Thanks (and a question) from a newbie

[Michael Bradley]

I’m a 63-year-old hat newbie; I bought my first hat - a Lock Voyager trilby - just a month ago, and I’m very happy to have discovered I was a hat guy all along! And I expect that the Voyager will always be a useful - if overpriced - travel- and rain hat.

And now, entirely thanks (see below) to what I’ve learned from everyone’s generous postings here, I’m meeting Graham Thompson next week at Fino Fino to order an Optimo (or two!). I’d already got to the point of promising myself that if I was ever able to get myself to Chicago, I’d also get myself to Optimo Hats; now the mountain’s coming to me!

My thanks especially - but by no means limited to, and in no particular order - to Matt, Fedora, Zane, Art, Andykev, etc., etc. A very short time ago I was a hat ignoramus; now I know just enough to be dangerous!

I do have a question - though I think the answer is implicit in the facts. Before I knew Graham was going to hold a trunk show here, I had talked to another hatter (I was tempted by his very enticing price for a beaver fedora with a Cavanaugh edge, and, over the phone, he seemed to be both very personable and very competent). And yesterday I received some felt samples from him.

Now, the answer seems obvious to me, but I’d like to know whether I’m judging from my ignorance. The samples were sandwiched between two pieces of paper, and the paper was stained by them - a powdery stain. And when I rubbed the samples with a wet finger tip, the color was transferred to my finger tips. Is this the luering [sic] powder I’ve seen referred to on the Lounge? I do know that if these samples are from felts he’d use, I don’t want his hats.

I haven’t asked that hatter about this (yet). I’ve decided I want that Optimo, along with the experience of meeting Graham and being measured by him, regardless, but I feel I owe him a courtesy reply, and if I’m off base, I’d like to know it.

Thanks in advance, and, again, my thanks, guys, for all your help steering me down this new road.

Michael Bradley

 

[feltfan]

I do have a question - though I think the answer is implicit in the facts. Before I knew Graham was going to hold a trunk show here, I had talked to another hatter (I was tempted by his very enticing price for a beaver fedora with a Cavanaugh edge, and, over the phone, he seemed to be both very personable and very competent). And yesterday I received some felt samples from him.

Now, the answer seems obvious to me, but I’d like to know whether I’m judging from my ignorance. The samples were sandwiched between two pieces of paper, and the paper was stained by them - a powdery stain. And when I rubbed the samples with a wet finger tip, the color was transferred to my finger tips. Is this the luering [sic] powder I’ve seen referred to on the Lounge? I do know that if these samples are from felts he’d use, I don’t want his hats.

Uh... I don't think it's the powder you need to worry about.

Is this hatter promising a Cavanagh Edge on any felt
you choose from the samples? Uh... Since no one here,
to my knowledge, knows of a felter who is either able to make
a Cavanagh Edge and willing, or able to make one at all,
your hatter is either using vintage felt bodies (which are
probably fine and we want to know more!) or has a
divergent view of what constitutes a Cavanagh Edge
(a nice way to say 'run away fast'). Note that the felter,
not the hat maker, must make that edge.

Curious to know who this hatter might be.

 

[Mr. 'H']

You'd be Glad to know, would you FF?

 

[feltfan]

You'd be Glad to know, would you FF?

That's what I suspect.

Nevermind his high prices. I can make a Cav Edge with
Elmer's white school glue, some thread, and a few pinches of felt.
Since there is no possible way that fellow is making real
Cavanagh Edge hats, I say my version is just as real. I'll charge
only $999.99. Then I'll post a lengthy description of how I made
it and pictures of every hat I make on my special site, Sterling
Glue Saloon.

There was talk here a while back that he got some vintage hat bodies:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=1574

Who knows.

Seriously, though, Michael, if it is not a vintage body, it isn't a
Cavanagh Edge. If it is a vintage body, jump on it if you can
afford it. If the hat doesn't come out great, you can always get
Optimo to fix it.

 

[Michael Bradley]

I spoke to the hatter (Gary White) yesterday; he explained that the samples he sent were offcuts and that the powdery stains were residues of sanding/pouncing the felt. I guess that makes sense, but he did say that a finished hat might still retain a small amount. Can anyone comment on that?

And, Felt Fan, he, indeed, does not make Cavanaugh edges (he commented that no one does today), but he does have a number of hat bodies with Cavanaugh edges, though none larger than 7-1/4.

But I still want my Optimo, and I’m looking forward to meeting Graham next week.

 

[Mr. 'H']

Oh, that actually makes much more sense Michael. We thought it might be someone else who advised you.

Anyway, welcome to the Lounge and to the enjoyment of fine hat wearing and appreciation.

 

[feltfan]

As I said, as long as he has vintage Cavanagh bodies...
Glad to hear it. I believe others here have had hats made
by Gary White, so you might want to do a search. I have
no experience with him (or that other hatter alluded to)
beyond what I have seen and heard from Loungers. Painful
to hear all his Cav bodies are smaller than I can use!

I'm in the area but probably won't be able to make that
trunk show. Enjoy. And enjoy the Lounge.