What Hat Are You Wearing Today ?

[deadlyhandsome]

I have two Gannon hats in my collection. The first is this natural. I was attracted to the color combination and it is still one a enjoy wearing.

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The second is a hat I acquired from Doug Berry a former member of the lounge. This is Doug wearing the hat.

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This old dye black cherry was a size 7 1/2. I wear a loose 7 1/8 or snug 7 1/4. since it was originally a Gannon Hat Co. hat, I contacted Mike Gannon to see what could be done. He said nothing could be done that would look good. He said the original break line would always be noticeable.

Therefore I contacted Art Fawcett. He said he would make it work and the break would not be an issue. He was a man of his word. It fits perfectly and he used the original break line. Basically, he shrunk the hat. Since he rebuilt the hat I now call it an Art Fawcett and never call it a Gannon.

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There has been one other occasion I contacted Mike Gannon. This time it was to do a custom Panama and again he couldn’t accommodate me. He said he didn’t know how to make it work like I wanted. So I called Art Fawcett. He was ramping down for his retirement and suggested Mike Miller of Northwest Hats. Art said Mike Miller would have been able to handle the old Dye Black Cherry like he did. When I contacted Mike about the Panama, he said he had never done anything like I wanted so lets give it a try. It turned out great. It was a Montescrist straw with a pretty standard fedora style. But I wanted a pronounced ridge like a Optima on top of the crown.

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I really like the Gannon Hat I have. And if Mike Gannon comes up with a really unique combination like the first hat I posted I'll get another. But.... Mike Miller has always been able to deliver what I wanted. Mike Gannon has not. Therefore I call Mike Miller or Northwest Hats "my hatter." He has made me 12 felts and 11 straws to date. Currently. I have two straws and two felts in queue. They always fit perfectly and the quality of workmanship is top shelf.

Northwest definitely does a wider range of hats and hat work. Gannon won’t do refurbishment work or even simple ribbon or sweatband replacements. If you are an established customer, Northwest will do just about anything. Neither will make me a Panama hat: Gannon doesn’t make anything other than felt hats and Northwest doesn’t have a Panama block in my size.

I hold both hatters in high esteem, but even when you compare apples to apples, or dress weight Winchester Beaver to dress weight Winchester Beaver, they make very different hats. I only have two fedoras from Northwest and while the build quality is great the felt itself isn’t to my liking. I’ve warmed to it a bit over time, but it’s still not what I wanted. Gannon’s felt has changed a bit over the last few years. His current ability to produce thin, dense, and malleable felt that replicates vintage felt is unmatched in my experience. Gannon’s westerns are also more like outsized fedoras, but that’s fine by me. I also know that not everyone wants the same characteristics in their felt that I do.

This is the Gannon felt I love and what I’ve not personally seen from Northwest:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CKnIYFDB_RU/?igshid=NmNmNjAwNzg=

 

[Blare]

Northwest definitely does a wider range of hats and hat work. Gannon won’t do refurbishment work or even simple ribbon or sweatband replacements. If you are an established customer, Northwest will do just about anything. Neither will make me a Panama hat: Gannon doesn’t make anything other than felt hats and Northwest doesn’t have a Panama block in my size.

I hold both hatters in high esteem, but even when you compare apples to apples, or dress weight Winchester Beaver to dress weight Winchester Beaver, they make very different hats. I only have two fedoras from Northwest and while the build quality is great the felt itself isn’t to my liking. I’ve warmed to it a bit over time, but it’s still not what I wanted. Gannon’s felt has changed a bit over the last few years. His current ability to produce thin, dense, and malleable felt that replicates vintage felt is unmatched in my experience. Gannon’s westerns are also more like outsized fedoras, but that’s fine by me. I also know that not everyone wants the same characteristics in their felt that I do.

