Western Hat Styles vs the Fedora

Gentleman;

I am new to this forum and realize it is based on the fedora. Does anyone have much experience with Rands Custom Hats in Billings, Montana or Montecristi Custom Hats in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Both have made me wonderful bespoke hats.

Both do mainly western styles but also show some fedoras. I am interested in doing a fedora from Optimo in Chicago and am wondering how their work compares with the two hatters mentioned above.

Please advise.

Welcome JRH
I can't speak with great authority because I haven't experienced either of those hatters but I can tell you that Optimo is a solid source for Panama's and felts. I don't believe they do westerns but there are some pretty terrific western hatters as you know. I also make Panama's but consider myself an amatuer when compared to Optimo, Peters Bros, etc.

I cannot compare the Optimo to either of those hatters, but in my opinion, they make the best dress felt hats today. All of my hats from them are completely bespoke, and in my opinion, their quality is only surpassed by the best of vintage hats.

Their silk linings are hand stitched in, their leathers are superb feeling, their felt feels dense and thin, and their trim work (ribbons, bindings, and welts) is absolutely first rate.

I highly recommend Graham.

BTW, are you wanting a straw or felt fedora?

I have both felts and straws. I am expecting a straw southwestern from Milton Johnson, owner of Montecristihats.com next week. The weave is decribed to me as 8/9z, having three open weave diamond on each side. The style is the Tecate. It is not fino. Wondering of the quality of a 8/9z. I"ll find out next week.

I received a felt from Randhats.com last fall, which was a cross between a southwestern Sangray and a Safari in 100% natural beaver.

Hum... silk linnings. Real silk or nylon?

I have been to Optimo's web page. One needs to visit the store to place an order. I'll place that on my to do list. I guess then I'll approach the question of felt of straw.

I have noticed that dress hats are a blend of beaver and hare. Why not 100% beaver? Milton Johnson shows a few on his page in hare blend.

What is the welt of a hat?

Are you near Chicago? If so, then going in to be fitted is a good thing to do.

I am in SC, so I had to have my hats made by descriptions of myself, and pictures of my head (I already knew my hat size). It was all done over the phone, and through mailed pictures.

Their liners are real silk, not nylon. I know this because I have taken a sample of the liner from one of my hats, and performed what is known as a "burn test" on it. It burns like silk, and smells like burning human hair (only real silk smells like burning hair).

Not all dress hats are beaver/hare blends. Many hatters have 100% beaver dress fedoras. Gary White and Optimo are only two of many that do. However, they usually cost around $500- $700.

The current Optimo felt blend is 49% Beaver, 49% Nutria, and 2% Hare. There are numerous discussions of felt content here in this forum if you do some searching. I cannot say why they like to use the nutria blend. This is something that you would have to ask them.

The welt of a hat is an edge treatment for a brim. Some hats have welted brims, meaning that the brim is folded over itself at the edge, and stitched. I only have one vintage hat that has a welt. All of my new hats have either raw edges, or are bound with a ribbon.

Welcome to the Lounge, btw

Hum... silk linnings. Real silk or nylon?

They have been looking for a consistant supplier of silk, so some of their current linings are not silk, I think satin (no polyester, always natural)... The silk they were using is in 3 of my hats and its rad. They said they have a new silk supplier last time I talked to Graham, so I'd ask what is available

The silk they were using was heavy and had a nice cream colored sheen to it. \/ I don't know if it is available anymore.



I have noticed that dress hats are a blend of beaver and hare. Why not 100% beaver? Milton Johnson shows a few on his page in hare blend.

This is a tough subject. According to Optimo, they used the best of the fur available, depending on the fur an all beaver hat may not always be the best and sometimes it can be the best of the best. Nutria and Beaver felt very tightly, though if you want more info on the reason for the blend I suggest you call Optimo.
773 238 2999

Joseph C. Brandstetter

Ahh, that's good to know. Not all of their linings are silk, but the two I have tested are.