Not impressed with barons hatshop

[jlee562]

Actually, the article does state that Baron Hat's "created Ford's specially aged "Cliffhanger" fedora."

Right, but the article is talking about the (then) upcoming Indy IV, for which Steve Delk made the hats. Baron apparently did make a hat for Temple of Doom, but the wording of the article could easily suggest that they made the Indy IV hat.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Right, but the article is talking about the (then) upcoming Indy IV, for which Steve Delk made the hats. Baron apparently did make a hat for Temple of Doom, but the wording of the article could easily suggest that they made the Indy IV hat.

No, he didn't.

 

[Matt Deckard]

He didn't say he made Indy's hat, he said he made Ford's hat. It's right in the article.

 

[Jeff M]

He didn't say he made Indy's hat, he said he made Ford's hat. It's right in the article.

He made a hat for Ford that he wore, but not the "Indiana Jones" fedoras he used in the films?
These are murky waters indeed.

 

[Matt Deckard]

Wo wo wo wo wo. Nobody said Ford wore the hat. Now you're just putting words in their mouth.

 

[Jeff M]

Wo wo wo wo wo. Nobody said Ford wore the hat. Now you're just putting words in their mouth.

:eusa_doh: lol

 

[bendingoak]

Barons made hats just like a bunch of others but was rejected. That's how he makes his claim. By dropping off the REJECTED part.

 

[MillersXing]

Good Baron Hat Shop experience June 2010

Finally, something I can contribute. Been reading a lot of threads but haven’t responded to many of them, but see that someone asked for anyone who has had recent experience with Baron Hats in Burbank. I have.

I’m a totally freakazoid for the movie Miller’s Crossing, which of course had as one of its “stars” those amazing Fedora’s (mostly Fedora’s anyway). I especially loved the one Adrian wears. Been looking for one for years, and only finding crap. Had someone here in New Orleans make me one. Took six months, and didn’t fit, wasn’t right, cheap fur blend (could even have had toyo in it!), and he wouldn’t remake it! Was going to Los Angeles for a wedding, so called Baron’s to see about them making the Miller hat.
Here’s some quick “bullet points”
-Called and spoke to a guy (not the owner), who took a great deal of time with me. He knew his hats and his movies, especially Miller’s Crossing, and we talked at length about the exact style. I was impressed.
-Mark Mejia (the owner) called me the next day, and again went over what I wanted. Guy knows his stuff (at least I was impressed)
-Came to LA two weeks later, and visited the shop. Loved it. Place was full of activity. Real friendly staff (including pretty girls with French accents, I mean real ones!). Busy as I said, but everyone seemed to know what they were doing, and knew their job. A fun shop with lots of hats, but everything organized. They all were helpful and seemed really to know their stuff. Shop itself was interesting. They have a hat museum of hat’s from movies, and TV and rock stars. Most behind glass, so you couldn’t try them on, but also had other’s (from hats they have made like Tombstone, Wild Bill and 3:10 To Yuma) that they let me try on. I went over what I wanted (Beaver!), and met Mark. Nice guy, who was very friendly and very serious about hat making. Built like a wrestler, like all good hatters who still "wrestle" with the fur and steam. Showed me a bit of the back shops where the hats are born, and I got to watch him and some others actually steam & block hats, both brim and crowns the old fashion way. You know this shop has been there a long, long time. I felt like I was back in time, and at any moment Rod Serling was going to come out and introduce a story about a magic hat and an ancient Chinese guy, and Burgess Meredith playing a meek guy who ends up with the chance, via the magic hat, to save -- or destory -- the world. This shop is the real thing. Got measured with something called a comformature (sp?), which looked like a torture device for the Spanish Inquisition , and talked every detail with Mark. They showed me a whole wall of grosgrain for me to choice texture, color and style, and found a very close one to the one in the movie. Good stock of things here.
-Got a call back in New Orleans three weeks later from Mark asking a few more questions to make sure he got the way I want it, and then someone from the shop e-mailed me a bunch of photos of the hat for my approval. It looked right.
-Hat came the next week (two weeks before it was scheduled). Well packed (it was in a hatbox, and that was in a packing box). All I can say is I love it. Great Beaver, excellent construction (I see some people saying something about the leather sweatband, mine is beautifully stitched), even put my name in it (printer’s gold engraving), no extra cost. Fits perfect. Came with a horsehair brush (as a gift, no charge), and a hat rest so you could put it on a table, brim down, without destroying the brim shape (also at no extra cost). Nice hat box (cardboard) included with insert hole for hat though I keep the hat out, since I wear it every day.

Talked to them about having another hat made with a Cavanaugh (sp?)edge, and they knew exactly what I was talking about (my Grandfather had a fedora with one). Mark told me that there is a special machine to make it, and he finally found one and is having it re-tooled, but if I wanted it, right now, he could create something very close by hand. He said if I didn’t like it, I could return it, no cost.

So, what can I say? For me. A good experience. Finally got my Miller’s Crossing hat, and will order again at Baron's. And I hope to be back in LA in September, and will check them out again. Maybe those French girls will still be there!

 

[Aureliano]

So, what can I say? For me. A good experience. Finally got my Miller’s Crossing hat, and will order again at Baron's. And I hope to be back in LA in September, and will check them out again. Maybe those French girls will still be there!

wanna show us the hat?
worthlesswithoutpics

 

[RBH]

wanna show us the hat?
worthlesswithoutpics

:arated:

Love the film... would love to see the hat!

 

[handlebar bart]

A machine that makes a Cavanagh edge? A time machine?

 

[Rick Blaine]

cool

Very nice to hear of a good experience, let's see the hat! Ideally in a forest of tall pines.

 

[Matt Deckard]

Mark's been talking about the Cav Edge for a while, yet I haven't seen anything. What struck me was that he said he could do it in the shop which means it would be post creation of the body in its final form which means... well, it can't be a true Cav edge. But let's see the pics.

And nobody doubts he has the materials to make a good hat, I've seen the wall of ribbons and his felts and his sweats. I've just never seen a dress hat of his that looked very well made compared to Vintage, Optimo or Art's hats. Anywho, I know they could make a good one given the focus, but they primarily work to do movie hats and aren't really worried about going out of their way when it comes to making something comparable to the hatters mentioned above. It's not their goal.

Show us this hat.

 

[Jeff M]

Mark's been talking about the Cav Edge for a while, yet I haven't seen anything. What struck me was that he said he could do it in the shop which means it would be post creation of the body in its final form which means... well, it can't be a true Cav edge. But let's see the pics.

....

If he is making hats with a true Cav edge, I would assume that means he either has a felter supplying him with Cav. edged felts, or he is producing his own felts The latter seems unlikely.
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=28773&highlight=Cavanaugh
Be interesting to see if he has a "post production" method for making a "Cav. edge".

BTW anybody heard of any felters making cav edges??

 

[Matt Deckard]

The way he described it to me is that they could do the edge at the shop which means to me that it's not a Cav edge, since they definitely don't make bodies at that shop and you can't do a real Cavanagh edge with a body that didn't have it felted in during the hat body's creation.

Run on sentence.

 

[Johnny J]

Baron Hats bound edge

Here is a hat that Baron put on the bound edge. I guess it was ok but it is a little wobbly like Matt mentioned before.