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"Toffee" Optimo Signature Line

Wild Root

Gone Home
Messages
5,532
Location
Monrovia California.
A sample eh? I can’t really say that I saw this specimen first hand, but I talked to some of those who had. I saw the photo, looks like a hat and I’m sure it feels like a hat. I’ll be honest here, I wear a hat for the same reasons as most of us here do. For protection from the sun, rain, snow and also for the look. I’ll admit it, I know nothing about felt quality as most of you gents. But, I have been wearing vintage felt hats, suits, ties, shoes since 1996 and I know what quality feels like. One of my first fedoras was a Burlington Coat Factory special. It was wooly and not very shapeable. When I discovered that vintage could be obtained, well, that sold me! I don’t own an Optimo, nor will for several years seeing that the price is rather high for a felt hat. I have handled the ones that others have. They make a very nice hat. In my opinion, not worth $600.00 but, you pay for the time, materials, the cost to keep the store open and the talent that goes into making a custom hat.

I like Graham, he’s a nice guy and I feel he makes a nice hat. I also really like Art. He’s a classy man and a gentleman. Has nothing but kind words to say about any one.

Fedora, I came across a little strong, but you have to understand that Matt’s a very good friend of mine and I have known him for over 8 years or so. I know the distances he has gone in search of a perfect or near perfect hat. He has talked to many hatters and he knows what he’s talking about. He is not blind to quality just because you believe Graham is a swindler. Optimo is one of Matt’s favorite hat makers because he knows the hatter and the hatter’s mission. You obviously have passion for hat making of hats and cabinetry, both take talent and patients! You are on a mission as well! To make a fine Indy hat and you know, that’s a very good thing.

Fedora, please see that just because a number of us belong to the Optimo faith, not all will convert. I am not an Optimo owner, and like I said, till some one wants to give me one as a gift, I may never own on at that high dollar price. I much rather put $600. in to my vintage auto then on a felt hat that will just encounter rain, stains and wear.

In light of the up coming season, I wish all of you the merriest and warmest holiday wishes!

Root.
 

Fedora

Vendor
Messages
828
Location
Mississippi
Matt, you and I will always disagree.:D That is ok with me. I think you are a good guy, and I appreciate the arguments. I love to argue, and certainly know that I can be wrong at times. I think we have pretty much said about all that can be said about this. Thanks for the lively discussion, and I hope you don't take my jabs real personal. You and I can agree on one thing. It just don't get any better than fine vintage felt.
Fedora, I came across a little strong, but you have to understand that Matt’s a very good friend of mine and I have known him for over 8 years or so. I know the distances he has gone in search of a perfect or near perfect hat. He has talked to many hatters and he knows what he’s talking about. He is not blind to quality just because you believe Graham is a swindler. Optimo is one of Matt’s favorite hat makers because he knows the hatter and the hatter’s mission. You obviously have passion for hat making of hats and cabinetry, both take talent and patients! You are on a mission as well! To make a fine Indy hat and you know, that’s a very good thing.


Quite allright dude. So did I, as usual.:D No harm no foul. We all share a common love of hats, and honest disagreements are always welcomed. At the end of it, we should all be able to shake hands and walk off, and that is what I am offering now, a handshake, and a pat on the back. Good stuff, even if it gets heated. regards, to all. Fedora
 
I am in the same boat Root. I don't own an Optimo and probably never will but bribes are accepted. :D I have felt the felt, as it were and it is a decent hat to me. That does not mean that I am going to go out and drum it all up though. ;) I am more of a vintage guy that prefers to do the research on old felt---what made it attain such a high standard, who were the best makers of the age, what was the content, how did they assemble them and such things. If it is not vintage then I am not likely to care all that much.
I guess that makes me an outsider here by what some want to paint this group as. :D Yet, if you look at the number of messages that I have posted they number quite high. I have never felt that this was the Optimo Lovers Forum----More of a Vintage forum. Maybe I just ignore the new brand posts but they are not all that frequent. On top of it all, I know there is more than a few members here that have quite a few Optimo hats and they have not added a word to this thread yet. :cool2:
I think we can agree to disagree on a few points here before it gets really out of hand. Let me be the first non-PC dude to wish all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I think the holiday spirit might help out a bit here. Bartender, a round of Tom & Jerrys for all present. :D

