Changes to Custom Hat

[tonyb]

Allow me to join the chorus, David. It's a real sharp hat. Wear it and you'll grow accustomed to the look of it, I'd bet, and then you'll come to think those other lids look kinda small.

 

[David Bresch]

Staying calm and absolutely neutral, can someone translate this criticism of the "too tall hat" (I receive these messages frequently by private email):

"David that hat is about an inch too tall for the brim to work with it. It also is just made on the wrong block as well but that is common with now a days hatters as they simply do not invest in a good selection of blocks even if they do know what block makes what style. Regardless the entire hat needs made over is the first cure for it and if it was blocked on a proper block and then pounced since it is not pounced now and finished into a real hat it is a nice color. As it is you have the equivalent of a 2 hour hat and its just a raw body that resembles a hat and was never finished as well as being all wrong. Not sure that comes out correctly in my words but its all accurate at least regardless or how the tone is accepted here.

He has used about a 5 ¾ - 6 inch 52 Block when a 51 should have been used for this style hat. Then he cut the brim down so that is should have been blocked at least ¾ inch lower. Its really all a hideous mess that has never made it past a Brillo pad finish and is not pounced nor sealed."

Note that by a small margin I prefer the construction of my Art Fawcett hats to the others. But I am dying to understand what this all means...

 

[feltfan]

Staying calm and absolutely neutral, can someone translate this criticism of the "too tall hat" (I receive these messages frequently by private email):

"David that hat is about an inch too tall for the brim to work with it. It also
is just made on the wrong block as well but that is common with now a days hatters as they simply do not invest in a good selection of blocks even if

The relationship between the brim size and the crown height
is relative to individual taste and the era you are trying to evoke.
There is no objective relationship to cite. Taste and period.

Similarly, there is no right or wrong block. You chose a style
of hat and it was made in that style. What makes it wrong?
The writer does not say.

is just made on the wrong block as well but that is common with now a days hatters as they simply do not invest in a good selection of blocks even if they do know what block makes what style. Regardless the entire hat needs made over is the first cure for it and if it was blocked on a proper block and then pounced since it is not pounced now and finished into a real hat it is a nice color. As it is you have the equivalent of a 2 hour hat and its just a raw body that resembles a hat and was never finished as well as being all wrong. Not sure that comes out correctly in my words but its all accurate at least regardless or how the tone is accepted here.

Gee, who is still smarting because his poor pouncing was
displayed in this very forum? I see no evidence that your hat
was poorly pounced, David. Do you?

He has used about a 5 ¾ - 6 inch 52 Block when a 51 should have been used for this style hat. Then he cut the brim down so that is should have been blocked at least ¾ inch lower. Its really all a hideous mess that has never made it past a Brillo pad finish and is not pounced nor sealed."

Did the writer stop to explain to you the difference between
a 52 and a 51 block or is he waiving his hands? Did he offer
any proof or evidence before declaring your hat a "hideous mess"?

Note that by a small margin I prefer the construction of my Art Fawcett hats to the others. But I am dying to understand what this all means...

David, I hope you are simply being used by someone who
is not allowed to post to this site and are not conspiring to
spread his sour grapes. Don't get swindled. If someone can't
explain his terms and indicate why he believes what he is saying,
he's got an axe to grind or a bridge to sell.

 

[toobacat]

Staying calm and absolutely neutral, can someone translate this criticism of the "too tall hat" (I receive these messages frequently by private email):

"David that hat is about an inch too tall for the brim to work with it. It also is just made on the wrong block as well but that is common with now a days hatters as they simply do not invest in a good selection of blocks even if they do know what block makes what style. Regardless the entire hat needs made over is the first cure for it and if it was blocked on a proper block and then pounced since it is not pounced now and finished into a real hat it is a nice color. As it is you have the equivalent of a 2 hour hat and its just a raw body that resembles a hat and was never finished as well as being all wrong. Not sure that comes out correctly in my words but its all accurate at least regardless or how the tone is accepted here.

