Panama Hat Thread

[barrowjh]

I like that semi-calado FedOregon! VERY nice! Yes, get that blocked/finished properly with a soft leather sweatband and your initials in it, and have it done by a hatter that will finish it on a band-block to match your head shape, such as Art Fawcett.

Alanfgag, I feel your pain. Only one head . . .

 

[belfastboy]

I may be a day late and a dollar short but Art told me last month that Brent Black and his Montecristis have located to Medford Oregon. I was reminded of this just now perusing his site and seeing the address. Alas, it is not a storefront as he only handles online. Would love to see a top quality Panama and then I might be persuaded to sell the naming rights to my first born and take the plunge.

 

[Bill Hughes]

Is it possible to shape straw Panama hats? I have one that the pinch on one side keeps popping out. Also would like to stiffen the brim if possible. Does it have to be reblocked? Can it be done with steam?

 

[Bill Hughes]

Is it possible to shape straw Panama hats? I have one that the pinch on one side keeps popping out. Also would like to stiffen the brim if possible. Does it have to be reblocked? Can it be done with steam?

Just found an article on the web. So I will give the steam a try.

 

[Bill Hughes]

This is my first "really nice" straw. I recently got this from Scott aka "Bond". I choose the wide Burgundy ribbon with gills. Scott also installed the sweat.

 

[RJR]

This is my first "really nice" straw. I recently got this from Scott aka "Bond". I choose the wide Burgundy ribbon with gills. Scott also installed the sweat.

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Very nice.

 

[steur]

This is my first "really nice" straw. I recently got this from Scott aka "Bond". I choose the wide Burgundy ribbon with gills. Scott also installed the sweat.

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Really nice is an understatement: that looks fantastic.

 

[Redfokker]

This is my first "really nice" straw. I recently got this from Scott aka "Bond". I choose the wide Burgundy ribbon with gills. Scott also installed the sweat.

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Impressive Bill. Love the ribbon.

 

[FedOregon]

Nice Montecristi straw, Bill. Love the ribbon work! Looks like the weave is mighty fine as well.

 

[Bill Hughes]

Nice Montecristi straw, Bill. Love the ribbon work! Looks like the weave is mighty fine as well.

I haven't counted but it seem pretty fine to me.

 

[FedOregon]

Yes, indeed. Very fine!

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Looking over old threads I keep running into "Panamabob." I see it's been a couple of years since he has posted here. Does anyone know if he is still around somewhere? I'd like to see if he is still offering hats. There is a YouTube video claiming he went out of business and did not fill orders at the end. Any help?

 

[deadlyhandsome]

This is my first "really nice" straw. I recently got this from Scott aka "Bond". I choose the wide Burgundy ribbon with gills. Scott also installed the sweat.

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Ohhh, now that is very nice. The shape and the colors are very appealing. It looks like it weighs two grams and will be the perfect warm weather hat.

 

[Bamaboots]

Looking over old threads I keep running into "Panamabob." I see it's been a couple of years since he has posted here. Does anyone know if he is still around somewhere? I'd like to see if he is still offering hats. There is a YouTube video claiming he went out of business and did not fill orders at the end. Any help?

Disappeared several years ago with a number of members money for pending orders. I found some information on him where he was teaching at a Tribal school in NM or AZ, I can't remember as it has been some time ago.

 

[RJR]

Disappeared several years ago with a number of members money for pending orders. I found some information on him where he was teaching at a Tribal school in NM or AZ, I can't remember as it has been some time ago.

This is what I remember,NM,I think.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Disappeared several years ago with a number of members money for pending orders. I found some information on him where he was teaching at a Tribal school in NM or AZ, I can't remember as it has been some time ago.

Too bad. I also ran across an old Kickstarter campaign he started for his hat business. Most small businesses fail, but not refunding orders....

 

[deadlyhandsome]

This is what I remember,NM,I think.[/QUOTE
Too bad. Thank you.

 

[FedOregon]

Too bad. I also ran across an old Kickstarter campaign he started for his hat business. Most small businesses fail, but not refunding orders....

As I understand it, he was ripped off pretty bad on the Ecuador side of things and it bankrupted his business.

I've picked up hats and hat bodies when my wife and I travel to visit her family there but just carried back what I could. I have some connections now, but have not ordered anything more since coming back home. We brought back 20 hats/bodies and sold them all. Luckily customs just waived us through even though I declared the items.

I won't take any money from potential customers until I have the hats home and in my hand and can post pictures of them. It's too easy to be ripped off from people down there, even some family members can't be trusted.

Last trip we brought back Cuenca hats. Next time we'll try and venture over to Montecristi to see about hats there.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

As I understand it, he was ripped off pretty bad on the Ecuador side of things and it bankrupted his business.

I've picked up hats and hat bodies when my wife and I travel to visit her family there but just carried back what I could. I have some connections now, but have not ordered anything more since coming back home. We brought back 20 hats/bodies and sold them all. Luckily customs just waived us through even though I declared the items.

I won't take any money from potential customers until I have the hats home and in my hand and can post pictures of them. It's too easy to be ripped off from people down there, even some family members can't be trusted.

Last trip we brought back Cuenca hats. Next time we'll try and venture over to Montecristi to see about hats there.

Well, that actually makes me feel better. Getting ripped off by a South American wholesaler and being forced out of business is better than his absconding with the money.

My Panama hats don't last long with how I use them. I have hemp and palm hats for more rugged wear qualities, but everyyear (at least) I have to buy a new Panama hat. Nothing beats a Panama for summer dress occasions. I could never see spending big money on a Panama with my track record for going through them. The hard part is finding an economy Panama that also looks decent.

 

[FedOregon]

Nearly all the "cheap" hats I see here in the US are pretty junky and are not blocked/creased in the usual fedora way. By the time the hats are imported and creased by a US hatter, the price goes up considerably.

You might check with Art Fawcett at Vintage Silhouettes to see what he has available in reasonably priced Cuenca hat bodies. MrsFed and I visited his shop last year and he has lots of blocks especially made for blocking and creasing the paja toquilla (straw) hats that come from Ecuador. He puts out a delicious looking toquilla straw hat in the classic fedora style.

Last I heard, Mike Miller at NW Hat Company also has some hat bodies from Ecuador. @Redfokker has one or two of Mike's Cuenca hats and they look pretty sharp.

Art and Mike are both making me hats from hat bodies I brought back from Ecuador. They weren't inexpensive hat bodies, though, with the weaves per square inch (WPSI) running around 400.