This is the Gannon felt I love and what I’ve not personally seen from Northwest:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CKnIYFDB_RU/?igshid=NmNmNjAwNzg=

The way that felt moves is very cool. It reminds me of a video Max posted of Graham at Optimo working with a rare old felt he refurbished for him.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

The way that felt moves is very cool. It reminds me of a video Max posted of Graham at Optimo working with a rare old felt he refurbished for him.

My first Gannons don’t have this kind of felt. They are nice, but his more recent hats are much more what I’m after in felt.

 

[Bill Hughes]

I guess the takeaway from that is that Gannon is not willing to produce anything unless he can guarantee it’s up to his exacting standards, whereas Mike Miller is up for any challenge, and skilled enough to be confident of getting a good result. Since they were both up front with you, you can’t really fault either of them.

There is nothing to fault. It just is what it is. I like both but will be sticking with NWH. But then I am a creature of habit. Mike Miller knows what I like and also what I might be interested in. When he was looking for more semi calado hoods he called me to see what I was looking for. As soon as they arrived I had the opportunity get a couple set aside. Which I took advantage of.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

There is nothing to fault. It just is what it is. I like both but will be sticking with NWH. But then I am a creature of habit. Mike Miller knows what I like and also what I might be interested in. When he was looking for more semi calado hoods he called me to see what I was looking for. As soon as they arrived I had the opportunity get a couple set aside. Which I took advantage of.

I’ve been tempted to buy Mike a set of Havana crown Panama blocks in my size so he can make me a semi calado hat. I’m not a huge Panama fan, but your semi calado hats are amazing things.

 

[Blare]

Spiffed up the 7XCB today with a fresh steaming and brush. then managed to dip the back end of the brim in the pond. DOH! (Think it will be fine)

Amazing how the color shifts light dependent

Head shots were diffused but fuller sun


somewhat overcast sky…

same overcast sky but under patio awning.…

desert rose were back in bloom this week

 

[The Shoe]

My hat for a weekend in Osaka was Bailey Toyo. Etsuko wore her Tula.
Saturday:

Sunday:

 

[Frunobulax]

Saturday night hanging at the Greek festival in my knockabout Dalton.

Sunday services in a Dalton "Waverly."

Out this morning to take the dog to the vet in an unlined, lightweight Dalton originally sold in San Bernadino.

And tonight at the ballpark in a Resistol.

I think I'm caught up now.

 

[Blare]

Saturday night hanging at the Greek festival in my knockabout Dalton.

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Sunday services in a Dalton "Waverly."

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Out this morning to take the dog to the vet in an unlined, lightweight Dalton originally sold in San Bernadino.

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And tonight at the ballpark in a Resistol.

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I think I'm caught up now.

Fabulous hats Jim. Love the tshirt

 

[Mighty44]

Saturday night hanging at the Greek festival in my knockabout Dalton.

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Sunday services in a Dalton "Waverly."

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Out this morning to take the dog to the vet in an unlined, lightweight Dalton originally sold in San Bernadino.

View attachment 450790 View attachment 450791 View attachment 450792 View attachment 450787

And tonight at the ballpark in a Resistol.

View attachment 450785

I think I'm caught up now.

The coolest color combo on that first Dalton—amazing.

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Royal Stetson for the trip to Asheville today. I just got through putting a little stretch on it so it’ll be more comfortable. I think this is going to work out just fine.
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Edit: I changed the picture of me because after looking at the first one I realized you could see right up my nose.

Thanks for sharing your hat wearing adventures. Cheers Gary.

Spiffed up the 7XCB today with a fresh steaming and brush. then managed to dip the back end of the brim in the pond. DOH! (Think it will be fine)

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Amazing how the color shifts light dependent

Head shots were diffused but fuller sun


somewhat overcast sky…

View attachment 450728


same overcast sky but under patio awning.…
View attachment 450729


desert rose were back in bloom this week

View attachment 450730 View attachment 450731

Great pics of your 7XCB and the flora in your neighborhood. Cheers.