He has used about a 5 ¾ - 6 inch 52 Block when a 51 should have been used for this style hat. Then he cut the brim down so that is should have been blocked at least ¾ inch lower. Its really all a hideous mess that has never made it past a Brillo pad finish and is not pounced nor sealed."

Note that by a small margin I prefer the construction of my Art Fawcett hats to the others. But I am dying to understand what this all means...

David, I think you should ignore emails like this, it seems a little weird to me. All that really matters is what you think of the hat. Have you posted pictures wearing this hat some place?

 

[Art Fawcett]

thanks for posting that David, NOW I understand. So, Charlie is STILL trying to undermine my work. What we have here is strictly opinion and since he is STILL trying to sell you a hat by degrading me, that should be all you need to know. In short, he doesn't know squat.

 

[David Bresch]

These messages are hypnotic, not at first, but by the fiftieth or sixtieth. But the temptation lies in understanding more about hats. For example, the writer criticizes the pouncing: is this because the hat is made with a long-har felt (which I requested)? What is "sealed?" There is a lot of hat vocabulary in the message that I just don't get.

By the way, I am not buying any more hats (I don't need any more), and Gladhatter has sworn to me he will not sell me a hat even if I beg. Plus, the Optimo felt at $500 was pretty much my limit. So far as spreading sour grapes, I am not sour or disappointed so I have nothing to complain about.

 

[Art Fawcett]

David, you already know some of the history of this man, you see first hand how he operates by the emails you get. He did not even take the time to find out that it was a "silk" finish hats before degrading the pouncing, which isn't done with this type of hat. Can you NOT see that all this is is an attempt to discredit my hats and me personally? nothing more. To put it bluntly, you rejected his overtures, much as I rejected him personally and his backwoods methods & ideas, so you are now ALSO a target for him and his insanity.

My father used to say " If you can't dazzle them with your footwork, baffle them with your bullsh*t. What you are receiving is a full dose of the SBS BS Buffet and if his ignorance is SO apparent ( as it is with most of us) why would you believe that he didn't make up terms just to make his point?

I would be happy to answer your questions privately but will not carry this conversation on publically any further. If what I tell you doesn't answer your questions, I'm sure Gus Miller, Graham Thompson, Gary White, Jim Whittington, or any other recognized quality hatter will be happy to walk you though it.

In the mean time, most email programs have the capacity to block unwanted emails. May I suggest you use it?

 

[David Bresch]

Art you will be happy to know that Charlie reserves the choicest insults for me, not you. You are a liar and a cheat (just), I am homosexual ("not that there's anything wrong with that!"), a fool, etc. I swear, I get the urge to understand his messages every fiftieth, I just have never seen anything like them. So far as blocking them, that is an idea. But he already has thoroughly investigated me on the Internet, knows where I went to school, where I work, etc. I do not want him to seek alternative methods of contact. By the way, I never imagined Art that you would "respond," since these messages require no response, I just want the background and vocabulary. I don't see this as a debate, there is nothing to debate, Hell, I can barely understand the messages. In fact, I would prefer a non-hatter to explain some of this. Remember, I don't need the forum's approval of my hat purchases, I am pretty happy with them. The Miller hats were both accidents (you have to try to order a hat from Gus to understand what happened) but otherwise, I wanted several high-quality hats and I got them. The crown height/taste issue is unavoidable when one is starting out, I think.

 

[WEEGEE]

Getting Use to It...

David,

Before the Lounge I was a stingy not to high of a crown brim hat wearer.

As time went by and I did buy several Art Fawcetts hats all with high crowns in varying brim widths I found that I liked the look of all type hats depending on mood and the rest of my attire. I do feel anything can be worn if the wearer is comfortable and confident.

Art's Savoy

Art's Monk

 

[David Bresch]

That Savoy is beautiful. I completely agree with you about evolving tastes. At some point, my taste meets what looks good and hopefully then I have found my sweet spot. In general, like a house style, Art dials the crown up, while Gus dials it down, and when you order, you have to be cognizant of that.