Phoenix Hat Company

[Courier Six]

I have a trekker hat and it has been soaking wet several times. No issue with the leather hatband

Yeah, the hat has been soaked several times with no issue.
This is still my first and only “real” hat so I’m learning.

I just noticed the band was fine, just a little looser and less snug than normal I guess because it was soaked.
Will it go back to normal after it fully dries out?

EDIT: Update.
After another day of drying out the leather band is looking more normal now. It must have been really soaked out there and needed a moment to recover.

 

[humanshoes]

The Trekker left the east coast and made a cross country adventure for the first time. Hopping from Seattle to Portland, then Beach combing on coastal Oregon at Haystack Rock followed by hiking Ecola State park.
Then riding the Empire Builder Amtrak line across Glacier National Park and the snow covered Great Plains to Chicago. Where it has now been face to face with Sue the T-Rex at the Field museum, one of the largest and most complete fossils of the species.

The Trekker is living up to it’s name and it kept me dry and warm wandering the northwest or the blistering cold stopping off in Montana. I’m happy to be making adventures with this hat.
However now back East, I did get caught in consistent rain yesterday working outside for 12 hours. The leather hat band got soaked. It looks a little looser this morning. Is that anything to worry about? It’s usually quite snug around the crown. Wondering it it will shrink back in time.

Beautiful scenery. Keep on trekking!

 

[humanshoes]

First off, A warm hello to all my old friends here on the Lounge. My interactions with all of you during my "hat making" years has been both educational and personally rewarding. I hope you all are well!
Last weekend I started to get a bit bored with some of my extracurricular endeavors and found myself sitting in the hat room experiencing the old itch. I dug around a bit and found an old nutria felt that I had dyed black from the original green after it experienced color loss in the blocking attempt. As I recall, I tried several different dyes before being satisfied with the end product. Then I got distracted by shiny things and forgot all about it. Well Deadly, this one is finally on the block and is the last piece of unfinished hat "business" to attend to. I'll be in touch my old friend.
Now to the new stuff. Since I first saw Art Fawcett's "Dualist" hat, I've wanted to make one for myself. I've always considered it the perfect blend of a summer hat with the breathability of a straw crown and the sun protection of a felt brim, but I've always deemed it to be too complicated a process for my limited skills and have let my own fear of failure stop me from making the attempt. It's funny how aging changes ones perspective. I turned 70 this year and now it seems I'm more into enjoying the creative process than I am concerned about the quality of the final product.
So, I oiled up my favorite straw braid sewing machine, made a tool to precisely cut the crown from the felt body (think sideways brim cutter), and re-discovered how much fun it is to make hats.
Since Art already claimed the coolest name out there for these hats, I call this one the "Paja y Fieltro" (straw and felt for the non-spanish speakers like me). All in all, a fun experience.
I'm still on hiatus from making hats for sale, but I have to say it was good to spend some quality time in the hat shop and to be back here at the Lounge. I hope to hear from some old friends and maybe even make a few new ones.

 

[Woodtroll]

First off, A warm hello to all my old friends here on the Lounge. My interactions with all of you during my "hat making" years has been both educational and personally rewarding. I hope you all are well!
Last weekend I started to get a bit bored with some of my extracurricular endeavors and found myself sitting in the hat room experiencing the old itch. I dug around a bit and found an old nutria felt that I had dyed black from the original green after it experienced color loss in the blocking attempt. As I recall, I tried several different dyes before being satisfied with the end product. Then I got distracted by shiny things and forgot all about it. Well Deadly, this one is finally on the block and is the last piece of unfinished hat "business" to attend to. I'll be in touch my old friend.
Now to the new stuff. Since I first saw Art Fawcett's "Dualist" hat, I've wanted to make one for myself. I've always considered it the perfect blend of a summer hat with the breathability of a straw crown and the sun protection of a felt brim, but I've always deemed it to be too complicated a process for my limited skills and have let my own fear of failure stop me from making the attempt. It's funny how aging changes ones perspective. I turned 70 this year and now it seems I'm more into enjoying the creative process than I am concerned about the quality of the final product.
So, I oiled up my favorite straw braid sewing machine, made a tool to precisely cut the crown from the felt body (think sideways brim cutter), and re-discovered how much fun it is to make hats.
Since Art already claimed the coolest name out there for these hats, I call this one the "Paja y Fieltro" (straw and felt for the non-spanish speakers like me). All in all, a fun experience.
I'm still on hiatus from making hats for sale, but I have to say it was good to spend some quality time in the hat shop and to be back here at the Lounge. I hope to hear from some old friends and maybe even make a few new ones.