Regards to all,

J
 
Originally posted by Michaelson
Not Gentleman Jack and Coke!? Once AGAIN, sir, I say HUMBUG !!!:p ;) High regards! Michaelson

Geez, there is no pleasing you. LOL I bet you have never tried a Tom and Jerry with a good quality rum, egg nog and the special Tom and Jerry butter. Warm it all up and put it in a nice mug and you are set for a cold winter night of celebration. Cheers! :beer: LOL

Regards to all,

J
 

Michaelson

One Too Many
Messages
1,840
Location
Tennessee
Hummmm. No, I can't say that I have! Well then, with THAT cleared up....God Bless Us, Everyone!:D High regards! Michaelson
 

fedoralover

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,006
Location
Great Northwest
Now that the dust has settled a little on this thread, I just wanted to put in few words about Fedora for those that haven't known him as long as I have ( which is around 4 years ).

His LAST concern would be to sell a hat. His ONLY concern is to have the best hat possible. He has never played favorites with anyone. No matter how much he may like you, if your hat looks like crapola he'll tell you so. He has always been this way and as you can see, he ain't about to change. But for me, this has been what I've always liked about him. You can expect an honest opinion based on his experience and observations. Is he always right? Of course not, nobody is and I've seen him change his mind when new information was made available.

He has given away many fedoras at COW at a cost to himself. So he isn't in this to make any money by speaking poorly of another vendor in order to sell more of his. If the hat or felt doesn't measure up to his expectations he'll honestly say so.

To me these are healthy debates, we are much more educated as a group here than the average hat buyer because of the critique we do on each others hats. Sure, we might get our toes stepped on a little from time to time, but in the long run we end up with a better product as a result.

regards fedoralover
 

Dalexs

Practically Family
Messages
569
Location
Just 'nath of Baston
And Matt... how dare you go dissin' on Burlington Coat Factory Hats...
Why, they have some of the finest I've ever...

here, see for yourselves, look at this craftsmanship!

BCF02.jpg
LOL
 

Sergei

Gone Home
Messages
400
Location
Southern Belarus
Dalexs,
Why that hat is a sculpture with the inscription: "Man's inhumanity towards tuna fish caserole!". The last time I saw a buckle like that, it had a hook in it. The next thing you are going to tell me is that hat belonged to a pilgrim. Geesh, you need to move back to the west coast - where men are ..... never mind.
 

Nathan Flowers

Head Bartender
Staff member
Messages
3,661
Here's the shots I took today in the sunlight. They are taken from 2 feet away, and your photos have been stitched together with mine.

You guys can now draw your opinions.

compsun2.jpg


testcomp.jpg


testcomp3.jpg


compsun3.jpg
 

Kentucky Blues

A-List Customer
Messages
436
Location
Kentucky
I'd say that if they both claim to be beaver, they both are beaver. It looks to me like the color, shape, and perhaps thickness of the felt makes them look different. But I don't really see any fuzz in Nathan's pics...at least no more than in Fedoras
 

Fedora

Vendor
Messages
828
Location
Mississippi
Wow!! Doesn't even look like the same felt!! This shows, that pics can indeed say a thousand words, but sometimes the words don't describe correctly. Now, that eases my mind tremendously! That is a nice hat Zohar. Looks like it was worth the price of admission. regards, Fedora
 

Nathan Flowers

Head Bartender
Staff member
Messages
3,661
Thanks gentlemen.

Now I wish a huge frogstrangler of a rain storm would come through, so I can see how it handles moisture. Graham told me to treat it like hell, to see how the preblocking in conjunction with the beaver felt will hold up.
 

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