdraw what I said about his styling and detail abilities on the trim work. I do not think I have not seen a prettier hat nor a nicer ribbon detail and that seems to be a really close up picture(s).

WoW Is all I can say to this. I had the pleasure of visiting him some days back and I seen one of them thin beaver hats in a rich Indiana Jones Brown. Brown is not my color but I never seen or felt a finer hat. That hat is my favorite dress color and my second favorite color period. I said I would try to get me one for Christmas but now I will try to get me 2 of them one in a dark charcoal if he has it and one in that light Grey or Silver. Is that a Silver Mist or Silver Belly? It looks like Silver Belly but is sure does not look like them stiff western Silver Bellies.

Man you are one lucky man and have you a fine collection of hats . It is only times like these I find my self wishing I had chosen a more educated and proper life style. I have not had a new hat in several years and never really needed one but now I still may not need one but sure do want 2 of them.

Good night to the lot of you readers.

 

[MK]

It sounds like you and Charlie are pretty tight.

 

[SHARPETOYS]

Hey Ray,
Thats a beauty! Reminds me of a fine hat from the 1930's. I like everything about it. The grey hat band on the grey hat is my favorite part of the hat. As far as hat boxes i picked up 10 of them at TJ Max this weekend At $8.00 a piece if you don't mind flowers and such.

 

[Nathan Flowers]

That is indeed a very nice looking hat. Can you get a bound edge from him?

 

[rayk]

Thanks for the thumbs up, fellas. Coming from all of you it means a lot.

Zohar, I'm not sure whether Charlie offers a bound edge, but I'll try to remember to ask him.

 

[Zane]

Mk, I do not know if you are referring to me or Rayk. I can only tell you what I know . I never seen Charlie be tight with any one but his father and Luthers father as well. I was closer to Luther . Charlie had a life of plenty and was a complex person. I was and am a simple man. I have seen the man once for about 4 hours in 2 years. It was a pleasent visit but was more business than social. He is remarried now and I guess people usually chage over a long time. How or if he has changed I do not know. He invited me to block some hats for him and I may well accept the offer. I would have preferred to have been offered to block the custom hats but was not.

Well the movie sucked and I rather have stayed here.

 

[Fedora]

Very nice. You know, I have seen only 4 hats by Charlie, and they were all top notch. When I say "seen" , I mean I held them in my hands, and blocked 3 of them. All were Indy Brown in color. Your hat is beautiful and I know personally what that felt is like. It just looks expensive, and feels expensive too. There was a fellow who went by the name of fedoraman, that received a hat from Charlie that had a couple of flaws. He was put out, but Charlie replaced the hat for him. Fedoraman posted at Austin's site, and while he hated the wait, he was well pleased with what he got from Charlie. I don't know of anyone to date, that has not been impressed with these pure beaver hats. I am, and I am real picky when it comes to felt after being exposed to the fine vintage felt of yesteryear. While some don't like Charlie, he sure makes some fine hats, and tries hard to please once you commit to a hat. I recall him sending me a body to block for another Indy fan, and I could not get the 5 3/4 open crown height out of the body he sent me. I called and told him, feeling somewhat inadequate at the time with my blocking skills. He was most gracious but this was followed by a tirade about how his supplier shafted him on this hat as he had ordered a taller body. He then says, don't stress the felt out, it will just shrink after some wear. I will get another one for you to block. This customer specified the crown height, and that is what I promised he would get. So, he sent me another one, and this one was right on. I don't doubt that he has thrown some fine bodies away due to something that the felter's quality control let pass by. Congratulation on that hat. You own a beaver hat now, the hat legends are made of. Fedora

 

[Panamabob]

Incredible hat. Zane, can I drive down and see your hatblocking? I'm right up here in Ft. Wayne.

 

[Zane]

Fedora, the way you describe the man and the hatter both are what I have known of him. While he was by far the finest hat maker, I ever met, he was not surpassing Wayne Johnson , Luther's Daddy, as he was ever bit as good and taught the trade to them both or so they tell it to be.


Panamanbob, you would be most welcome to come see me block a hat. I fear you would be in for a let down as I am not a master at all and here to learn as much as any thing from folks like Art and Fedora in terms of making and history from guys like AndyKev and yourself. I am not currently blocking any hats and have not for some years, near 9 or 10 years since, Charlie had some tragedy in his life and give up on business back then and Luther just closed shop shortly after and then when they reopened there was just no local business any more.

To give you a clear answer, of course you would be welcome to come down and watch or join in when Charlie completes his new shop and hires me back in. I am positive he would not mind at all. He is an old grouch a lot of times but he would give the shirt off his back to any one in need.

You got any of them old straw bodies for us to practice on you can bring with you ? I would like to try to do a straw hat some time. Luther used to do that Toyo but I don't think it would be much of a hat but for a western is about all.

 

[Andykev]

Old NEWS?

Zane....I was confused. Charlie has the current web site Ghadhatter.net, and has current offerings on Ebay. But you said that:
"I am not currently blocking any hats and have not for some years, near 9 or 10 years since, Charlie had some tragedy in his life and give up on business back then and Luther just closed shop shortly after and then when they reopened there was just no local business any more. "

I may have misread, but it shounds like he's made a comeback, as Fedora has gotten 4 beaver hats from him.

If he's back up, are you going to work in the shop again. I would love to see pictures, and pick your brain on the in's and outs of the trade. That would be magic come true.

 

[fedoralover]

That is indeed a nice looking fedora Rayk, very vintage looking. If you don't mind telling us, what did Charlie charge you for it?

regards fedoralover

 

[Imahomer]

Boy that hat is nice, but it's the color that I really like. VERY nice.

 

[Zane]

Deleted by author to advoid further confusion. Contact me privatly if you need more explanation.

 

[Nathan Flowers]

Zane:

I understand what you are saying, but I'm going to advise you to please delete what you posted for Charlie "The Gladhatter". I understand he may have a beef with some of us here, but ultimately that's for him to work out with them via email or some other venue, not here on the forum. I understand you are not as familiar with the rules here since you are new, but don't be surprised if when you get back, the letter from Charlie is deleted from part of your post.

You are welcome to post your own words, but you can't post messages from banned members.

 

[Zane]

Zohar, I do thank you for the notice. I am not familiar is correct and I do not know how to delete a message also. In fact this computer usully will not stay on line so I have to type a message on a note pad as he did and sent with me on floppy disk and copy it and then paste it down. Maybe Andykev or some one will be kind enough to do this for me and my apologies for trying to answer andy this way but I di not know what else to do after he ask me . As I said I just want to give an honest answer to any ones questions. I sure never felt good about being the middle man for andykev, but I did not know what else to do as he ask.