It’s absolutely great to hear from you again, Rick. I was just thinking about you the other day, wondering how you were doing. I have a lot of varied interests, as you do, and seem to spend time on them in cycles. Glad to hear you’re tinkering with hats again, even if not commercially. The hats you made me are some of my favorites and get worn often.

Welcome back!

 

[belfastboy]

First off, A warm hello to all my old friends here on the Lounge. My interactions with all of you during my "hat making" years has been both educational and personally rewarding. I hope you all are well!
Last weekend I started to get a bit bored with some of my extracurricular endeavors and found myself sitting in the hat room experiencing the old itch. I dug around a bit and found an old nutria felt that I had dyed black from the original green after it experienced color loss in the blocking attempt. As I recall, I tried several different dyes before being satisfied with the end product. Then I got distracted by shiny things and forgot all about it. Well Deadly, this one is finally on the block and is the last piece of unfinished hat "business" to attend to. I'll be in touch my old friend.
Now to the new stuff. Since I first saw Art Fawcett's "Dualist" hat, I've wanted to make one for myself. I've always considered it the perfect blend of a summer hat with the breathability of a straw crown and the sun protection of a felt brim, but I've always deemed it to be too complicated a process for my limited skills and have let my own fear of failure stop me from making the attempt. It's funny how aging changes ones perspective. I turned 70 this year and now it seems I'm more into enjoying the creative process than I am concerned about the quality of the final product.
So, I oiled up my favorite straw braid sewing machine, made a tool to precisely cut the crown from the felt body (think sideways brim cutter), and re-discovered how much fun it is to make hats.
Since Art already claimed the coolest name out there for these hats, I call this one the "Paja y Fieltro" (straw and felt for the non-spanish speakers like me). All in all, a fun experience.
I'm still on hiatus from making hats for sale, but I have to say it was good to spend some quality time in the hat shop and to be back here at the Lounge. I hope to hear from some old friends and maybe even make a few new ones.

Great to hear from you old friend. Also glad to hear you are still engaged in the creative process. If you ever deem to take the next step and make these for sale....put my name at the top of the list. I have experimented with dyeing felts over the last few years but never totally satisfied with the result. I have not abandoned the quest but determined I need a larger vat and have been reluctant to spend the $$$ required for a stainless steel vat. One day I shall venture down that road. Welcome back!!!!

 

[humanshoes]

It’s absolutely great to hear from you again, Rick. I was just thinking about you the other day, wondering how you were doing. I have a lot of varied interests, as you do, and seem to spend time on them in cycles. Glad to hear you’re tinkering with hats again, even if not commercially. The hats you made me are some of my favorites and get worn often.

Welcome back!

Great to hear from you as well Regan. I'm gratified to know your hats are still serving you well. I know what you mean about varied interests. It seems when I get too many irons in the fire I just build a bigger fire.

 

[humanshoes]

Great to hear from you old friend. Also glad to hear you are still engaged in the creative process. If you ever deem to take the next step and make these for sale....put my name at the top of the list. I have experimented with dyeing felts over the last few years but never totally satisfied with the result. I have not abandoned the quest but determined I need a larger vat and have been reluctant to spend the $$$ required for a stainless steel vat. One day I shall venture down that road. Welcome back!!!!

Is great to hear from you as well Robert. I hope you and the Mrs. are happy and healthy. I do the occasional lurking around here and it looks like your hat making skills have improved immensely since the early days. Just some really great work. I'll definitely keep you in mind for a paja y fieltro sometime in the future. As for dying hats...I won't be doing any more of that foolishness. Be well old buddy.

 

[belfastboy]

Is great to hear from you as well Robert. I hope you and the Mrs. are happy and healthy. I do the occasional lurking around here and it looks like your hat making skills have improved immensely since the early days. Just some really great work. I'll definitely keep you in mind for a paja y fieltro sometime in the future. As for dying hats...I won't be doing any more of that foolishness. Be well old buddy.

