Dave Keller
New in Town
- Messages
- 8
- Location
- Orlando, FL
I am a brand-new member and was steered to this forum by Robert Weber (Panamabob) on his website to get feedback from customers who purchased his Panama hats. I’m sorry this is a bit long-winded, and future posts will be much shorter, I promise, but I would like to give you a little background about my hat experience and say something about Robert.
I am a hat lover and have been ever since I was a kid. I wore caps as a child and teenager and hats as an older teenager and young man and still do today.
I was never much for baseball caps, and still don’t think much of them, with the exception of my reproduction 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers cap, a replica of an original I had as a child when the Dodgers were still playing in Brooklyn.
I started an interest in dress hats, by borrowing my father’s felt porkpie hat when I was about 14 and we went to visit relatives. Back then, hats were becoming unpopular and only older men wore them as that was the style to which they had been accustomed and brought up.
I gave up borrowing the porkpie hat when I found a brand-spanking-new dark gray fedora at the local Salvation Army store. It had a small brim but it was one sharp hat for a teenager. I can’t remember the manufacturer.
From there I wanted something with a wider brim so I trekked into NY City and made a round of the numerous hat shops that were there and I picked up a lighter grey fedora, a Stetson this time, and the felt was as soft as could be. I gave my father my Salvation Army fedora as his porkpie was just about ready to bite the dust.
After several years my “collection” of well-worn hats included a black derby (bowler), a straw boater, and a brand-new, charcoal gray Stetson center dent fedora with wider brim and straighter crown . . . . very much the 1930s look for which I was searching. Recently I’ve acquired a biretta as I’m a sub-deacon in my church and am in training to become a priest in the Traditional Anglican Church (NOT Episcopal).
Back then I also picked up a genuine Stetson Panama c-crown fedora and, as an adult leader of the Boy Scouts at the time, also picked up a genuine Stetson “Scoutmaster” campaign hat (yeah . . . Smokey the Bear!).
I like soft caps, especially on rainy days and have two styles of newsboy caps, one of which is a Hanna 8-piece wool tweed (for winter, of course!)
Over the years I moved from Long Island to sunny (and hot) Florida and the Panama had, through stupidity, been given away so I went in search of a replacement Panama, now quite a bit more costly than the $16.95 I spent for my first one!
Hence my happening onto Panamabob’s website.
I wrote to Robert and had a nice conversation with him. He was very friendly and took the time to provide me answers to my pesty questions. I ordered a 300 wpi Montecristi center-dent fedora.
After waiting patiently, the hat arrived. I tried it on and it fit like a glove. Lovely wide black band as I requested (also 1930s again!) and leather sweatband, finished off with the old-fashioned style of a little bow sewn onto it to designate the back of the hat! The weave was beautiful and the blocking was great. I was told that hats blocked in Ecuador were a bit on the “rustic” side as the skill and equipment just aren’t there.
Well . . . .I’ve got to say, the Ecuadorian who blocked this hat knew his stuff.
Unfortunately, there were split straws in one part of the hat and, reluctantly, I contacted Robert and had to return the hat for a replacement.
Robert was such a friendly hat seller and was so helpful and courteous and apologetic in his customer service with me that I promised him that when all was said and done, I’d join the Fedora Lounge forum and tell EVERYBODY what a terrific purchasing experience I had and what terrific hat quality I received for the money spent.
A promise is a promise and I want all to know that, if you’re in the market for a Panama hat and want great customer service as well as top-notch communication throughout the purchase and delivery process, (as well as one terrific quality hat!) Robert Weber is the way to go.
Thanks Robert! My next one will be an Optimo! Shades of Charlie Chan!
Dave Keller
P.S. Oh . . . the replacement hat was blocked even BETTER than the previous one! Guess I was lucky to find the only two Ecuadorian artists with top-notch skills!
I am a hat lover and have been ever since I was a kid. I wore caps as a child and teenager and hats as an older teenager and young man and still do today.
I was never much for baseball caps, and still don’t think much of them, with the exception of my reproduction 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers cap, a replica of an original I had as a child when the Dodgers were still playing in Brooklyn.
I started an interest in dress hats, by borrowing my father’s felt porkpie hat when I was about 14 and we went to visit relatives. Back then, hats were becoming unpopular and only older men wore them as that was the style to which they had been accustomed and brought up.
I gave up borrowing the porkpie hat when I found a brand-spanking-new dark gray fedora at the local Salvation Army store. It had a small brim but it was one sharp hat for a teenager. I can’t remember the manufacturer.
From there I wanted something with a wider brim so I trekked into NY City and made a round of the numerous hat shops that were there and I picked up a lighter grey fedora, a Stetson this time, and the felt was as soft as could be. I gave my father my Salvation Army fedora as his porkpie was just about ready to bite the dust.
After several years my “collection” of well-worn hats included a black derby (bowler), a straw boater, and a brand-new, charcoal gray Stetson center dent fedora with wider brim and straighter crown . . . . very much the 1930s look for which I was searching. Recently I’ve acquired a biretta as I’m a sub-deacon in my church and am in training to become a priest in the Traditional Anglican Church (NOT Episcopal).
Back then I also picked up a genuine Stetson Panama c-crown fedora and, as an adult leader of the Boy Scouts at the time, also picked up a genuine Stetson “Scoutmaster” campaign hat (yeah . . . Smokey the Bear!).
I like soft caps, especially on rainy days and have two styles of newsboy caps, one of which is a Hanna 8-piece wool tweed (for winter, of course!)
Over the years I moved from Long Island to sunny (and hot) Florida and the Panama had, through stupidity, been given away so I went in search of a replacement Panama, now quite a bit more costly than the $16.95 I spent for my first one!
Hence my happening onto Panamabob’s website.
I wrote to Robert and had a nice conversation with him. He was very friendly and took the time to provide me answers to my pesty questions. I ordered a 300 wpi Montecristi center-dent fedora.
After waiting patiently, the hat arrived. I tried it on and it fit like a glove. Lovely wide black band as I requested (also 1930s again!) and leather sweatband, finished off with the old-fashioned style of a little bow sewn onto it to designate the back of the hat! The weave was beautiful and the blocking was great. I was told that hats blocked in Ecuador were a bit on the “rustic” side as the skill and equipment just aren’t there.
Well . . . .I’ve got to say, the Ecuadorian who blocked this hat knew his stuff.
Unfortunately, there were split straws in one part of the hat and, reluctantly, I contacted Robert and had to return the hat for a replacement.
Robert was such a friendly hat seller and was so helpful and courteous and apologetic in his customer service with me that I promised him that when all was said and done, I’d join the Fedora Lounge forum and tell EVERYBODY what a terrific purchasing experience I had and what terrific hat quality I received for the money spent.
A promise is a promise and I want all to know that, if you’re in the market for a Panama hat and want great customer service as well as top-notch communication throughout the purchase and delivery process, (as well as one terrific quality hat!) Robert Weber is the way to go.
Thanks Robert! My next one will be an Optimo! Shades of Charlie Chan!
Dave Keller
P.S. Oh . . . the replacement hat was blocked even BETTER than the previous one! Guess I was lucky to find the only two Ecuadorian artists with top-notch skills!