My hat for a weekend in Osaka was Bailey Toyo. Etsuko wore her Tula.
Saturday:
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Sunday:
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Grand pics. Hats in and around Japan I look forward to. Thanks for sharing you and your wife's hat adventures.

Saturday night hanging at the Greek festival in my knockabout Dalton.

View attachment 450780

Sunday services in a Dalton "Waverly."

View attachment 450781 View attachment 450782 View attachment 450783 View attachment 450784

Out this morning to take the dog to the vet in an unlined, lightweight Dalton originally sold in San Bernadino.

View attachment 450790 View attachment 450791 View attachment 450792 View attachment 450787

And tonight at the ballpark in a Resistol.

View attachment 450785

I think I'm caught up now.

Thanks for sharing. I relive baseball on the radio starting with your t-shirt and the reminder of childhood days with my ear to the transistor radio listening to the Brewers (childhood home team) and Twins (summers at the cabin).

Cheers to all, Eric -

 

[Short Balding Guy]

This morning I gallivanted about under a 1930's Brock.

Morning coffee and a cool down walkabout I was under the brim of a Mikuska fedora. The felt is special.

Best wishes, Eric -

 

[Frunobulax]

Fabulous hats Jim. Love the tshirt

Thanks, Joe. The shirt was a gift from a now-scarce FL member (@moontheloon), who knows me all too well.

The coolest color combo on that first Dalton—amazing.

Thanks, it's one o my faves and had gotten buried in the collection in the past few months. Sometimes, you gotta take a deep dive !

Thanks for sharing. I relive baseball on the radio starting with your t-shirt and the reminder of childhood days with my ear to the transistor radio listening to the Brewers (childhood home team) and Twins (summers at the cabin).

Cheers to all, Eric -

Thanks, Eric. Ain't nothing quite like a Major League ballgame. Unfortunately, they didn't pull this one out. I'm batting .500 in attended games this year.

 

[Who?]

Thanks for sharing. I relive baseball on the radio starting with your t-shirt and the reminder of childhood days with my ear to the transistor radio listening to the Brewers (childhood home team) and Twins (summers at the cabin).

Cheers to all, Eric -

This is funny to me, to think of someone’s childhood memories of listening to a transistor radio.

My grandparents had one of these (or similar) when I was a wee lad. I used to sit close to it and listen, and I was fascinated by the tuning eye.

https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/306/16113/5344410_1_x.jpg?quality=80&version=1212199353

Evidently I’m not sure how to include a photo. Can someone fix it?

 

[Bamaboots]

Evidently I’m not sure how to include a photo. Can someone fix it?

Here you go.

 

[The Shoe]

This is funny to me, to think of someone’s childhood memories of listening to a transistor radio.

My grandparents had one of these (or similar) when I was a wee lad. I used to sit close to it and listen, and I was fascinated by the tuning eye.

https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/306/16113/5344410_1_x.jpg?quality=80&version=1212199353

Evidently I’m not sure how to include a photo. Can someone fix it?

Here’s the photo.

I downloaded from your link and then used the attach files function.
We had something similar in my childhood home in New Zealand, but wider with a turntable. Dad had a few albums. Elvis, Johnny Cash, and the Seekers spring to mind, but my favourite was his Victor Borge album with his phonetic punctuation.

 

[The Shoe]

Here you go.

View attachment 450842

Beat me to it.

 

[Frunobulax]

Here’s the photo.
View attachment 450841
I downloaded from your link and then used the attach files function.
We had something similar in my childhood home in New Zealand, but wider with a turntable. Dad had a few albums. Elvis, Johnny Cash, and the Seekers spring to mind, but my favourite was his Victor Borge album with his phonetic punctuation.

My wife bought tickets to see Mr. Borge near the end of his run. It was a real treat to see him - he was a hoot.

 

[Who?]

I think I had a copy of that Victor Borge piece.

It was pretty funny, or at least people thought so then.

Not sure how funny folks think it is today.

 

[fabiovenhorst]

Ramenzoni