I find I am happiest when I create a problem I have to solve. Dyeing hats fit into that dynamic in some way.

 

[humanshoes]

I find I am happiest when I create a problem I have to solve. Dyeing hats fit into that dynamic in some way.

I do understand the exitement of the whole problem/solution dynamic even if I no longer embrace it. I've landed more in the no problem, no solution required camp.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Rick, I think of you every time I get the thought of rebuilding my old Slingerland May Bell guitar. Not worth taking it to a luthier if I could find one to do it, I usually decide too much water been under the bridge. So I set down & wait for that idea to go away. Glad to hear you are doing well.

 

[humanshoes]

Rick, I think of you every time I get the thought of rebuilding my old Slingerland May Bell guitar. Not worth taking it to a luthier if I could find one to do it, I usually decide too much water been under the bridge. So I set down & wait for that idea to go away. Glad to hear you are doing well.

Hey Jack. Talk of your May Bell brought back fond memories. I have an old no name "rescue" guitar, likely a Stella, in the closet that's probably not worth my time or effort to repair, but the thought still rolls around in the back of my brain...persistently.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Hey Jack. Talk of your May Bell brought back fond memories. I have an old no name "rescue" guitar, likely a Stella, in the closet that's probably not worth my time or effort to repair, but the thought still rolls around in the back of my brain...persistently.

I was thinking you had taken one apart & but the braces back in it, repaired the back & etc. On mine the braces are in there but are loose & rattle. The back is all cracked. The frets are just copper so they would need to be replaced after the neck was all leveled up. Anyway, just a thought.

 

[humanshoes]

I was thinking you had taken one apart & but the braces back in it, repaired the back & etc. On mine the braces are in there but are loose & rattle. The back is all cracked. The frets are just copper so they would need to be replaced after the neck was all leveled up. Anyway, just a thought.

I did extensive repairs on an old parlor guitar several years ago. The action was still too high for it to be anything but a slide player. Still, it has that old timey sound that only those very early guitars can manage.

 

[Rmccamey]

Good to see you posting again, Rick. You still have a considerable following here on TFL. I wear my two Phoenix hats regularly.

First off, A warm hello to all my old friends here on the Lounge. My interactions with all of you during my "hat making" years has been both educational and personally rewarding. I hope you all are well!
Last weekend I started to get a bit bored with some of my extracurricular endeavors and found myself sitting in the hat room experiencing the old itch. I dug around a bit and found an old nutria felt that I had dyed black from the original green after it experienced color loss in the blocking attempt. As I recall, I tried several different dyes before being satisfied with the end product. Then I got distracted by shiny things and forgot all about it. Well Deadly, this one is finally on the block and is the last piece of unfinished hat "business" to attend to. I'll be in touch my old friend.
Now to the new stuff. Since I first saw Art Fawcett's "Dualist" hat, I've wanted to make one for myself. I've always considered it the perfect blend of a summer hat with the breathability of a straw crown and the sun protection of a felt brim, but I've always deemed it to be too complicated a process for my limited skills and have let my own fear of failure stop me from making the attempt. It's funny how aging changes ones perspective. I turned 70 this year and now it seems I'm more into enjoying the creative process than I am concerned about the quality of the final product.
So, I oiled up my favorite straw braid sewing machine, made a tool to precisely cut the crown from the felt body (think sideways brim cutter), and re-discovered how much fun it is to make hats.
Since Art already claimed the coolest name out there for these hats, I call this one the "Paja y Fieltro" (straw and felt for the non-spanish speakers like me). All in all, a fun experience.
I'm still on hiatus from making hats for sale, but I have to say it was good to spend some quality time in the hat shop and to be back here at the Lounge. I hope to hear from some old friends and maybe even make a few new ones.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I can’t tell you how great it is to hear from you, Rick @humanshoes! You most definitely have been missed.

I think of you often and miss hearing from you, and collaborating on hats. I’m excited to see how the re-dyed nutria turns out, but hats aside I hope to hear more of you around these parts.

Are you still making jewelry? I can only imagine what it would be like to have such a diverse skill set.

Don’t be a stranger.

Brent

 

[humanshoes]

Good to see you posting again, Rick. You still have a considerable following here on TFL. I wear my two Phoenix hats regularly.



View attachment 614924

Heya Randy. Thanks for the kind words and thanks for that picture of one of my favorite hats. Be well old buddy.

 

[humanshoes]

I can’t tell you how great it is to hear from you, Rick @humanshoes! You most definitely have been missed.

I think of you often and miss hearing from you, and collaborating on hats. I’m excited to see how the re-dyed nutria turns out, but hats aside I hope to hear more of you around these parts.

Are you still making jewelry? I can only imagine what it would be like to have such a diverse skill set.

Don’t be a stranger.

Brent

Excellent to hear from you as well Brent. As my first online customer and with the volume of hats we collaborated on over the years , you helped me learn the craft along the way. The challenges you threw my way definitely made me a better hat maker. I'll always be grateful to you and all the good folks here for the support I received and the comradery I've enjoyed over the years. Coming back to this forum is a lot like coming home again.

I'm still dabbling with jewelry making and silversmithing and have progressed from rings and bracelets to bolo ties and belt buckles.

Never a dull minute in the Walker casa.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Excellent to hear from you as well Brent. As my first online customer and with the volume of hats we collaborated on over the years , you helped me learn the craft along the way. The challenges you threw my way definitely made me a better hat maker. I'll always be grateful to you and all the good folks here for the support I received and the comradery I've enjoyed over the years. Coming back to this forum is a lot like coming home again.

I'm still dabbling with jewelry making and silversmithing and have progressed from rings and bracelets to bolo ties and belt buckles.

Never a dull minute in the Walker casa.

Those bolo ties are incredible, and something to could see myself wearing (not sure if my wife would let me). I thoroughly enjoyed collaborating with you on my much-loved Phoenix hats.

I still dream of retiring to Tennessee, but the pull of the kids and now grandkids is hard to resist. If we make to Knoxville again I’ll definitely reach out so we can grab lunch or something.

 

[humanshoes]

Anytime you find yourselves back in K-town Brent, lunch is on me.

 

[T Jones]

First off, A warm hello to all my old friends here on the Lounge. My interactions with all of you during my "hat making" years has been both educational and personally rewarding. I hope you all are well!
Last weekend I started to get a bit bored with some of my extracurricular endeavors and found myself sitting in the hat room experiencing the old itch. I dug around a bit and found an old nutria felt that I had dyed black from the original green after it experienced color loss in the blocking attempt. As I recall, I tried several different dyes before being satisfied with the end product. Then I got distracted by shiny things and forgot all about it. Well Deadly, this one is finally on the block and is the last piece of unfinished hat "business" to attend to. I'll be in touch my old friend.
Now to the new stuff. Since I first saw Art Fawcett's "Dualist" hat, I've wanted to make one for myself. I've always considered it the perfect blend of a summer hat with the breathability of a straw crown and the sun protection of a felt brim, but I've always deemed it to be too complicated a process for my limited skills and have let my own fear of failure stop me from making the attempt. It's funny how aging changes ones perspective. I turned 70 this year and now it seems I'm more into enjoying the creative process than I am concerned about the quality of the final product.
So, I oiled up my favorite straw braid sewing machine, made a tool to precisely cut the crown from the felt body (think sideways brim cutter), and re-discovered how much fun it is to make hats.
Since Art already claimed the coolest name out there for these hats, I call this one the "Paja y Fieltro" (straw and felt for the non-spanish speakers like me). All in all, a fun experience.
I'm still on hiatus from making hats for sale, but I have to say it was good to spend some quality time in the hat shop and to be back here at the Lounge. I hope to hear from some old friends and maybe even make a few new ones. View attachment 614806 View attachment 614807 View attachment 614809

Hey Rick! Where have you been?! Long time no see buddy! It's really good to hear from you! If you're getting the itch again, but want to avoid getting bogged down doing custom builds, why not just make your own hat creations in different sizes and sell those? Work at your own pace. Create your own special hats. No rush. No burnout. There'd be no lack of people wanting to buy them. Buddy, we need to catch up, and don't be a stranger! Love that straw dualist, BTW.